To me, one thing is sure for me. It works. Proved many many times for the last 10 years.
Now I am not really interested into running such tests mostly because I am not motivated enough (I am a programmer) and also because for myself I don't need any further proof for my own use.
Yes, it is diluted enough (if it is a homeopathy medicine) that it won't harm you even if it is incorrectly selected remedy.
Selecting the correct medicine for your allergy (or any other problem) is much more difficult in homeopathy. You need to take into account many factors. So selling off-the-shelf homeopathy medicines is probably going to make some money for the manufacturer but not cure you (from the point of view of a homeopath of course)
(I could not reply directly to the comment, probably due to bleeding karma)
"How do you explain that the supposed effects of homeopathy evaporate like the morning dew once they're placed in the setting of a double-blind scientific experiment with proper (well, in this case more) placebo controls?"
To me, one thing is sure for me. It works. Proved many many times for the last 10 years.
Now I am not really interested into running such tests mostly because I am not motivated enough (I am a programmer) and also because for myself I don't need any further proof for my own use.
" in acute cases of most diseases, people get recover. Even if we did nothing, most people would get better. "
I mentioned acute problems because results are more easily verifiable. Say you are having fever or allergy for last few hours and take a homoepathy medicine and get cured. Now you know that your disease runs its course in 3-7 days and has been obviously helped by homeopath.
Homeopathy is also good in chronic cases and I successfully help many people.
"except that you clearly don't want to understand the point". Don't be so cruel to me.
Think about yourself. You don't believe anything which contradicts those 700 years of work. You don't believe that water can have a memory. You don't believe there is some sort of energy/frequency stored in water or sugar which cures us. Why? Because we cannot see it or prove it with any known scientific methods. Right?
Well I was exactly like you. I got helped by homeopathy by chance and probably a "hacker" (as defined by Paul Buchheit) within me got curious if homeopathy is really works and is as miraculous as it claims?
I spent time, took medicines myself and my volunteer friends and family. It is still hard to believe for me but it works and it looks more than placebo effect.
I did not read it in a book. I actually experienced it. And my experience of 10 years tells it works.
"What was the biological cause of the pain? Was it neuromuscular? Was it nervous system? ....."
To use Rhuxtox, we only need to know (short version) if the ailment was caused by strain, overlifting, getting wet while perspiring. And it will work. I just mentioned one case but it has worked in many similar cases. In this particular case, the patient had stopped using pain killers because of side effects and he felt much better within first 3 days and after 1 week much better. Rhuxtox will keep working for him and if his complete recovery stops, he will get Rhuxtox 200 again or the next higher potency (Rhuxtox 1M).
"How many people have you "treated" that did not get better at all?"
This is an interesting point. Sometimes when I prescribe incorrect medicine (mostly because I was not careful enough taking symptoms, causes) the medicines does not work at all. Even though the patient is believer. For example if the abdomen pain is due to injury (Arnica 30 is correct medicine) and I give Colocynthis (for spasmodic pain), it won't work. Correcting the medicine will bring cure.
And there are times when I can't help people get better, mostly because I am not that good, though the patient has faithfully used medicine for quite some time. See place effect is not working here.
In such cases I recommend him to get consultation from professional homeopaths I know and he/she in fact gets better from someone with more knowledge. Placebos working again. Isn't it strange?
There is a compilation of clinical cases titled "Microdoses Megaresults" by a renowned Indian homeopathy doctor Diwan Harish Chand. It lists around 400 cases with complete histories of patients each spanning many years.
It is a wonderful compilation in the sense that it first lists all complaints and test results of a patient and then follow up results after treatment by remedies. He has discussed why he selected a particular remedy and why it worked or not worked.
This book serves as a good empirical evidence for me.
I know there is a really strong bias against homeopathy here.
I would suggest a thought experiment. Just for a moment think that homeopathy might have a grain of truth. And with this, ask how and why about its cures. This might help me to understand your point clearly.
"You are not capable of telling if your back pain, for example, was cured by homeopathy or had run its course."
In my case, I may not be because it was for 3 days. But then I cured a large number of people for similar complaints within 1 day. Couple of weeks ago, I recommended Rhustox200 to a friend of a friend who had back pain for the last 1 year. This had started when he lifted a heavy object at that time. Rhuxtox faithfully cured him. Before that pain killers were temporary relief.
I am just narrating my positive experience for the last 10 years. And my point is that it works for me as it claims.
As I said in my comment, I have helped countless cases (fevers, pains etc) where relief was required within hours or days and I always got good results with homeopathy.
Homoepathy has cured, in my experience, really really serious cases in such a simple way that sometimes I just wonder what all this is; a placebo effect?
I am not a homeopath, studied science in school and college and I was against homeopathy as much as any of you are. But here are my experiences which have made a believer and a lay, part time practitioner for myself, my family and friends. I am also not knowledgeable enough to support basis of homeopathy and related things like water memory.
I am posting my experiences about acute issues where a cure is expected in a matter of hours or days so it is quite clear if the disease has run its course or the medicine has worked.
I have seen many infants and young kids get better immediately with the homeopathy use. I am not sure if the placebo effect can work on them.
For the last 10 years my whole family (and many friends) are exclusively using homeopathy. So I think even if it placebo effect it is worth having.
I know my limited experiences can't be a basis of any scientific proof. But the point I want to make is homeopathy works for me as "advertised" so I don't care what science or other people say about it.
Have a look at these and let me know what it can be? Can placebo effect be so strong?
1. I was travelling and had severe back pain which resulted from sweeting in sun and then immediately going into a chilled place. Pain killers for 3 days could not subside it. My host, a lay practitioner, gave me a single homeopathy medicine, Rhustox 200, which cured me like a miracle. Please note I was a non-believer and I took this medicine in the most desperate conditions (traveling, deadlines etc.)
This experience forced me to give a second thought and I started self-study and help from two homeopaths.
'Rhuxtox 200' is also a medicine for complaints from sprains and strains on body. Since then I have cured countless people for similar conditions.
2. Any pain from injury to soft tissues immediately subsides with 'Arnica 30' 1 or 2 doses in a matter of hour. Have given this medicine to people of all ages.
3. Cantheris 30 for burning in urine.
4. Belladona 30 for fever/head ache due to host sun or any pain/inflammation with redness of the affected part.
5. Cough. Phosphorus 30 cures most cases.
6. Most pains which aggravate with motion. Bryonia 30 helps.
7. General spasms/pains. Colocynthis 30 1 dose works miracle on kids as well as elders. Hardly need to give second dose.
For people who believe in homeopathy, already know where and how to buy good medicine and don't need a red tape like FDA.