Dr. Sarah Brien, a senior research fellow in complementary medicine in the UK, was quoted on Science Daily online as saying that homeopathic consultations benefit rheumatoid arthritis patients. But it is the consultation that does it, and not the homeopathic remedies, she says.
The consultation, she noted, focuses on the patient instead of the disease. Based on standard evaluation methods, receiving homeopathy along with traditional medical treatment for six months brought significant improvement. There were no side effects from it. One question that physicians still have is whether it is also cost-effective as part of treatment.
The study consisted of 83 patients from 2006-2008 from Southampton, Poole, and Winchester. The reduction in symptoms was both self-reported and reported by their physicians, including a decrease in swollen joints and pain, improved mood, and reduction in a statistic called the disease activity score.
Physicians are interested in seeing whether they can identify the specific parts of consultation that benefit the patient most. This study was reported in the journal Rheumatology: Homeopathy has clinical benefits in rheumatoid arthritis patients that are attributable to the consultation process but not the homeopathic remedy: a randomized controlled clinical trial. It was reported by Science Daily on November 15, 2010.
Contact Linda at writer14221@yahoo.com
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