The therapist warned about the dangers of homeopathy

The main danger of homeopathy is that patients often abandon proven treatments in favor of ineffective drugs. Meanwhile, such drugs often do not contain any active substance. On May 20, Svetlana Burnatskaya, a general practitioner and occupational therapist at JSC "Medicine" (Academician Roitberg Clinic), told Izvestia about this.

Burnatskaya explained that homeopathy is a system of alternative medicine based on the principle of "like, treated like" and the use of extremely diluted substances. However, homeopathy causes a lot of controversy and criticism, and there are several aspects regarding its safety and effectiveness.

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Moreover, according to media reports, the Russian Academy of Sciences opposed the inclusion of homeopathy in clinical guidelines. However, the specialist emphasized that homeopathy is not always dangerous.

"Homeopathy in itself is not dangerous in the sense that the drugs do not contain active substances in significant doses — in most cases they are diluted to such an extent that not a single molecule of the original substance may remain in them," the doctor said.

However, the risks still exist. The therapist identified three main ones: the rejection of traditional treatment of serious diseases, a pseudoscientific approach, and a temporary psychological effect that prevents patients from seeking qualified medical help on time.

"One of the biggest risks is that people may choose homeopathy over standard medical care in the treatment of serious illnesses. This can lead to a deterioration of the condition and protracted consequences," the expert warned.

However, she noted that in some cases — for mild ailments, prevention, or psychological conditions — homeopathy can be used as an additional method, but only after consulting with a doctor and in combination with traditional therapy.

Burnatskaya recommends pharmaceutical preparations with proven effectiveness, phytotherapy (under the supervision of a specialist), psychological relaxation methods and a healthy lifestyle as scientifically proven alternatives.

Earlier, on May 15, Volgina told Izvestia about the danger of edema. According to her, the most common cause of edema is heart disease, which leads to heart failure.