System of medicine
Homeopathy
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Homeopathy is a system of medicine founded by Samuel Hahnemann in the late eighteenth century and recognised in India as a separate system with its own degree and register. It prescribes highly diluted remedies chosen to match a person's overall pattern of symptoms.
What homeopathy is
Homeopathy rests on two principles of its own: that a substance which produces symptoms in a healthy person can, in very dilute form, be used for similar symptoms in someone who is unwell (the 'principle of similars'), and that repeated dilution with shaking increases a remedy's effect. These are the traditional rationale of the system. They are not mechanisms established by laboratory or clinical research, and this page does not present them as such.
Practitioner qualifications and regulator
A homeopathic doctor in India holds a BHMS degree (Bachelor of Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery), sometimes followed by an MD (Homoeopathy), and is registered under the National Commission for Homoeopathy, established by the National Commission for Homoeopathy Act, 2020[1]. A BHMS doctor is registered to practise homeopathy, not modern medicine.
- Basic degree: BHMS.
- Postgraduate qualification: MD (Homoeopathy).
- Regulator: the National Commission for Homoeopathy.
How assessment works
A homeopathic consultation is long and detailed. Besides the sexual complaint, the doctor asks about temperament, sleep, appetite, reactions to heat and cold, emotional state and past illnesses, in order to choose an individualised remedy in the system's own terms. A responsible homeopathic doctor also asks about heart disease, diabetes and current medicines, because erectile problems can signal cardiovascular disease that needs modern-medicine assessment[4].
- A full history of the complaint and of the person as a whole.
- Choice of an individualised remedy within the homeopathic framework.
- A check for symptoms that need a modern-medicine opinion.
Interventions used for men's sexual health
Depending on the assessment, a homeopathic doctor prescribes one or more remedies in a chosen potency, usually alongside advice on sleep, stress, diet and exercise. Remedies are prescribed only after consultation.
- Individualised homeopathic remedies.
- Lifestyle advice given alongside the remedy.
- Follow-up to review whether symptoms have changed.
Evidence by condition and intervention
Research on homeopathy as a whole, rather than on any one sexual-health condition, is what exists, and it should be described plainly.
| Condition | Intervention | Evidence | What the studies show |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erectile Dysfunction | Individualised homeopathic remedies | Insufficient evidence | No reliable trials of homeopathy for erectile dysfunction are available. Across conditions, an analysis of 110 placebo-controlled trials found that when bias was accounted for there was weak evidence for a specific effect of homeopathic remedies, compatible with the effects being placebo effects[2]. |
| Premature Ejaculation | Individualised homeopathic remedies | Insufficient evidence | There is not enough reliable trial evidence to say whether homeopathy helps premature ejaculation. A meta-analysis of 32 trials of individualised homeopathy across 24 conditions, by authors from the British Homeopathic Association, reported a possible small effect but judged the overall quality of evidence low or unclear[3]. |
| Low Libido | Individualised homeopathic remedies | Traditional practice | Used within homeopathy according to its own principles; controlled trials have not established an effect on sexual desire[2][3]. |
What the evidence does not establish
The evidence does not establish that homeopathic remedies have effects beyond placebo for any sexual-health condition, and the principles that remedies become stronger with dilution have not been demonstrated scientifically[2]. Feeling better after a consultation is real and can come from reassurance, time and attention, and lifestyle change; it does not by itself show that the remedy caused the change.
- Homeopathy does not replace investigation of an underlying condition such as diabetes or heart disease.
- Improvement during homeopathic care should not be used as a reason to skip recommended tests.
Limitations
Homeopathic assessment does not include the blood tests, imaging or examination that some conditions need for diagnosis, and a remote consultation cannot examine you. Where a condition has a guideline-supported treatment, choosing homeopathy instead may mean going without it; that is a choice you are entitled to make, but it should be an informed one.
Safety
Highly diluted remedies are unlikely to cause direct side effects, but low-potency or mother-tincture preparations contain measurable amounts of their source substance. The main risk of homeopathy is indirect: delaying diagnosis or treatment of a serious condition. Erectile problems can be the first sign of heart disease[4].
- Tell every doctor you see about the remedies you take.
- Do not stop a prescribed medicine for a long-term condition without talking to the doctor who prescribed it.
Referral boundaries
Some symptoms need a modern-medicine evaluation whichever system you prefer: chest pain or breathlessness with sexual activity, a lump or swelling, penile curvature with pain, blood in the urine or semen, sudden testicular pain, or a prolonged painful erection. The homeopathic doctor will advise that assessment rather than treat these symptoms with remedies alone.
How the service is offered
The consultation is a private video or audio call with the practice's homeopathic doctor. Under India's Telemedicine Practice Guidelines a registered practitioner prescribes only when reasonably satisfied that the information gathered is adequate[5], so any prescription follows the consultation. If a modern-medicine opinion or test is needed first, the doctor will say so.
The doctor of this system
Dr Ravindra Sharma
- Qualification
- B.H.M.S
- System of medicine
- Homeopathy
- Registration
- Reg. No. H018423, Homoeopathic Medicine Board, Lucknow, UP
Consultations in this system: Homeopathic Sexologist in India
Conditions this system is offered for
Frequently Asked Questions
Is homeopathy a recognised system of medicine in India?
Yes. Homeopathy is recognised in Indian law as a separate system of medicine. Its practitioners qualify with a BHMS degree and are registered under the National Commission for Homoeopathy.
Is there scientific evidence that homeopathy works for sexual problems?
Reliable trials for sexual-health conditions are lacking, and large analyses of homeopathy trials in general have not found reliable evidence of effects beyond placebo. This page sets out that evidence with its sources so you can judge it yourself.
Why would I choose homeopathy, then?
Some men prefer its long, individual consultation and its gentle remedies. That is your choice to make. The doctor will still tell you when a symptom needs a modern-medicine test or an in-person examination.
Can I take homeopathic remedies with other medicines?
Usually, but tell every doctor you see what you take, and never stop a prescribed medicine for a long-term condition without asking the doctor who prescribed it. Mention everything during the video or audio call.
References
- National Commission for Homoeopathy. The National Commission for Homoeopathy Act, 2020, and amendments. https://nch.org.in/nch-acts-amendments
- Shang A, Huwiler-Muntener K, Nartey L, et al. Are the clinical effects of homoeopathy placebo effects? Comparative study of placebo-controlled trials of homoeopathy and allopathy. Lancet. 2005;366(9487):726-732. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(05)67177-2
- Mathie RT, Lloyd SM, Legg LA, et al. Randomised placebo-controlled trials of individualised homeopathic treatment: systematic review and meta-analysis. Syst Rev. 2014;3:142. https://doi.org/10.1186/2046-4053-3-142
- Nehra A, Jackson G, Miner M, et al. The Princeton III Consensus recommendations for the management of erectile dysfunction and cardiovascular disease. Mayo Clin Proc. 2012;87(8):766-778. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2012.06.015
- Dinakaran D, Manjunatha N, Kumar CN, Math SB. Telemedicine practice guidelines of India, 2020: implications and challenges. Indian J Psychiatry. 2021;63(1):97-101. https://doi.org/10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_476_20
This information is general and educational. It is not a diagnosis; please discuss your situation with the doctor during your consultation.