title: Improved clinical status in fibromyalgia patients treated with individualized homeopathic remedies versus placebo. Healthcare provided by a homeopath as an adjunct to usual care for Fibromyalgia (FMS): results of a pilot Randomised Controlled Trial. Chronic primary insomnia: efficacy of homeopathic simillimum. The effects of homeopathic Argentum nitricum on test anxiety. Homeopathic treatment of mild traumatic brain injury: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Effects of homeopathic medicines on polysomnographic sleep of young adults with histories of coffee-related insomnia. Electroencephalographic cordance patterns distinguish exceptional clinical responders with fibromyalgia to individualized homeopathic medicines. Homeopathic treatment of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a randomised, double blind, placebo controlled crossover trial Effect of homeopathic treatment on fibrositis (primary fibromyalgia) A randomised, controlled, triple-blind trial of the efficacy of homeopathic treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of classical homeopathy in generalized anxiety disorder. Night Shift: Can a Homeopathic Remedy Alleviate Shift Lag? A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy of a Natural Over-The-Counter (OTC) Medication in the Management of Snoring EEG ALPHA SENSITIZATION IN INDIVIDUALIZED HOMEOPATHIC TREATMENT OF FIBROMYALGIA Effects of homeopathic treatment in women with premenstrual syndrome: a pilot study. Homeopathy for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a pilot randomized-controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE To assess the efficacy of individualized classical homeopathy in the treatment of fibromyalgia . METHODS This study was a double-blind , r and omized , parallel-group , placebo-controlled trial of homeopathy .  Community-recruited persons ( N = 62 ) with physician-confirmed fibromyalgia ( mean age 49 yr , s.d . 10 yr , 94 % women ) were treated in a homeopathic private practice setting . Participants were r and omized to receive oral daily liquid LM ( 1/50,000 ) potencies with an individually chosen homeopathic remedy or an indistinguishable placebo . Homeopathic visits involved joint interviews and concurrence on remedy selection by two experienced homeopaths , at baseline , 2 months and 4 months ( prior to a subsequent optional crossover phase of the study which is reported elsewhere ) . Tender point count and tender point pain on examination by a medical assessor uninvolved in providing care , self-rating scales on fibromyalgia-related quality of life , pain , mood and global health at baseline and 3 months , were the primary clinical outcome measures for this report . RESULTS Fifty-three people completed the treatment protocol . Participants on active treatment showed significantly greater improvements in tender point count and tender point pain , quality of life , global health and a trend toward less depression compared with those on placebo . CONCLUSIONS This study replicates and extends a previous 1-month placebo-controlled crossover study in fibromyalgia that pre-screened for only one homeopathic remedy . Using a broad selection of remedies and the flexible LM dose ( 1/50,000 dilution factor ) series , the present study demonstrated that individualized homeopathy is significantly better than placebo in lessening tender point pain and improving the quality of life and global health of persons with fibromyalgia OBJECTIVES To assess the feasibility of a R and omised Controlled Trial ( RCT ) design of usual care compared with usual care plus adjunctive care by a homeopath for patients with Fibromyalgia syndrome ( FMS ) . METHODS In a pragmatic parallel group RCT design , adults with a diagnosis of FMS ( ACR criteria ) were r and omly allocated to usual care or usual care plus adjunctive care by a homeopath . Adjunctive care consisted of five in depth interviews and individualised homeopathic medicines . The primary outcome measure was the difference in Fibromyalgia Impact Question naire ( FIQ ) total score at 22 weeks . RESULTS 47 patients were recruited .  Drop out rate in the usual care group was higher than the homeopath care group ( 8/24 vs 3/23 ) . Adjusted for baseline , there was a significantly greater mean reduction in the FIQ total score ( function ) in the homeopath care group than the usual care group ( -7.62 vs 3.63 ) . There were significantly greater reductions in the homeopath care group in the McGill pain score , FIQ fatigue and tiredness upon waking scores . We found a small effect on pain score ( 0.21 , 95 % CI -1.42 to 1.84 ) ; but a large effect on function ( 0.81 , 95 % CI -8.17 to 9.79 ) . There were no reported adverse events . CONCLUSIONS Given the acceptability of the treatment and the clinical ly relevant effect on function , there is a need for a definitive study to assess the clinical and cost effectiveness of adjunctive healthcare by a homeopath for patients with FMS INTRODUCTION Chronic primary insomnia is defined as difficulty in initiating or maintaining sleep or of non-restorative sleep that lasts for at least 1 month and causes significant distress or impairment in social , occupational or other important areas of functioning . The homeopathic simillimum is that remedy which most closely corresponds to the totality of symptoms ; remedy selection is based on a full evaluation of the patient 's physical , emotional and mental characteristics . AIM / PURPOSE The purpose of this r and omised , double-blind , placebo-controlled study was to evaluate the efficacy of homeopathic simillimum in the treatment of chronic primary insomnia . METHOD 30 participants were selected in accordance with DSM-IV TR (2000)(1 ) criterion 307.42 Primary Insomnia and then r and omly divided between treatment and placebo groups . The measurement tools used were a Sleep Diary ( SD ) and the Sleep Impairment Index (SII).(2 ) After an initial consultation , 2 follow-up consultations at 2-week intervals took place . Homeopathic medication was prescribed at the first and second consultations . The SII was completed at each consultation and participants were instructed at the first consultation to start the SD . RESULTS SD data revealed that verum treatment result ed in a significant increase in duration of sleep throughout the study , compared to the placebo treatment which result ed in no significant increase in duration of sleep . A significant improvement in SII summary scores and number of improved individual questions were found in the verum group , responses to all 11 questions having improved significantly upon completion of the study . An initial improvement occurred in the placebo group , but was not sustained . Comparison of results between the groups revealed a statistically significant difference . CONCLUSION The homeopathic simillimum treatment of primary insomnia was effective , compared to placebo . Homeopathy is a viable treatment modality for this condition and further research is justified OBJECTIVES ( 1 ) To replicate a study of the efficacy of Argentum nitricum 12X in the reduction of test anxiety as demonstrated previously . ( 2 ) To investigate the correlation between individuals identified to match the A. nitricum profile and the reduction of  test anxiety . To compare traditionally prepared homeopathic A. nitricum 12X with radionically-prepared A. nitricum 12X and placebo . DESIGN A double blind , placebo-controlled , r and omised clinical trial with three arms . SETTING The study was conducted at Southern Cross University , Lismore , Australia . SUBJECTS Sixty-two test anxious university students . INTERVENTIONS Subjects were r and omised to one of three groups : traditionally prepared homeopathic A. nitricum 12X , radionically-prepared A. nitricum 12X , or placebo . After screening , each group received treatment twice a day for 4 days after which they were re-tested . OUTCOME MEASURES Primary : The Revised Test Anxiety Scale . Secondary : The Test Anxiety Scale ; 36-item A. nitricum question naire . RESULTS The results of this study did not replicate the Stanton study . No correlation between the reduction of test anxiety and the A. nitricum profile was demonstrated . No significant differences between treatments were demonstrated . CONCLUSION This study demonstrated that homeopathic A. nitricum 12X does not reduce test anxiety in a general population of university students BACKGROUND Mild traumatic brain injury ( MTBI ) affects 750,000 persons in the United States annually . Five to fifteen percent have persistent dysfunction and disability . No effective , st and ard pharmacological treatment exists specifically for this problem . We design ed a pilot research project to study the clinical effectiveness of homeopathic medicine in the treatment of persistent MTBI . METHOD A r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled trial of 60 patients , with a four-month follow-up ( N = 50 ) , was conducted at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital ( SRH ) . Patients with persistent MTBI ( mean 2.93 years since injury , SD 3.1 ) were r and omly assigned to receive a homeopathic medicine or placebo . The primary outcome measure was the subject-rated SRH-MBTI Functional Assessment , composed of three subtests : a Difficulty with Situations Scale ( DSS ) , a Symptom Rating Scale ( SRS ) , and a Participation in Daily Activities Scale ( PDAS ) . The SRH Cognitive-Linguistic Test Battery was used as the secondary measure . RESULTS Analysis of covariance demonstrated that the homeopathic treatment was the only significant or near-significant predictor of improvement on DSS subtests ( P = .009 ; 95 % CI -.895 to -.15 ) , SRS ( P = .058 ; 95 % CI -.548 to.01 ) and the Ten Most Common Symptoms of MTBI ( P = .027 ; 95 % CI -.766 to -.048 ) . These results indicate a significant improvement from the homeopathic treatment versus the control and translate into clinical ly significant outcomes . CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that homeopathy may have a role in treating persistent MTBI . Our findings require large-scale , independent replication BACKGROUND Homeopathy , a common form of alternative medicine worldwide , relies on subjective patient reports for diagnosis and treatment . Polysomnography offers a modern methodology for evaluating the objective effects of taking homeopathic remedies that clinicians cl aim exert effects on sleep quality in susceptible individuals . Animal studies have previously shown changes in non rapid eye movement sleep with certain homeopathic remedies . METHODS Young adults of both sexes ( ages 18 - 31 ) with above-average scores on st and ardized personality scales for either cynical hostility or anxiety sensitivity ( but not both ) and a history of coffee-induced insomnia participated in the month-long study . At-home polysomnographic recordings were obtained on successive pairs of nights once per week for a total of eight recordings ( nights 1 , 2 , 8 , 9 , 15 , 16 , 22 , 23 ) . Subjects ( N=54 ) received placebo pellets on night 8 ( single-blind ) and verum pellets on night 22 ( double-blind ) in 30c doses of one of two homeopathic remedies , Nux Vomica or Coffea Cruda . Subjects completed daily morning sleep diaries and weekly Pittsburgh sleep quality index scales , as well as profile of mood states scales at bedtime on polysomnography nights . RESULTS Verum remedies significantly increased PSG total sleep time and NREM , as well as awakenings and stage changes . Changes in actigraphic and self-rated scale effects were not significant . CONCLUSIONS The study demonstrated the feasibility of using in-home , all-night sleep recordings to study homeopathic remedy effects . Findings are similar though not identical to those reported in animals with the same remedies . Possible mechanisms include initial disruption of the nonlinear dynamics of sleep patterns by the verum remedies OBJECTIVES To characterize initial central nervous system responses to olfactory administration of homeopathic remedies as biomarkers for subsequently exceptional , simillimum-like clinical outcomes at a systemic level ( i.e. , both locally and globally ) . DESIGN Double-blinded , r and omized , placebo-controlled clinical trial . SETTING A private homeopathic clinic in Phoenix , AZ , and a university laboratory in Tucson , AZ . PATIENTS Sixty-two ( 62 ) persons with physician-confirmed fibromyalgia ( FM ) ( mean age , 49 years ; 94 % women ) enrolled ; 53 completed the 3-month assessment visit . Exceptional responders ( n = 6 , 23 % of active treatment group ; none on placebo ) were those with improvements in the top one-third for both tender point pain and global health ratings after 3 months . INTERVENTION Patients took daily oral doses of treatment solution in LM ( 1/50,000 dilution ) potency ( active group received individualized remedy ; placebo group received plain solvent ) . Dependent measures : Baseline and 3-month difference scores for initial prefrontal electroencephalographic alpha frequency cordance ( EEG-C , a correlate of functional brain activity ) during 16 pairs of r and omized , double-blinded bottle sniffs ( treatment minus control solutions ) . RESULTS Exceptional responders versus other patients exhibited significantly more negative initial EEG-C difference scores at prefrontal sites . Right prefrontal cordance findings correlated with subsequently reduced pain ( r = 0.85 , p = 0.03 ) , better global health ( r = -0.73 , p = 0.10 ) , and trait absorption ( genetically determined ability to focus attention selectively and fully ) ( r = 0.91 , p = 0.012 ) . CONCLUSIONS These observations suggest prefrontal EEG-C as an early biomarker of individualized homeopathic medicine effects in patients with FM who later exhibit exceptional outcomes . Prefrontal cortex controls executive function , including ability to redirect attention . Interactions between executive function , absorption , and the simillimum remedy could facilitate exceptional responses An increasing number of parents turn to homeopathy for treatment of their hyperactive child . Two publications , a r and omised , partially blinded trial and a clinical observation study , conclude that homeopathy has positive effects in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) . The aim of this study was to obtain scientific evidence of the effectiveness of homeopathy in ADHD . A total of 83 children aged 6–16 years , with ADHD diagnosed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV criteria , were recruited . Prior to the r and omised , double blind , placebo controlled crossover study , they were treated with individually prescribed homeopathic medications .  62 patients , who achieved an improvement of 50 % in the Conners ’ Global Index ( CGI )  , participated in the trial . Thirteen patients did not fulfill this eligibility criterion ( CGI ) . The responders were split into two groups and received either verum for 6 weeks followed by placebo for 6 weeks ( arm A ) , or vice-versa ( arm B ) . At the beginning of the trial and after each crossover period , parents reported the CGI and patients underwent neuropsychological testing . The CGI rating was evaluated again at the end of each crossover period and twice in long-term follow-up . At entry to the crossover trial , cognitive performance such as visual global perception , impulsivity and divided attention , had improved significantly under open label treatment ( P<0.0001 ) . During the crossover trial , CGI parent – ratings were significantly lower under verum ( average 1.67 points ) than under placebo ( P = 0.0479 ) . Long-term CGI improvement reached 12 points ( 63 % , P < 0.0001 ) . Conclusion : The trial suggests scientific evidence of the effectiveness of homeopathy in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder , particularly in the areas of behavioural and cognitive functions mens . Several treatments were required for each tumour , and injecting alcohol was often associated with considerable pain , whereas our patients did not report pain . These reports did not mention changes seen on ultrasound scans during or immediately after injection , which we found useful in laser treatment . The most important advantage of the laser is its precision . It is unlikely that it will ever be possible to predict the extent of necrosis around a site at which absolute alcohol has been injected with an accuracy comparable to that already possible with the laser technique . In conclusion , interstitial laser hyperthermia is feasible and seems to be safe . A multiple fibre system makes it feasible to treat tumours of clinical ly relevant size in the centre of solid organs . The real challenge for the future will be to develop diagnostic techniques that disclose exactly how far individual tumours extend in a wider range of organs ( unlike the well defined tumours treated in this pilot study ) and to establish the conditions of laser treatment that give complete tumour ablation with safe healing . This combination of technologies may be valuable for treating otherwise untreatable tumours in a range of solid organs and for the primary treatment of small neoplasms such as tumours of the prostate and adrenal gl and OBJECTIVE There is no management regime for chronic fatigue syndrome ( CFS ) that has been found to be universally beneficial and no treatment can be considered a " cure " . Patients with CFS may use complementary and alternative medicine ( CAM ) . Our aim was to evaluate homeopathic treatment in reducing subjective symptoms of CFS . METHOD Using a triple-blind design ( patient and homeopath blind to group assignment and data analyst blind to group until after initial analyses to reduce the possibility of bias due to data analyst ) , we r and omly assigned patients to homeopathic medicine or identical placebo .  One hundred and three patients meeting the Oxford criteria for CFS were recruited from two specialist hospital out patient departments . Patients had monthly consultations with a professional homeopath for 6 months . Main outcome measures were scores on the subscales of the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory ( MFI ) and proportions of each group attaining clinical ly significant improvements on each subscale . Secondary outcome measures were the Fatigue Impact Scale ( FIS ) and the Functional Limitations Profile ( FLP ) .  Ninety-two patients completed treatment in the trial ( 47 homeopathic treatment , 45 placebo ) . Eighty-six patients returned fully or partially completed posttreatment outcome measures ( 41 homeopathic treatment group who completed treatment , 2 homeopathic treatment group who did not complete treatment , 38 placebo group who completed treatment , and 5 placebo group who did not complete treatment ) . RESULTS Seventeen of 103 patients withdrew from treatment or were lost to follow-up . Patients in the homeopathic medicine group showed significantly more improvement on the MFI general fatigue subscale ( one of the primary outcome measures ) and the FLP physical subscale but not on other subscales . Although group differences were not statistically significant on four out of the five MFI subscales ( the primary outcome measures ) , more people in the homeopathic medicine group showed clinical ly significant improvement . More people in the homeopathic medicine group showed clinical improvement on all primary outcomes ( relative risk=2.75 , P=.09 ) . CONCLUSIONS There is weak but equivocal evidence that the effects of homeopathic medicine are superior to placebo . Results also suggest that there may be nonspecific benefits from the homeopathic consultation . Further studies are needed to determine whether these differences hold in larger sample BACKGROUND Homeopathy is commonly used for the treatment of medical and psychological conditions . Such prevalent use , however , is not supported by robust , method ologically sound research . This study evaluates the effect of homeopathic treatment in generalized anxiety disorder , a prevalent mental disorder characterized by an enduring pattern of excessive apprehension and distress and by mental and bodily complaints . METHOD Forty-four patients with DSM-IV generalized anxiety disorder participated in a r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled 10-week trial of individually tailored homeopathic remedy . Homeopathic therapy was administered by an expert who followed the traditional routines of homeopathic diagnosis and prescription . Thirty-nine subjects completed the study ( 20 in the active treatment group and 19 in the placebo group ) . Subjects ' symptoms were rated before treatment and after 5 and 10 weeks of treatment , with the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety ( HAM-A ) as main outcome measure . Additional measures of outcome included the Brief Symptom Inventory , the Psychological General Well-Being Index , the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression , the Beck Depression Inventory , Spielberger 's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory , and a Visual Analogue Scale of subjective distress . RESULTS Significant ( p < .05 ) improvement in most measures , including the HAM-A , was observed in both the active treatment and placebo groups , yet no group effect was observed . CONCLUSION The effect of homeopathic treatment on mental symptoms of patients with generalized anxiety disorder did not differ from that of placebo . The improvement in both conditions was substantial . Improvement of such magnitude may account for the current belief in the efficacy of homeopathy and the current increase in the use of this practice Night shift nurses are subject to shift lag or circadian dysrhythmia , which may result in physical and mental symptoms ranging from fatigue , irritability , depression , and apathy to gastrointestinal , cardiovascular , and sleep disorders . This study investigated the effect a homeopathic remedy No-Shift-Lag had on the night shift nurses in an intensive care unit . The study was a r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled , crossover trial . The measures included an objective computer-based vigilance test and a series of subjective question naires More than 40 million American adults snore . Habitual snoring afflicts 44 % of adult males and 28 % of females . Uncomplicated snoring is generally due to vibration of the palatal soft tissues or the tongue base , causing intermittent airway obstruction . Loudness is correlated with the degree of vibration and /or obstruction . The tendency , frequency , duration , intensity , and sequelae of snoring are influenced by myriad structural , physiological , environmental and pharmacological factors . Uncomplicated , nonapneic snoring is treated in a wide variety of ways , ranging from self-help methods , such as positional therapy , to laser surgery . The purpose of this report is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a natural medication for snoring in a r and omized double-blind placebo-controlled trial . The treatment is significantly more effective than placebo . Neither side effects nor intolerance to the product was reported Fibromyalgia ( FM ) patients show evidence of sensitizability in pain pathways and electroencephalographic ( EEG ) alterations . One proposed mechanism for the cl aim ed effects of homeopathy , a form of complementary medicine used for FM , is time-dependent sensitization ( TDS , progressive amplification ) of host responses . This study examined possible sensitization-related changes in EEG relative alpha magnitude during a clinical trial of homeopathy in FM . A 4-month r and omized , placebo-controlled double-blind trial of daily orally administered individualized homeopathy in physician-confirmed FM , with an additional 2-month optional crossover phase , included three laboratory sessions , at baseline , 3 and 6 months ( N = 48 , age 49.2 ± 9.8 years , 94 % women ) . Nineteen leads of EEG relative alpha magnitude at rest and during olfactory administration of treatment and control solutions were evaluated in each session . After 3 months , the active treatment group significantly increased , while the placebo group decreased , in global alpha-1 and alpha-2 during bottle sniffs over sessions . At 6 months , the subset of active patients who stayed on active continued to increase , while the active-switch subgroup reversed direction in alpha magnitude . Groups did not differ in resting alpha . Consistent with the TDS hypothesis , sniff alpha-1 and alpha-2 increases at 6 months versus baseline correlated with total amount of time on active remedy over all subjects ( r = 0.45 , p = .003 ) , not with dose changes or clinical outcomes in the active group . The findings suggest initiation of TDS in relative EEG alpha magnitude by daily oral administration of active homeopathic medicines versus placebo , with laboratory elicitation by temporolimbic olfactory stimulation or sniffing Alternative therapies in general , and homeopathy in particular , lack clear scientific evaluation of efficacy . Controlled clinical trials are urgently needed , especially for conditions that are not helped by conventional methods . The objective of this work was to assess the efficacy of homeopathic treatment in relieving symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome ( PMS ) . It was a r and omised controlled double-blind clinical trial . Two months baseline assessment with post-intervention follow-up for 3 months was conducted at Hadassah Hospital outpatient gynaecology clinic in Jerusalem in Israel 1992 - 1994 . The subjects were 20 women , aged 20 - 48 , suffering from PMS .  Homeopathic intervention was chosen individually for each patient , according to a model of symptom clusters . Recruited volunteers with PMS were treated r and omly with one oral dose of a homeopathic medication or placebo . The main outcome measure was scores of a daily menstrual distress question naire ( MDQ ) before and after treatment . Psychological tests for suggestibility were used to examine the possible effects of suggestion . Mean MDQ scores fell from 0.44 to 0.13 ( P<0.05 ) with active treatment , and from 0.38 to 0.34 with placebo ( NS ) . ( Between group P=0.057 ) . Improvement > 30 % was observed in 90 % of patients receiving active treatment and 37.5 % receiving placebo ( P=0.048 ) . Homeopathic treatment was found to be effective in alleviating the symptoms of PMS in comparison to placebo . The use of symptom clusters in this trial may offer a novel approach that will facilitate clinical trials in homeopathy . Further research is in progress OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to carry out a preliminary trial evaluating the effectiveness of homeopathy in the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) . DESIGN This work was a r and omized , double-blind , placebo-controlled trial . SETTING S/LOCATION This study was conducted in a private homeopathic clinic in the Seattle metropolitan area . SUBJECTS Subjects included children 6 - 12 years of age meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th edition ( DSM-IV ) criteria for ADHD . INTERVENTIONS Forty-three subjects were r and omized to receive a homeopathic consultation and either an individualized homeopathic remedy or placebo . Patients were seen by homeopathic physicians every 6 weeks for 18 weeks . OUTCOME MEASURES Outcome measures included the Conner 's Global Index-Parent , Conner 's Global Index- Teacher , Conner 's Parent Rating Scale-Brief , Continuous Performance Test , and the Clinical Global Impression Scale . RESULTS There were no statistically significant differences between homeopathic remedy and placebo groups on the primary or secondary outcome variables . However , there were statistically and clinical ly significant improvements in both groups on many of the outcome measures . CONCLUSIONS This pilot study provides no evidence to support a therapeutic effect of individually selected homeopathic remedies in children with ADHD . A therapeutic effect of the homeopathic encounter is suggested and warrants further evaluation . Future studies should be carried out over a longer period of time and should include a control group that does not receive the homeopathic consultation . Comparison to conventional stimulant medication for ADHD also should be considered
target: Efficacy was found for the functional somatic syndromes group ( fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome ) , but not for anxiety or stress .
  For other disorders , homeopathy produced mixed effects .
  Meaningful safety data were lacking in the reports , but the superficial findings suggested good tolerability of homeopathy .
background: OBJECTIVE To systematic ally review  placebo-controlled r and omized trials of  homeopathy for psychiatric conditions .