So, my younger sister brought me so ‘medicine’ today to help with my allergies (which have been horribly bad this year for some reason). It’s some sort of homeopathic cure. I basically put the water with a molecule or two of something in my medicine rack after fervent assurances that I’d faithfully (heh) take the stuff, and nods that it will undoubtedly fix what ails me. Skimming through the directions under her watchful eye, however, I noticed something I’ve seen before and always been curious…it says I’m supposed to use the eye dropper thingy that comes with it and place 3 drops under my tongue for several minutes. What’s the deal with the drops under the tongue, exactly? What’s it supposed to do? Are you supposed to swallow after you hold the drops under your tongue or spit it out? The directions don’t say, so I figured I’d ask here.
Sublingual administration is sometimes better than oral because it doesn’t go into your stomach. As to why it might be better for homeopathic medicine, your guess is as good as mine. But I think you know how much “more effective” it will be. I don’t think you’re supposed to spit it out though; wouldn’t want to ruin the effectiveness!
Homeopathy says that the less you take of the substance, the better it works. So just carry the bottle of medicine around in your pocket-the few atoms of the crap inside will work even better.
For a homeopathic product, it’s supposed to induce a positive psychological effect. It’s ever so much more effective if it comes with special instructions, you know.
There are many studies looking at perceived effect compared to multiple variables. Generally, the more expensive option is often perceived as more efficacious, as are the options with more detailed administration techniques.
It is indeed hokey, but Mrs. Plant v.2.0 (AKA the Evile Mrs. Plant, but I digress) had something for stys that would work for me. A molecule of duck liver in Lake Eyrie or something. It would concentrate my Placebonic Powers into making the sty vanish.
In one sense yes. This was often done before people knew what a placebo was. It sounds medical, so they would assume they were taking something useful.
Also, in any study that uses placebos, subjects must be told they might be receiving placebos. The results of the placebo users are compared to control groups that receieve no treatment to determine a ‘placebo effect’. So everyone there knows that they may have receieved a placebo.
I recall some reports that in placebo studies, there were occasional positive results with people who are told they are getting a placebo, and understand what that means. The trouble with placebo studies is that you can’t ethically give a person a placebo but tell them it is an effective medicine. So determining how well placebos work in and of themselves is very difficult.
Never having taken, or even seen a homepathic medicine, my health actually declined from reading the thread and increasing my knowledge of the stuff. If the homeopathic practioners actually cared about people, they’d never tell anybody about the medicines to maximize their effect.
Of course, the less you pay a homeopath the more money they make. Tell them you “succussed” the loose change you’re giving them by shaking it up in your pocket before payment. That’ll make sense to them.
As to the OP, undoubtedly if you put drops of water with magic homeopathic memory under your tongue, your mucous membrane(s) will absorb the homeopathic goodness ever so much better than if you swallowed it. Homeopathic quantum mechanics are involved.
