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AIBU?

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Original poster

To wonder whether people on here know that teething powders are homeopathy?

177 replies

ArfAPandaTreacle · 28/12/2012 09:09

Whenever the word 'homeopathy' is mentioned on here, you instantly get people saying that it's woo. Water doesnt have a memory etc.

But when someone posts asking why Ashton and Parsons is no longer on the shelf, you get a lot of replies saying how good it is, where you can get it, that Nelsons also do some (disclaimer - Ashton and Parskns and Nelsons and Boots own teething powder are all identical).

So out of interest, why when someone posts about teething powder do you never get anyone saying 'homeopathy is woo! Water has no memory.'

And why, when you have a 'homeopathy is woo' thread do you never get all those teething powder loving mums saying 'Actually, teething powder works really well for my baby.'

Please take this as the light hearted, inquistive thread that I intend it to be. Smile

OP posts:
catgirl1976geesealaying · 28/12/2012 18:06

I was Confused

I think it was aimed at me, but maybe I'm being paranoid Grin

GalaxyDisaStar · 28/12/2012 18:07

If 6C means 6 dilutions 1/100, does that mean.

Starts - 100% tincture
Dilution 1 - 1.0%
Dilution 2 - 0.01%
Dilution 3 - 0.0001%
Dilution 4 - 0.000001%
Dilution 5 - 0.00000001%
Dilution 6 - 0.0000000001%

Have I got that right?

alistron1 · 28/12/2012 18:11

Hey Zombie - it's no good having a mind so open that your brains fall out ;)

I'll ask my time honoured question that NEVER gets answered: if all the labels fell off a homeopaths bottles, how would they distinguish which potion was which?

And isn't it INTERESTING how homeopathy only works on incredibly subjective conditions, and on animals and babies who can't talk? Homeopathy doesn't seem to have any demonstrative, measurable or biochemical effects at all. And there's a really good reason for that - it's because it doesn't work. It's flim flam. Fakery. Woo. Nonsense.

Original poster
ArfAPandaTreacle · 28/12/2012 18:13

I really fancy some popping candy now.

The PP who said its advertised as 'anti-allergy' in boots. Anti-allergy what now? Ive never seen any mention of anti allergy.

OP posts:
Original poster
ArfAPandaTreacle · 28/12/2012 18:14

'God it really annoys me when people confuse herbal medicine with homeopathy.'

Why? Is it because you need to get out more?

OP posts:
bruffin · 28/12/2012 18:16

Ok Nelsons have 2c chamomilla. Which is the exact same as 0.002mls of Chamomilla in Ashton and Parsons teething powder.

Can i just point out

Nelsons powders have a potency of 6c which is a dilution of something like .000,000,000,001% (maybe a 0 out here or there) Grin

GoldenFrankincenseAndMyrrh · 28/12/2012 18:27

'God it really annoys me when people confuse herbal medicine with homeopathy.'

Why? Is it because you need to get out more?

I think it is, yes - I need to get out more rather than sit on my lazy post-xmas arse reading threads started by people who don't even bother to check the most basic facts of what they're talking about. Wink

Actually it annoys me because I trained as a herbalist and it's annoying when people confuse herbal medicine, which has quite an extensive evidence base, with homeopathy, which doesn't. That's not to say that parts of herbal medicine aren't quite woo - they are (doctrine of signatures, anyone?) - but if you analyse what is in a herbal tincture, you'll find lots of physiologically active constituents. If you analyse a homeopathic remedy, you won't. I'm not dissing homeopathy (although I know it sounds like I am Grin) but they are very different, and it's annoying to have people assume stuff about you which isn't true, based on their lack of understanding.

Shesparkles · 28/12/2012 18:33

When I was at the stage of using teething powders, I couldn't have given a flying one what they were called-they did the job! Maybe it was placebo, I didn't care, all I cared about was that they soothed my fractious baby!

ZombiesAreClammyDodgers · 28/12/2012 18:39

alistron I will respond to the factual part of your comment as I am not a homeopathy expert. I agree that if I had said I had cured my dog's tummy ache with homeopathy this would have been completely subjective as my dog could never have told me and I would have been assuming.
In this particular case however it was a skin ailment where all the hair fell off gradually till there was a huge patch with no hair at all. The vet did all sorts of tests, tried oral medicines, steroid injections, the works. He took skin scrapings to check for mange, etc. finally he threw his hands up in the air and said he couldn't diagnose it and wasn't sure what it was and that he could keep trying but didn't know when it would get cured. This went on for months. A homeopath I know offered some friendly advice and I had nothing left to lose so dosed my dog with what he gave me. The hair started growing back within about a week or ten days.

mellen · 28/12/2012 18:58

These things can happen through chance Zombies, which is why the average clinical trial has more than one participant.

What do you think the mechanism of action was for the homeopathic remedy working?

sleepyhead · 28/12/2012 19:00

But Zombie, surely you see that you'd need two dogs (at least, and tbh with only two there would still be a huge element of chance in whatever effect you saw), one getting the homeopathic remedy and one getting usual treatment (or none, or a placebo).

Because humans and animals do just get better some times. Maybe it takes a year, or six months or a month or a week. Sometimes we feel like things will never get better and then they do, in a week to 10 days.

sleepyhead · 28/12/2012 19:02

I used to have a dreadful rash with red, peeling skin on one of my fingers. Don't know what it was and the doctor didn't either. Steroid cream made no difference. Moisturising made no difference.

I don't have it now, and I couldn't honestly tell you when it got better or why. But I could see that if I'd taken a homeopathic remedy as a last resort and had happened to get better, say a week to 10 days, afterwards then I'd have been impressed.

bruffin · 28/12/2012 19:11

I have sonething simular sleepyhead called dyshydrotic exzema. I had it on a off for years and it got better by itself. Mine was worse a weekbor so before period then would get better by itself.
I have been clear on my hands for years now. No homeopathic remedies. Its just one of those things that come and go.

SCOTCHandWRY · 28/12/2012 19:29

The PP who said its advertised as 'anti-allergy' in boots. Anti-allergy what now? Ive never seen any mention of anti allergy

The particular product was a homoeopathic hay-fever preparation, I was there fore describing it as being anti-allergy. I actually went looking for it in the shop a couple of years ago after a friend showed it to me (she had been treating her DS with it). She was of the opinion it was a "natural, drug free" treatment which must be "real" medication as it had been on the shelf right next to the real drugs.

Original poster
ArfAPandaTreacle · 28/12/2012 19:34

Ive never seen that in Boots. I wonder what it is.

I guess, Ive never actually looked for it though.

OP posts:
alistron1 · 28/12/2012 19:35

Zombie, I love the way you answered the 'factual' part of my post with anecdotal evidence. Very scientific.

alistron1 · 28/12/2012 19:38

Homeopathic hay fever preparations are available in boots, waitrose, sainsburys etc They retail at about £6 whereas anti histimines (generic) retail for as little as £1.50. Scandalous charlatanism IMHO.

bruffin · 28/12/2012 19:46

Boots sell Nelsons Pollena, not to be sold to anyone under the age of 16 Hmm
Its another 6c potency.

ZombiesAreClammyDodgers · 28/12/2012 19:51

I am not advocating homeopathy. I'm just saying "there are more things on heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy".

alistron allow me to rephrase. I only addressed the bit in your post that I was capable of answering. Ie not being a scientist I could only tell you my experience. Thanks for the vocabulary lesson. Hmm

I agree that this was not a clinical trial, there is no way of confirming that this was indeed what worked. I can only tell it like i saw it.

ZombiesAreClammyDodgers · 28/12/2012 19:53

mellen I don't know. I don't pretend to be a doctor or chemist. I was only interested in the skin thing clearing up and it did.

alistron1 · 28/12/2012 20:24

Zombie, I didn't give you a vocabulary lesson. I was helping you out with the science Grin

moisturiser · 28/12/2012 21:08

I'd imagine that teething powders do often work really well despite being homeopathic. First of all because of the placebo effect which is mind-blowingly powerful. Really, look into it more if you don't know much about it, it's scary stuff (I remember reading an article about patients with really painful angina who had their chests opened up and their hearts/arteries looked at (for furring) but nothing actually being done, but said patients woke up cured of their pain. I can't remember where I read it so no idea if it's an accurate story but pretty cool if true.

Anyway, and secondly because if it contains a form of sugar, that has pain relieving qualities in itself. You get an endorphin release on eating sugar. It isnt as simple as 'it's homeopathy, it doesn't work.' Homeopathy is shit woo, the placebo effect is amazing.

RainbowsFriend · 28/12/2012 23:04

CBA to read the whole thread but I can say that pretending to rub in teething powders (to please homeopathy believing MIL) and thereby actually massaging the gums, works for teething actually quite well :)

  • not that I could then tell MIL that there were no teething powders of course, so she now holds the power of homeopathy working over me... Hmm Grin
RichManPoorManBeggarmanThief · 28/12/2012 23:10

but only when we kick the woo out of the way can we really start to appreciate the placebo effect and learn how that works

LadyWidmerpool · 28/12/2012 23:15

My Boots powders say 'a homeopathic medicine'. Not sure if they work but they certainly cheer my daughter up.

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