For a better life...

Dr Naresh Arora is a homoeopath whose clinic at 5 BN Road, Kaiserbagh, has been there well before homoeopathy started gaining recognition among the masses.

Dr Naresh Arora is a homoeopath whose clinic at 5 BN Road, Kaiserbagh, has been there well before homoeopathy started gaining recognition among the masses. 

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In 1971, when he first applied for admission in National Homoeopathic Medical College (then at Kaiserbagh), its principal after seeing the academic qualifications of Dr Aro ra asked, “You have such an excellent record. Why homoeopathy?” Dr Arora had replied then: “I never knew that only duffers opted for this branch of medicine!”

Today, nearly 35 years later, almost 50 per cent of the doctors specialising in allopathic stream of medicine from King George’s Medical University (KGMU) are his patients.

“Before I became a homoeopath my father Dr Amar Prakash Arora had already made a name for himself. He, too, prescribed medicines from the same clinic that I now sit in. And, before my father, it was my maternal uncle, Dr Kashi Ram who had been so successful as a homoeopath that he used to charge Rs 10 per patient in 1930s!” Dr Arora goes down memory lane. Surely Rs 10 charge per patient must have been a princely sum then?

But, then, despite all this, isn’t it true that homoeopathy still is a poor cousin of allopathy today?

“You are partially correct. Proper awareness is yet to trickle down to the masses. What’s more, lifestyle has become so complicated that everybody wants instant relief. So, medicines like Paracetamol have become both handy and trendy.” Dr Arora explains: “But, then it has its side effects. Fever is a normal response of the body to any infection. The more virulent the virus, higher the fever is. Bringing it down instantly leads to complication. Homoeopathy helps the body get rid of the virus naturally without any side effects.”

He then adds, “All viral infections not controlled by allopathy are checked by homoeopathy. The sad part is that people aren’t aware….”

But surely let’s say in Japanese Encephalitis (JE) that claimed several lives only recently, or slipped disc or Orthopaedic troubles, Homoeopathy wouldn’t be of much help. Isn’t allopathic medicine best suitable in such cases?

The doctor surprises you with his response.

“When I started practising homoeopathy, I decided to bring homoeopathy to acute prescribing.” Now, the doctor says, he is getting success in  his efforts.

“My research has proved that homoeopathic treatment helps bring down the mortality rate of JE patients to 0.68 per cent as against 7.2 per cent of those getting treated through allopathy!”

Surely this is news. And what about slip disc? “What about it,” the doctor asks.

“I myself have been a patient of slip disc, never took recourse to allopathy and I am doing weight lifting now!” Yes, the doctor has cured several slip disc patients successfully too!

And Ortho cases? “I guess I get more patients suffering from various bone disorders, muscular dystrophy, cervical and ankylosing spondylitis etc than many orthopaedic physician!” Dr Arora adds, “Allopathic treatment can help bring down pain better. But, sustained relief can only come through Homoeopathy.” In fibroids, pelvic tumours too the doctor’s success rate is envied by many allopathic doctors.

And what about cancer? Again, the doctor stumps you. “There are some oncologists in the city who prefer referring their patients to me. I can’t buy them a lifeline. I only help them in live life better. And that is something that an allopathic doctor cannot do,” he adds with a smile. With a dedicated team of professionals like Dr Neeru Chauhan and Dr Neerav Arora (both of whom are successful doctors pursuing their MD in Homoeopathic medicine) Dr Arora is busy finding a cure to several complex cases that even Allopathy doesn’t have a satisfactory answer to.

Already in measles and chicken pox the doctor guarantees you a “marks free” face! And in rare eye disorders like Retinitis Pigmentosa (where the vision gets tubular) the doctor has 17 successfully recorded cases. These are cases, which have no treatment in Allopathy, so far. So, little surprise then even ophthalmologists are referring their patients to him too!

“Homoeopathy is perhaps the only medical science where proving came before hypothesis,” he says. The only flaw is that there are not many specialists in it.

But, with talented young doctors like Dr Neeru and Dr Neerav, Dr Arora, a member of Central Council of Homoeopathy is busy bridging this gap too.

And yes, next time when allopathic doctors prescribe a caesarean section to a pregnant mother/wife/sister… it’s advisable to consult Dr Arora first. “Most caesarean sections are prescribed due to monetary requirements. Surgery should be the last resort. Unfortunately, these days it’s not,” he says adding, “time has come when various ‘pathies’ have to join hands for larger good.” What else! Isn’t that enough. Phew!