Homeopathy

What is Homeopathy?

Introduction

Homeopathy, is a healing art that originated in Europe over 200 years ago. Homeopathy seeks to stimulate the body's own defenses and immune system to heal itself by giving highly diluted substances that in larger doses produces illness or symptoms (an approach called "like cures like"). This complete system of theory and practice evolved over time in different cultures and apart from conventional medicine. This therapeutic method was developed by German physician Samuel Christian Hahnemann at the end of the 18th century and has been practiced in the United States since the early 19th century.

Key Points

• The principle of similars (or "like cures like") states that a disease can be cured by a substance that produces similar symptoms in healthy people. This idea, which can be traced back to Hippocrates, was further developed by Hahnemann after he repeatedly ingested cinchona bark, a popular treatment for malaria, and found that he developed the symptoms of the disease. Hahnemann theorized that if a substance could cause disease symptoms in a healthy person, small amounts could cure a sick person who had similar symptoms.

• The principle of dilutions (or "law of minimum dose") states that the lower the dose of the medication, the greater its effectiveness. In homeopathy, substances are diluted in a stepwise fashion and shaken vigorously between each dilution. This process, referred to as "potentization," is believed to transmit some form of information or energy from the original substance to the final diluted remedy. Most homeopathic remedies are so dilute that no molecules of the healing substance remain; however, in homeopathy, it is believed that the substance has left its imprint or "essence," which stimulates the body to heal itself (this theory is called the "memory of water").