Frequently Asked Questions about Homeopathy

What Is Homeopathy?

The word "homeopathy" is derived from two Greek words: homoios (like) and pathos (suffering).

Homeopathy is a natural, safe, effective and scientific system of alternative medicine which assists the natural tendency of the body to heal itself. It recognizes that all symptoms of ill health are expressions of disharmony with the whole person. A person’s life and the totality of those symptoms: mental, emotional and physical are considered as one complex unit.

Homeopathy is a system of health care that concentrates on care of the whole person by methods that are specific, gentle, natural, and sympathetic to the body’s needs.

The basic principal of homeopathy is that "like cures like", or that a substance that causes certain symptoms when taken in large doses can remove those symptoms when taken in minute, specifically prepared forms. Because the substances in homeopathy are extremely small, there are no side effects, adverse reactions or contradictions.

What Is The History of Homeopathy?

Homeopathy was discovered by a German physician, Dr. Samuel Hahnemann. He found that substances from nature that can cause certain symptoms in a healthy person can cure those same symptoms in an ill person.

How does Homeopathy Work?

The philosophy of homeopathy holds that the mind and body are not separate. The emotions affect the organs, the musculature, and hormonal cycles, and the sifting processes of the body affect the mind and the emotions. Homeopathy is based on the pharmacological law called the "Law of Similars" or "Like Cures Like". So if the natural disease process is expressing itself in a certain way in a person then the remedy that mirrors that same expression most closely is given to effect its natural cure.

The effect is to slightly magnify the existing disease process, encouraging the body to react to this stimulus and activate its own healing power. Homeopathic remedies act to stimulate the innate capacity of the body to cure itself.

How Does Homeopathy Differ From Conventional Medicine?

In conventional medicine, many times the treatment plan is based on the symptoms, finding and diagnosis of a particular illness. Occasionally a patient presents with symptoms that do not fit into a well described diagnosis and it becomes difficult to find a conventional treatment. In homeopathic therapy, the treatment plan is individualized to the patient with the intent of discovering and removing an underlying causation. Thus it is conceivable that eight patients with the diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome might require treatment with eight different homeopathic remedies.

What Is a Remedy?

There are over 5000 homeopathic remedies. Homeopathic remedies are made from plants, minerals, metals, animals, food and biological sources. They are prepared in pharmacies; homeopathic remedies are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a drug. Extremely small amounts of these natural remedies are given; the minimum amount necessary to stimulate a reaction in the body. The substance goes through a potentization process of dilution and succession (shaken vigorously) many times, transforming the substance into the energy pattern of that substance. Homeopathy is an energy medicine. The homeopathic remedy which exactly resonates with the symptom picture of an individual will have a catalytic effect, triggering a systemic response in the patient, from the inside out. In other words, remedies have a resonant effect on the body: similar to the way in which a specific note, played on a violin, can have an effect on the molecular structure of a wine glass.

Homeopathic remedies are non-toxic, gentle in their actions, and have no side effects. They are safe to use with babies, children, adults, and animals. They are not tested on animals.

What Is The Treatment Process?

The initial interview takes between one to two hours. During this initial appointment, the homeopath needs to learn all the necessary information to make a correct analysis and the appropriate remedy choice. This involves exploring all aspects of a person’s experience of being ill and also a detailed history of all previous diseases and personal history. Once a homeopathic remedy has been chosen and taken, another appointment will be made in three to six weeks after the first visit.