What is Homoeopathy?

Homoeopathy: Origins, Key Concepts & Common Remedies

Homoeopathy believes in using diluted solutions of minerals and plants, which promote the healing mechanism of our body. This field has become widely popular for some decades. However, no scientific evidence supports this treatment approach.

What is Homoeopathy?

Homoeopathic practitioners developed an alternative therapeutic approach in the late 1700s. Samuel Hahnemann introduced homoeopathy in the year 1796. It is a pseudoscientific and alternative form of medicine that emphasises that the body can cure itself. Homoeopathy is popular in many Western European and Asian countries.

How Does It Work?

Homoeopathy works on two core principles, which include:

Like Cures Like

It signifies that any substance that produces particular symptoms in a healthy individual can be used to treat a sick individual with similar symptoms. Hahnemann believes that if any substance in large doses can cause symptoms, in small doses it can cure those symptoms.

Potentisation

A specific process of repeated dilution and shaking, known as potentisation, helps prepare homoeopathic medicines. The substance's ability to cure symptoms quickly determines its dilution. Numerous homoeopathic medicines are so diluted that they do not contain the original material.

Minimum Dose

A doctor administers a minimum dose of homoeopathic medicine to a patient for a specific period. Thus, it does not show any kind of symptoms or side effects during the treatment process.

Vital Force

This treatment acknowledges the existence of different invisible dynamic forces within living organisms. The vital force regulates all physiological functions in a healthy individual. If these forces get deranged, the person becomes ill. Homoeopathic medicines stimulate these vital forces and restore health.

What are the Methods to Prepare Homoeopathic Medicine?

Homoeopathy follows conventional approaches to prepare these medicines. Practitioners use various substances, such as minerals, plants, and animal products. They collect these, crush and dissolve them in liquids like lactose or alcohol. They then shake and dilute the solutions repeatedly to reach their full potential.

Homoeopathic remedies are made from common elements, including:

• Arnica
• Allium cepa (Onion)
• Chamomile
• Aloe vera
• Hypericum

What are the Conditions Homoeopathy is Commonly Used For?

Homoeopathy considers individuals' physical and mental states when treating them through holistic approaches. However, practitioners use these therapies to treat a broader spectrum of conditions, like:

• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Allergies
• Bruises or injuries
• Cold
• Chronic coughs
• Anxiety or depression
• Headaches
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
• Migraines
• Nausea
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Toothaches
• Scrapes
• Premenstrual syndromes

What are the Textbooks of Homoeopathy?

These are the major textbooks of homoeopathy:

1. Repertory

This book lists all the major symptoms and their associated remedies. George Jahrs wrote the original homoeopathic repertory, but Hahnemann wrote the first. Numerous repositories and medicine-related software are available in the market.  

2. Materia Medica

Materia medica is a compiled version of the symptoms of individual drugs that lists all the associated properties of homoeopathy. The first volume was published in 1811 by Hahnemann.

However, there is no direct scientific evidence of effective results from homoeopathic medicines in normal diseases like allergies or asthma. Doctors recommend against taking these medicines for chronic diseases like cancer or bronchitis. 

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