Homeopathy is a branch of medicine with a unique way of prescribing medicines, and with its own range of medicines.

Homeopathy as a system of medicine was developed by Dr Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843), a German physician and scholar. Since its inception, homeopathy has spread widely through the world. In recent years there has been an impressive resurgence of homeopathy worldwide and the number of homeopaths who can provide this safe, effective, comprehensive medical care is also rapidly growing.

In 1790 Samuel Hahnemann discovered the principle of "like curing like". At the time, cinchona bark (the source of quinine) was the main treatment for malaria. Hahnemann wondered what would happen if he, though not having malaria, took the drug. He was amazed to find that while taking it he developed symptoms typical of malaria! He then deduced that the drug might be effective in treating malaria because it could cause similar symptoms in a healthy person.

This was the startling idea that led him to experiment further. Using himself, his family, and colleagues as subjects, he tested all sorts of substances. He found that any substance of plant, mineral or animal origin, given to a healthy person in repeated doses, will cause that person to develop symptoms. The same substance (in different dosage and form) will cure a sick person with a similar set of symptoms. Homeopaths sum this up by saying: "Likes may be cured by likes."

Eventually, Hahnemann began to treat people basing his prescriptions on this principle of treating "like with like". He would elicit from his patients all their symptoms and then choose a remedy which had produced symptoms that closely matched the symptoms of the illness. From the outset his results were outstanding.

Everyone knows the effects of drinking too much coffee: the mind races and prevents sleep, and trembling and palpitations may occur. When a person has these symptoms, whether it be a case of insomnia, the result of an emotional shock, or whatever, then the homeopathic remedy made from coffee (which is called Coffea) may remove those symptoms.

Another example is Bee Sting venom (the homeopathic remedy is called Apis Mellifica). Everyone knows that when stung by a bee, swelling occurs at the site of the sting with a ‘stinging’ sensation. Hence, Apis Mellifica is used to treat any condition where there is swelling with a stinging sensation. It is also used in conventional medicine where the raw bee venom is injected around swollen arthritic knees. This is one example (of many) of conventional medicine unwittingly using the law of ‘like curing like’.

Other well-known examples are:

Digitalis for heart problems. Anyone eating the foxglove plant (digitalis) will develop heart problems, so, following the ‘like curing like ‘principle, digitalis would be a suitable medicine for heart problems. And so, it has proven. Ritalin for hyperactivity in ADHD sufferers. This is interesting since ritalin is a stimulant so why should it help people who are over stimulated. The principle of “like curing like” easily explains this apparent contradiction.

As Hahnemann continued his experiments, he found the results were even better, and with less discomfort to the patient, if he not only diluted the medicines but also shook them (called succussion) after each stage of dilution.

This dilution in steps, with succussion between steps, is called potentising, and increases the power or "potency" of the medicine. Most countries today have pharmacies which make and sell homeopathic medicines prepared in the way Hahnemann discovered.

This term is often used to classify homeopathy, but it is an inaccurate label. "Alternative" is usually used in a context that implies an irrational revolt against "proper" medicine. This is not true; homeopathy is regarded as a proper medical discipline in many countries.

Homeopathy is a branch of medicine, in the same sense that pediatrics, gynecology, surgery and psychiatry are branches of medicine.

Yes, it is. With its careful testing of medicines on healthy human volunteers, the collating of the symptoms and the continual testing of the hypothesis by giving the similar remedy, homeopathy's results are repeatable experiments and therefore form a truly scientific base.

It is thanks to the data from thousands of such tests (called provings) that we know what the various homeopathic medicines can do. Since subjective symptoms are especially important, only human beings can reliably provide these. This is why, although homeopathy can treat animals, animals are never used in proving medicines intended for human use.

There have been thousands of positive scientific studies conducted that point to the efficacy of homeopathy.

Homeopathy exists in almost every country in the world, and the demand for services in this area is on the rise.

Though some of the homeopaths are not registered medical practitioners with the status of doctors, in many countries homeopaths are people who have trained as doctors and done further training in homeopathy (in Britain the qualification, Member of the Faculty of Homeopathy, is recognized in law, for instance) or they have trained in homeopathic medical colleges graduating with qualifications recognized as equivalent to the usual medical degree.

Many Governments encourage homeopathy and give it funding just like any other branch of medicine. Support from British Royalty is conspicuous, with the Queen having had a personal Royal Homeopathic Doctor all her life, as did all the royal family right back to George V, who was cured of his sea sickness by a homeopath. There are several homeopathic hospitals covered by the National Health Service in Britain.

In India, there are over 100 homeopathic hospitals, 43 of which receive government funding. Homeopathy is recognized in India as one of the national systems of medicine and is practiced by over 200,000 registered homeopathic doctors. In many countries in Europe there is both state funding and medical insurers' support for homeopathic consultations, notably Switzerland and Germany.  It is extremely popular in The Netherlands and France with over 50% of the population having used, or is using, homeopathic remedies.

Central and South American governments support homeopathy in many ways, particularly Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. The same sort of encouragement can be found in Africa, too - notably South Africa.

The WHO recognizes homeopathy as being the second most used medical system in the world. It has been estimated that over 500 million people all over the world use homeopathy as their sole or main therapeutic agent.

Homeopathy is very thorough, and with chronic problems an initial consultation may require about an hour. When asking the client to describe symptoms, the homeopath wants to go beyond such blanket terms as merely "rheumatism" or "asthma" and discover how that particular problem presents in you as an individual in your own unique response to the disease process.

To get a complete picture of the underlying disturbance and to clearly identify the physical, mental or emotional problems impacting on your life, a lengthy, detailed and personal interview is often necessary. This in-depth exchange between homeopath and client is quite different from the routine medical exam of a conventional doctor. During the interview you will be asked about many aspects of your life. Often it is that "peculiar" or "odd" problem, which you are hesitant to talk about, or are tempted to ignore, which will provide the all-important clue to your exact remedy.

Homeopathy is highly demanding of the homeopath. The reason such a long time is spent with new clients, striving to know them in such depth and subtlety, is because the homeopath is trying to select, from hundreds of remedies, a remedy which best matches the symptoms of the individual. It is not an easy task. No homeopath always finds the exact remedy the first time.

In acute illnesses the response tends to be fast, and in some cases nearly instantaneous. It is commonplace for a child screaming with pain one moment (perhaps from teething or an earache) to calm down a minute or two later and fall asleep after a dose of, say, Chamomilla.

On the other hand, some chronic problems of many years standing may improve slowly and gradually. As might be expected, complaints which have developed slowly over many years generally take longer to cure than those which have developed recently, though signs of improvement may be seen soon after starting the treatment.

Because the medicines have been considerably diluted, all toxicity is removed. There is therefore no risk of dangerous side-effects. Remedies are commonly prescribed in such dilution that a medical substance cannot be detected when the remedy is analyzed. This does not mean potentized medicines are absolutely harmless if taken heedless of directions, but they are probably the safest of all medicinal substances.

Some opponents of homeopathy use the argument that since the remedies are so diluted, they must only be water so any beneficial effect must be the result of a “placebo” effect. This widely promoted opinion chooses to, conveniently, ignore the fact that the remedies are not only diluted but in the process of dilution they are succussed, so it isn’t only dilution. There is another action involved.

The placebo argument has been the mantra of many uninformed observers ever since Hahnemann published his discovery. It was an expected reaction of the doctors of his time who felt threatened by such a revolutionary system of medicine. It was a little incongruous since the standard medical practice of the time involved such barbaric practices as bloodletting.   

Conventional medicine has continued to be attached to this ignorant view of homeopathy even when presented with countless evidence of proof that it works.

The fact that it works on infants, animals, plants and bacteria is easily shown. Multitudes of hospital records from 1840 to the present day testify to its efficacy in treating the most serious ailments.

Closing one’s mind to the evidence does not prove something is wrong. The fact that ‘science’ didn’t have an explanation for WHY it works only meant that ‘science’ hadn’t evolved enough. Recent studies in spectroscopy and nanoparticles* have demonstrated that there is, in fact, active medicinal substances in the highly diluted remedies. Science is finally catching up! See International Journal of High Dilution Research 2015;14(3):3-9

Some homeopaths are qualified registered doctors, but all other registered homeopaths have a basic knowledge of conventional medications and are careful with the management of clients who are taking conventional medications. Ideally, the homeopath prefers to treat clients who are not taking any other medication. This permits the full range of symptoms to emerge, some of which might have been masked or suppressed by drug therapy. If it is dangerous to withdraw a drug, it can be continued together with the homeopathic medicine and then gradually withdrawn (in consultation with the prescribing physician) as the condition improves.

Homeopathic medicines are used by a wide range of healthcare providers all over the world with results ranging from poor to outstanding. The classical homeopath is guided by the principles set forth by Hahnemann:the principle of "like curing like", the minimum dose of the potentized medicine, the single remedy and the individualization of every case of disease. By following these principles, classical homeopaths find they obtain the most consistent and reliable results.Only one remedy at a time is used. Classical homeopaths do not use machines or divining methods to choose the remedy. Many remedies sold labelled "homeopathic" are not true homeopathic medicines at all, and results from taking them are so unpredictable their use cannot be recommended. Bottles containing a mixture of remedies with a name implying a particular use should be avoided.

You can learn to use some homeopathic remedies at home. It is particularly effective in first aid situations, and this is a good way to familiarize yourself with homeopathy. There are literally thousands of books on homeopathy from basic first aid through to the most profound. Some of the first aid or beginner books are excellent for you to begin to use homeopathy in family situations.

If any apparently minor complaint does not respond quickly to your own treatment, consult a homeopath. Use only classical remedies, not mixtures.