What is Homœopathy?

Homœopathy is not new.  It is based on the principle of treating like with like, which was developed in 1796 by the German Doctor Samuel Hahnemann.  Even before that, Hippocrates had considered that there were 2 ways of treating disease.  The way of similars (Homœopathy) and the way of opposites, on which our conventional or allopathic medicine is based.

How is this principle applied in practice?

Take as an example a case of hay-fever.  The homœopathic way would be to give a minute dose of a substance which, if given to a healthy person in large doses, would produce symptoms such as sore, watery eyes, runny nose and sneezing i.e. the common symptoms of hay fever.  However, two people suffering the same illness may require different remedies as people react in different ways to the same disease.

How does it work?

Homœopaths view the patient’s symptoms as their body’s attempt to heal itself.  The aim of the homœopathic remedy is to further stimulate this natural healing process to affect a cure.  The person is viewed in a holistic way, such that symptoms of ill-health are seen as expressions of disharmony within the whole person and not just the individual part being affected at that time.