Homeopathy (also spelled as
homoeopathy) is a system of medical treatment discovered in 1796 by a German
physician Dr. Samuel Hahnemann (1755 - 1843). The origin of the word
"Homeopathy" is Greek, and means "Similar Suffering".
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Homeopathy is based on
the guiding principle "Similia Similibus Curenter" i.e. Like cures like. In
practice this means that a drug which is capable of producing a certain set
of symptoms in a healthy body when taken in large physiological doses, will
relieve or cure a similar set of symptoms in the diseased organism when it
is given in small homeopathic doses. Top
Homeopathic medicines promote the body's
innate ability to heal itself. Homeopaths believe that disease occurs when
the vitality of an individual is in disharmony, which results in an
impairment in the body's innate ability to heal itself. Nature has given
every living entity a power which try to cure by itself. Homoeopathic medicines
boost this power to expel the disease out of the body in a very natural way.
It is still not clear by what mechanism exactly this "ultramolecular"
medicine effects cure but there is substantial evidence
that homeopathy works, is safe, effective and cost-effective - whatever the
mechanism. Current research is focusing on the ability of water to retain an
imprint of substances which have been dissolved in it.
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Homeopathic remedies
are prepared from various parts of plants (like roots, leaves, bark, flowers
etc), minerals, and to a lesser extent, animal products which are diluted by
a special method. Some examples of homeoapthic plant remedies are Hypericum (St-John's Wort), Coca (Coca leaves), Chamomilla (Chamomile), Rhus
Toxicodendron (Poison Ivy). Mineral remedies include Natrum Muriaticum
(Sodium Chloride common salt), Calcarea Carbonica (Calcium Carbonate -
lime), Mercurius (Mercury). Examples of animal remedies are Apis Mel
(Honeybee Venom), Lachesis (Snake venom). In fact, as believed in the system
of homeopathy, each and every substance, inert or otherwise, has a variable
amount of energy within, which may be activated for the purpose of healing,
when subjected to the process of potentisation. All Homeopathic
Medicines are prepared by a special technique. This technique is
called as 'potentisation'.
Due to this process the ultimate homeopathic dose is a small dose, actually,
it is a micro dose. However, as the homeopathic theory goes, the
infinitesimal dose of homeopathic preparation possesses 'medicinal power' or
'energy' which is capable of acting on the similar 'energy plane' in the
human body, which is termed as 'vital force' to effect the cure. One may say, homeopathy is an
energy medicine.
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Homeopathic medicines
in high potency doses are so highly refined that they cannot produce harmful
results. Hence Homeopathic medicines are safe and without any harmful side
effects.
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The treatment in homeopathy
is individual specific and not disease specific. This means, different
individuals having same disease may require different medicines. Hence every
case requires in-depth study and evaluation. Besides the Law of Similars,
what is more peculiar to the homeopathic system of medicine is the special
technique of manufacturing the medicines. This technique is called as 'potentisation'.
On contrary, in conventional medicine medicines are administered in crude
form. Homeopathic
doctors work in the same way as their conventional colleagues. History
taking, examination and investigation are all important in establishing the
diagnosis - in understanding just what is wrong. However, homeopathic
doctors consider a wider range of aspects of the patient's condition -
personality traits, physical features, the effects of a variety of
environmental influences, patterns of disease within families, and family
and social relationships.
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Homeopathy can
help to repair any damage which the body has the potential to repair, and
help restore the balances and mechanisms involved in recovery and health. It
is widely used, for example, in conditions such as
Asthma, Eczema, Premenstrual Syndrome,
Allergies, Arthritis,
Kidney Stones,
Vitiligo, Migraine,
Keloids etc. Its principles differ from those of conventional medicine,
as does its approach to the patient and to the concept of ill health.
However, it cannot replace all other forms of health care. It can be used as
the treatment of first choice in a wide range of conditions and can be a
useful addition, or "complement" in other situations.
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Homeopathic
medicines are relatively inexpensive and the available evidence suggests
that homoeopathy has the potential to generate savings through reduced
conventional prescribing and demand for other services. Due to the unique
method of manufacturing medicines, homeopathic medicines are very
economical.
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