Overview
Homeopathy is a system of medicine that was invented by Samuel Hahnemann. It is based on the principle that like cures like—using like substances for cure. Homeopathic remedies are made from minute doses of substances obtained from plants, vegetables and minerals.
History
Samuel Hahnemann lived from 1755 to 1843. He was a medical doctor and reformer. He discovered the Law of Similars while translating medical texts. Reading the description of the action of cinchona,or Peruvian Bark, Hahnemann recognized the similarity to the symptoms of malaria. He recognized that substances that made a well person sick, as in a poisoning, could be used to make a sick person well. His work was first published in the early 1800s.
Dosage
Homeopathy uses substances prepared in standards set by the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States. The process of preparation is called potentization and involved alternating dilution and succussion, a method by which a substance is mixed through powerful striking.
Name
The name homeopathy is derived from two Latin words: “homeo” meaning same, and “pathy” meaning disease.
Organon
Hahnemann published his findings in a book called the” Organon of Healing,” or the “Organon of the Medical Art.” This book is still used as a textbook for homeopathic students.
Practitioners
Some homeopathic remedies are available over-the-counter, but to treat ongoing medical conditions, consultation with a homeopathic practitioners is advised, according to the Homeopathic Pharmacopeia of the United States. Homeopathy is practiced by medical doctors, naturopaths, acupuncturists, veterinarians, midwifes and other certified homeopathic professionals.
Worldwide
Homeopathy is practiced around the world. Homeopathic hospitals are located in England, Mexico, India, South America and other nations.
Research
Many research papers have been published, including pre-clinical and clinical studies demonstrating the usefulness of homeopathic remedies, states the National Center for Homeopathy. Papers have been published in prestigious journals such as “Lancet,” “Pediatrics,” and “The Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine.”
