Primary understanding
Homoeopathy (also spelled "Homeopathy") is the most prevalent alternative system of medicine in the world and followed very widely in India. It was discovered by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann in Germany in late 18th century. Homeopathy is a unique, natural, holistic system of medicine which stimulates the body’s healing responses with no known contraindications or common side effects.
Key strength of Homoeopathy is that Homoeopathic treatment is directed towards treating the disease at the root level. It simultaneously addresses multiple causes for any particular disease which could be genetic, hormonal, emotional, immunological etc. The diseases are treated in totality by stimulating the body’s healing responses rather than providing partial treatment or suppressing the symptoms that are associated with the diseases. That’s why homeopathic treatment is considered to be 'holistic' in nature. Further, Homoeopathic medicines are suitable for all age-groups including babies, children, elderly people, pregnant or breastfeeding women. In fact, children love homoeopathic medicine as they are spared of other forms of medicines, the taste of which may not be to their liking.
Homeopathic treatments are highly individualized. Each person is treated as a unique individual. Their body, mind, spirit and emotions are all considered in the management and prevention of disease. Different homeopathic remedies could apply for the same disease in different individuals and that too in different potencies and dosages.
Homoeopathic medicines are manufactured from natural sources without using chemicals. Homoeopathic medicines contain nano-particles of the medicinal substance which affects at a much deeper level in curing the disease at source/ root level.
How cure is achieved in Homoeopathy?
Medicine is selected according to the nature’s law of cure which produces similar but stronger force in the body which extinguishes or removes disease gently. System is freed of disease and medicine’s effect vanishes once disease is gone.
Ideal cure – rapid, gentle and permanent restoration of the health or removal and annihilation of the disease in its whole extent, in the shortest, most reliable, and most harmless way.
When you consume homoeopathic medicine according to requirement you can experience general improvement in your health. This happens because, homoeopathic medicines boosts internal harmony of various systems and increase immunity which cures you from various diseases.
Fundamental Principles of Homoeopathy.
1. The Law of Similars / Similia Similibus Curentur (“Like Cures Like”)
A substance which can cause symptoms in a healthy person can, in homeopathy’s non-toxic nano doses, stimulate cure in others suffering with similar symptoms regardless of the cause. This fundamental principle is reflected in the name, ‘Homeo’ being Greek for ‘same’ or ‘similar’ and ‘pathos’ for ‘suffering’, i.e., let like be cured by like or more commonly, like cures like. Similimum is the term for the remedy that best matches a patient’s symptoms, e.g., the honey bee remedy Apis, gives us a powerful remedy for cases with edema, burning stinging pain, respiratory reactions.
2. The Minimum Dose
The founder of Homoeopathy, Hahnemann directed that the smallest amount of substance that would bring about healing be used. Hahnemann’s search for a means to deliver the similimum that would do no harm led to homeopathy’s nano doses. To minimize the side effects, he found a dilution and succussion process (vigorous shaking and striking against a solid surface) he referred to as ‘potentization’ and ‘dynamization’. Contrary to his own expectations, highly diluted concentrations (potencies) provoked stronger healing responses when the ‘similimum’ was chosen. Furthermore, as the potency increased with dilution, the safety profile of the remedy also increased. This is the opposite to conventional medicines which usually exhibit greater toxicity with increased potency.
3. The Totality of Symptoms
Homeopathic treatment is tailored to each individual patient, according to their complete symptom picture. This would include not only physical symptoms, but also their emotional and mental state.
Homeopathy is truly a holistic system of healing. For every remedy and patient, Homeopathy treasures every mental, emotional and physical change in extensive detail including: the sensations, locations, times and qualities of each symptom, plus the modalities for each case and symptom, i.e., influences– what aggravates, ameliorates or causes. In classical homeopathy, the practitioner seeks the remedy that best matches the fundamental elements of the entire case. Yet, even in acute cases, a person’s emotional state or changes in that state may be integral to a physical complaint and vice versa, e.g., restlessness is a key indicator for the stiff joint remedy.