What is homeopathy?

Homeopathy is a holistic system of medicine. It works by stimulating the body's own natural healing ability and aims to make you generally healthier as well as treating specific problems.

Homeopathy is holistic because it treats the whole person. This means that all of you, your physical symptoms, and your emotional and mental make-up are recognised as being important and connected, and are not considered separately. It is you as a person who is treated rather than a disease.

In 1796 a German doctor, Samuel Hahnemann, discovered an approach to restoring health, which he called Homeopathy. This word comes from the Greek, and means 'similar suffering'. It works on the principle of a similar medicine, where a substance that can cause certain symptoms can also be used to cure them. For example, a cold with symptoms of running burning eyes and a runny nose could be helped by a remedy (homeopathic medicine) made from onion (allium cepa), as this substance can cause very similar symptoms. However, someone with a cold with slightly different symptoms will be treated with a different remedy, as the remedy has to be individually chosen.

This principle also explains why six people with arthritis are each likely to be prescribed a different remedy - their arthritic symptoms will be different as will their overall state of health and the way they cope with life.

Remedies are made from mostly natural substances. They are prepared in specialist pharmacies and are easy to take. They are safe for everyone, and can be taken in conjunction with allopathic (conventional) medicines if necessary.