Homeopathy-the most commonly used system of alternative medicine in the entire world-is a type of alternative medical treatment which is based on three important principles.
1. Like Cures Like: this means that the homeopathic medicines you are prescribed are substances which have the ability to cause the symptoms you are experiencing. 2. The Minimal Dose: Homeopathic medicines are prescribed in highly diluted forms-as dilute as one part of remedy to 1,000,000,000,000 parts of water. 3. One Single Remedy: Regardless of the symptoms a patient experiences, they are only ever prescribed one remedy for those symptoms (this is sometimes referred to as the "Simillium"). Homeopathy doesn't combine different remedies. This makes homeopathy a holistic medicine, meaning it aims to treat the whole person rather than different parts.
Interestingly enough, this type of approach is actually used in allergy treatment and in vaccine development, where a patient is treated with a small amount of inactivated virus, which helps to protect them against infection with the real form of the virus.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Homeopathic Medicine
This type of therapy does, of course, have some advantages and disadvantages. Here's a quick guide to homeopathic medicine, and its pros and cons.
Advantages:
• Homeopathy is effective-when the right remedy is used a patient can be cured quickly and permanently.
• Homeopathy is generally safe enough for use in pregnant women, and children, and can be used in conjunction with other types of treatment.
• Homeopathy is completely natural, with most remedies based on entirely natural ingredients.
• Treatments work with the immune system, whereas many conventional treatments work to suppress it.
• Homeopathic remedies do not cause addiction.
• Homeopathy is a holistic therapy that treats the cause of symptoms, rather than simply suppressing the symptoms.
Disadvantages:
• Sometimes it can take a while for a homeopathic physician to determine the right treatment. "Standard" homeopathic medicines don't exist in this type of therapy you must take exactly the correct treatment for it to work. For example, there's no standard remedy for a stomach-ache, as for each patient the underlying cause of the pain is often different, and different symptoms may accompany moderate or severe pain.
• There's an enormous range of different remedies in existence. This means, for an average homeopathic pharmacy, it's impossible to stock all types of treatment. If you need an unusual remedy for your symptoms, it may take some time for the pharmacy to locate it.
