Homeopathy

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Category: Complementary Medicine News

Article 23 Nov 2005

 

 

 

 

 

 

A study carried out at Bristol Homeopathic Hospital, UK, has revealed that

more than 70% of patients with chronic diseases said homeopathy helped them

feel better. The 6-year study involved over 6,500 patients.

 

89% of under 16s who had asthma said homeopathy helped them. In the same age

group, 68% of eczema patients said they felt better after treatment.

 

Only a few weeks ago another study, carried out by British and Swiss

researchers, published in The Lancet, concluded that homeopathy was no

better than a placebo.

 

What is Homeopathy?

 

The term homeopathy comes from the Greek words:

homeo, meaning similar

and

pathos, meaning suffering or disease.

 

Homeopathy is an alternative medical system. Alternative medical systems are

built upon complete systems of theory and practice, and often have evolved

apart from and earlier than the conventional medical approach used in the

Western World (and much of the rest of the world today).

 

Homeopathy takes a different approach from conventional medicine in

diagnosing, classifying, and treating medical problems.

 

Key concepts of homeopathy include:

 

- Homeopathy seeks to stimulate the body's defense mechanisms and processes

so as to prevent or treat illness.

 

- Treatment involves giving very small doses of substances called remedies

that, according to homeopathy, would produce the same or similar symptoms of

illness in healthy people if they were given in larger doses.

 

- Treatment in homeopathy is individualized (tailored to each person).

Homeopathic practitioners select remedies according to a total picture of

the patient, including not only symptoms but lifestyle, emotional and mental

states, and other factors.

 

Written by: Christian Nordqvist

Editor: Medical News Today