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Get information on homeopathy and join in our debate on its effectiveness
Homeopathy is a huge industry, providing alternative and gentler treatments for ailments that work to heal both mind and body.
It's said to have been used in the UK for over 200 years, but many say its origins date back to Ancient Greece!
What is homeopathy?
A holistic system of healing, claiming to be suitable for everyone, young and old.
Homeopathic treatment is meant to work with your body's own healing powers to bring health and well being.
- Patients are treated as individuals, not as a collection of disease labels.
- Homeopathy treats all your symptoms - mental, emotional and physical.
- Homeopathic remedies are gentle, subtle and powerful.
How does it work?
Homeopathy follows the following principals:
'Like cures like' - the first idea was that a substance that would cause symptoms in a healthy person can be used to cure the same symptoms in someone who is ill. For example, if somebody is suffering from insomnia, they can be treated with a homeopathic remedy that contains extracts of coffee.
Homeopaths refer to this as the principle of 'like cures like'.
'Potentisation' - Hahnemann's second idea is that the more you dilute a substance, the more you increase its power to treat symptoms that it would otherwise cause.
Homeopaths refer to this as the principle of 'potentisation'.
Criticism
However, a new select committee report will raise the issue of whether Homeopathy is in fact an effective method of medical treatment.
It has called for the Government to provide evidence that it works and is not just money down the drain.
Many critics of homeopathy have argued that any improvements in symptoms that occur after homeopathic treatment are actually due to the placebo effect.
Homeopathy is offered on the NHS and often described by them as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).
If money from the government is being spent on Homeopathy it is important that these treatments are proved to have an effect.
Did you know?
According to the Faculty of Homeopathy:
- 15% of the population trust it
- The over-the-counter market in homeopathy currently stands at around £40million in the UK
- In 2007 it was estimated to be worth £38million and projected to reach £46million by 2012
- Over 30 million people in Europe use homeopathic medicine and 50% of the French population are regular users
- Paul McCartney, David Beckham, Twiggy, Caprice, Tina Turner, Gaby Roslin, Jude Law, Sadie Frost, Nadia Sawalha, Richard Branson and Meera Syall, as well as The Queen are all said to be users of homeopathy
Your views
Do you believe in the effectiveness of homeopathy? Maybe you've had an ailment and successfully cured it with homeopathic treatment?
Or maybe you believe the industry to be a con and that homeopathic remedies don't work. Join the debate below...
Our recent poll - Do you believe homepathy is an effective form of treatment? - has now closed. Thank you for voting and for your interest in this topic.
