Homeopathy is a system of medicine which treats diseased individuals on the basis of using medicinal substances capable of producing similar changes in the health of a person as that of the diseased person. Literally speaking “Homoeos” means “similar” and “pathos” means “suffering”.

Homeopathy is a holistic system of treatment. It aims to treat the whole person, rather than just the physical symptoms

Homeopathy considers every person as being different from another person, and therefore, no two persons can receive the same medicine in the same dose. Allopathy on the other hand, does not differentiate from person to person, and therefore, administers the same medicine to all the persons displaying a similar disease picture.

Succinctly put, Homeopathy treats the individual who is diseased, whereas allopathy treats the disease in the individual.

According to homeopathy, mind and body are very much linked and physical problems cannot be effectively cured without understanding and putting right the person’s constitution. Constitution in homeopathy means a person’s state of health, including their temperament and any inherited and acquired characteristics. To determine the constitution of a person, a homeopath usually asks a great many questions.

Homeopaths believethat first the constitution becomes weak and then one becomes susceptible to infection. The bacteriae and viruses are the end products of disease process and not the cause of disease. The bacteriae and viruses are everywhere; they will not affect you till your immunity is strong.

Therefore, in Homeopathy, treatment is aimed at raising the vitality, i.e. immunity of the person so that he can fight out the disease himself. This is why homeopathy is able to cure permanently while in allopathy there are frequent relapses.

It is a misconception that homeopathy is slow in its action. The action of homeopathic medicine is dependant on various factors like sensitivity of the diseased person, the nature of illness of the person, the pathology of the disease, other treatments taken before resorting to homeopathy, etc. Most of the people approaching homeopathy have a long history of chronic ailments, and hence the treatment takes time. But a general improvement in health is felt by the patients with in a few days of starting with Homoeopathic Treatment.

Generally, the statement is true. The term ‘side effects’ of a medicine comes from modern pharmaceuticals. These drugs are aimed at one area of the body such as the cardiovascular system, the gut, the kidneys, etc. Though they have a primary area of action, they also affect other areas of the body. If these other affects are undesirable, they are known as adverse side effects. Since homeopathic remedies are not employed against one particular area or organ of the bodybut are prescribed for the patient as a whole, side effects, such as tissue destruction, do not occur under homeopathy. But, instances have been recorded where,  when an improper medicine in an improper dose was administered to very sensitive persons, adverse effects are experienced. But since the dose of the homeopathic medicines is limited, these adverse effects also do not cause permanent harm.

Homeopathic medicines are prepared in strong, dispensable alcohol in majority of preparations. The white pills are non-medicinal and are used as a medium to administer the homeopathic medicines. Therefore, all homeopathic medicines have the same appearance (pills) in which the medicine in the liquid form is added.

Homeopathic system of medicine treats the person who is diseased. Therefore, the physician, during the interview, has to identify those features of the illness which are most peculiarly belonging only to that person, so as to be able to identify the required medicine for the patient. As a result, a detailed enquiry of the patients complaints including his mental symptoms is absolutely necessary.

Homeopathy is individualistic, Therefore, ten people suffering from Migraine are unlikely to be prescribed the same remedy in Homoeopathy. Thus, we can say that in homeopathy, medicines are hand picked for the individual patient and therefore it requires time in first consultation.

Certain strong tasting & strong smelling foodstuffs and stimulants (like coffee, onion, garlic) are advised to be restricted for some time before and after every dose of homeopathic medicine only for the reason that these substances leave a strong odor/taste in the mouth which is also the route through which the homeopathic medicine is going to act. Total abstinence from certain foods is not at all necessary if taken regularly, as these have become a part of the system.

Yes. Certain drugs such as Anti-hypertensives, drugs for cardiac or diabetic disorders need to be continued even with Homeopathic medicines since they are important to life. In certain cases Allopathic medicines (especially hormone based medicines), are gradually tapered down and thus withdrawn. Others such as anti-biotic if taken for the same complaint that homeopathic treatment is being given may be discontinued with the advice of the homeopathic physician.

It is a myth. It does not happen to all cases and always, if the chosen remedy matches the patient’s need. But if repeated more than the need, often increases the complaints, but it would subside on its own as soon as the medicine is withdrawn. Sometimes, a patient who is dependent on some other medicines, for example, steroids, stops them, then he gets the original disease symptoms, and considers that the disease has aggravated