What is classical homeopathy?

The word “homeopathy” is derived from two Greek words: homoios (like) and pathos (suffering). Its basic principle is that “like cures like” — a substance that provokes specific symptoms in large doses can stimulate a response that helps eliminate those symptoms when taken in minute, specially prepared forms.

How do remedies work?

Homeopathic remedies can be thought to have a resonant effect on the body. Much as a specific note played on a violin can affect the structure of a wine glass, the remedy which exactly resonates with an individual's symptom picture has a catalytic effect, triggering a systemic response that strengthens from the inside out. It stimulates a return to balance, helping the individual resist disease and adapt more flexibly to their environment.

How does it differ from conventional medicine?

In conventional medicine, treatment is often based on the diagnosis of a particular illness. In homeopathy, treatment is individualized with the intent of discovering and removing an underlying cause. Eight patients with irritable bowel syndrome might require eight different remedies.

Do I need to believe in it?

No. Homeopathy is not a placebo treatment — infants and animals can be successfully treated.

The goal of treatment

Homeopathy does not seek to suppress symptoms, which are seen as a purposeful response to stress — like fever and rest during a cold. The goal is the recognition and removal of the underlying cause. As Samuel Hahnemann wrote in The Organon, the physician must strive to “clearly perceive what has to be cured in disease, i.e. in each individual case.”

The goal is not to remove the symptoms but to remove the deeper disturbance — the underlying “wrinkle in the cloth.”