Classical homeopathy originated in the 19th century with Samuel Christian Friedrich Hahnemann (1755-1843) as an alternative to the standard medical practices of the day, such as phlebotomy or bloodletting. Opening veins to bleed patients, force disease out of the body, and restore the humors to a proper balance was a popular medical practice until the late 19th century. Hahnemann rejected the motion that disease should be treated by letting out the offensive matter causing the illness. Instead, he argued that disease should be treated by helping the vital force restore the body to harmony and balance. He rejected other common medical practices of his day such as purgative and emetics “with opium and mercury-based calomel”. In retrospect, Hahnemann’s alternative medicine was more humane and less likely to cause harm than many of the conventional practices of his day.

Hahnemann put forth his ideas of disease and treatment in The Organon of Homeopathic Medicine (1810) and Theory of Chronic Disease (similar) and pathos (suffering). Hahnemann meant to contrast his method with the convention of his day of trying to balance “humors” by treating a disorder with its opposite (allos).

Classic homeopathy is generally defined as a system of medical treatment base on the use of minute quantities of remedies that in larger doses produce effects similar to those of the disease being treated. Hahnemann believed that very small doses of a medication could have very powerful healing effects because their potency could be affected by vigorous and methodical shaking (succession).

Two potency scales are in common use: the decimal, which proceeds by 1:10 steps, and the centesimal (1:00). Starting from the original “motion tincture” (in the case of a plant this is an alcoholic extract) a 1:10 or 1:100 dilution is made. This is succussed and the resulting solution is known as the first potency. This now serves as the starting point for the next step in dilution and succession, which results in the second potency, and so on. The 1:10 potencies are usually indicated by x and the 1:100 by c; thus Pulsatilla 6c means the 6th centesimal potency of Pulsatilla, which has received six successions and has a concentration of one part in a thousand billion.

Like most of his contemporaries, Hahnemann believed that health was a matter of balance and harmony, but for him it was the vital force, the spirit in the body, that did the balancing and harmonizing, that is, the healing. Homeopathic remedies are chosen based upon the “Law of Similars.” This says that a medicine which produces a set of symptoms in a healthy person will cure the same set of symptoms. Each homeopathic remedy has been carefully tested on large number of healthy people and thus we also know what symptoms it is capable of curing in you. We are not matching single symptoms but the whole pattern of symptoms, the gestalt. Homeopathic remedies are all natural medicines. Some are herbs, some minerals or other natural substances. They are prepared by a special process of step by step dilution and succession (shaking) which makes them capable of affecting your health in a much deeper way than the remedy could without this process.

Classic Homeopathic is very different in approach from most medical care systems. Normally one goes to a doctor for a specific disease or problem. You are given a medicine to make that problem go away. But the symptoms are these for a reason, and if the reason still exists then the problem will return, either in the same form or as a different disease or problem. I’m sure you have had experiences, where despite treatment problems return again and again. At other times problems seem to disappear after treatment, but not long afterwards new problems come out to take their place. The reason for this is that the core problem wasn’t dealt with. This is called suppression. Homeopathy has a clear understanding of the difference between suppression and real cure. With cure, the root of the problem is dealt with first, and as a result the symptoms are no longer needed and fade away.

In most cases homeopaths look are everything that is going on in the patients life, not just few symptoms in isolation. The same patient that comes in complaining of headaches may also have depression, insecurities, low energy and a long list of other problems. All of these problems stem from the same root cause and by dealing with it, all of the problems fade away. During a very lengthy initial appointment all of the problems will be explored. Then a single homeopathic remedy, matching the whole picture is chosen.

The natural remedies are made from plants, minerals and other natural substances. They are prepared by a process of step by step repeated dilution and shaking, which makes them capable of stimulating the body’s own defense system.

After the correct homeopathic remedy, most patients feel greater well being and happiness. Homeopathic care goes much deeper than most type of treatment. Changes in life problems, both physical and emotional are reported.

Homeopathy is not well known in the United States yet, though it is growing fast due to its high success rate in helping people, especially those that cannot be helped by conventional medicine. Homeopathy is very common and accepted in England, France, Switzerland, Germany, India, Russia, Latin America and many other countries. Homeopathy is often extremely effective with people who have chronic diseases. This includes any long-term physical or emotional problems, as well as illnesses which return time and time again. Whether conventional medicine considers the condition or not the major factor in determining whether homeopathy may help. Homeopathy is also appropriate for those who have problems that bother them, even though no disease has been diagnosed.