What Are the Benefits of Homeopathy?

Homeopathy is an alternative medical system that treats patients by giving them small, diluted doses of substances that, homeopathic practitioners claim, cause symptoms similar to those patients claim to suffer from. Homeopathy has some wonderful benefits, including the philosophy of homeopathy, the patient-practitioner relationship, treatment style and effectiveness. Homeopathic medicine is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and closely monitored by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and other scientific organizations.

Philosophy

• Homeopathy stems from a philosophy that illness is caused by a weakening of the body's vital life force. Homeopaths believe in the Law of Susceptibility, which states that the body's vital life force is capable of reacting and eventually adapting to internal and external changes, and that negative thinking about these changes are what causes disease. This idea of holism, or disease being a manifestation of negativity from the body, and not some kind of external, invading force, is often viewed as a benefit of homeopathy, as homeopaths believe in the holistic view of health and the body, and emphasize the power of positivity.

Patient-Practitioner Relationship

• Another special feature of homeopathy is the close patient-practitioner relationship. Generally, the first appointment with a homeopath consists of a very in-depth discussion between the patient and practitioner, with the practitioner getting to know the patient not just from a health standpoint, but learning about the patient's lifestyle, emotional and mental functioning and personality. Getting to know the patient on a close level aids the homeopath in finding a homeopathic remedy that will be conducive for the patient's health. The close and deep relationship between the patient and practitioner is another benefit of homeopathy according to NIH studies.

Treatment

• Homeopathic substances are generally derived from plants, minerals or other natural substances. Homeopathic reference books are used to when selecting which substances to use in treatment. All-natural treatments are viewed as a positive point of homeopathy. Very few homeopathic remedies contain pharmacological ingredients reports NIH.

Effects

• Widespread clinical trials have yielded ambiguous results about the actual medical effect of homeopathy. However, the holistic health approach embraced by homeopaths is becoming more a more widely used model in the medical field according to the Homeopathy Home website.

Regulations

• Homeopathic remedies and other substances are regulated by the FDA in the same way that the organization regulates over-the-counter drugs. Also, research is constantly being done on the medical effects of homeopathic approaches to medical treatment. The NIH also does good work researching the side effects of homeopathic drugs and the effects of taking homeopathic and conventional medications at the same time. No homeopathic remedies are known to interfere with conventional medication, and the FDA closely monitors reports of homeopathic remedies that have side effects, although these are few and far between due to the fact that these solutions are so heavily diluted (NIH).