Philosophy And History Behind Homeopathy

More and more people are turning to alternative medicine to seek cure for their illness and health problems. WHO estimated that about 60 to 80 % of patients have sought alternative medication. Homeopathy is one of the alternative methods that uses natural substances for its remedies.

Homeopathy has been practiced for a long period of time. In Asia, Europe and United Kingdom, homeopathy is widely practiced. In the United States, homeopathic practitioners are required to be a licensed doctor and practicing in another medical field.

Birth of Homeopathy

Homeopathy was based on the findings and teachings of Dr. Samuel Hahnemann. He began to practice homeopathy on 1790 based on his experiments. One of his most prominent experiments was during his research on treating malaria-induced fever. He ate a bark of the cinchona (South American tree) and discovered that it stimulated similar symptoms to that of malaria stricken patients. He continued experimenting which eventually led to his conclusion that the cure of an illness relies on substances that stimulates the symptoms of an illness.

During the 1800s, Dr. Hahnemann established the first homeopathic school in the United States and was able to gain popularity due to his ability to cure diseases during that period. During the 1900s, there are already 22 homeopathic schools in the U.S. There were medical institutions like the Boston University, Stanford University and New York Medical College that started to teach homeopathy.

Eventually, these schools closed down when the drugs and medicines began to be commercially released affecting homeopathy’s popularity. Aside from that mainstream and modern science during that time started to criticize homeopathy. Physicians to Queen Victoria stated that the small doses or solution drank in homeopathic treatments are useless.

Homeopathy remerged in other countries in Asia, Europe and in the United Kingdom. It has strong followers in Russia, India, Germany, and South America. But it is still rebuilding in the United States. From the past years, homeopathic remedies or medication purchase are seen to increase yearly by 12 to 15%. Aside from that homeopathic practitioners are not only homeopaths, they are also medical doctors practicing another field, naturopaths, chiropractors, nurses, dentists and even veterinarians.

Philosophy Behind

According to homeopaths, a person who is exposed to a stressor would reach a state in which it would adopt to the stressor. This state may help the person survive through the ordeal. Thinking about this, homeopathy believes that those who can adopt to their environment are the healthiest. If the person who is stressed is suppressed, then it could result into a deeper and with higher risks.


This concept guides homeopaths with their therapies and treatments. There are times when the patient would turn for the worse while under homeopath treatments. But this is temporary, it would progress to strengthening of the body and the system.

There are important philosophical principles followed in homeopathy. The Law of Similars which is in simple terms, what causes the sickness could also cure it is one of its philosophical foundations. There is also what is called as Hahnemann’s theory of Miasms. In this theory, diseases may occur within the family and they display patterns. Disease could also be acquired through life.