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Homeopathy

The principles of homeopathy

1. Homeopathy was devised by a German doctor called Samuel Hahnemannduring the 1790s. Hahnemann had a series of ideas that evolved into the

principles of homeopathy.

Like cures like

2. he first idea was that a substance that would cause symptoms in a

healthy person can be used to cure the same symptoms in someone who is

ill. !or e"ample# if somebody is suffering from insomnia# they can be

treated with a homeopathic remedy that contains e"tracts of coffee.Homeopaths refer to this as the principle of $li%e cures li%e&.

Potentisation

'. Hahnemann&s second idea is that the more you dilute a substance# the

more you increase its power to treat symptoms that it would otherwise

cause. Homeopaths refer to this as the principle of $potentisation&.

Succession and proving

(. Hahnemann stated that to be effective# the process of dilution had to

be performed in a very specific manner. !or e"ample# a substance# such as

a herb li%e belladonna# should be diluted into a glass container containing

water or alcohol. he vessel is then sha%en firmly 10 times. Homeopaths

believe that by sha%ing the vessel you can $imprint the healing energy of

the medicinal substance throughout the body of water&.

). he process of dilution and sha%ing is then repeated multiple time&s#

with some homeopathic remedies being diluted by one drop in a hundred#

thirty times over *a '0+ dilution,. his process is %nown as succession.

-. s the succession process is ongoing# a group of volunteers will ta%e si"

doses of the remedy at different dilutions over the course of two days.

hey will record any mental or physical symptoms in a diary. /ach person&s

diary is then collated into a list of symptoms called a repertory. his

process is %nown as $proving&. herefore# a homeopath will try to match

your symptom to one that is caused by a remedy during the proving

process.

1

evel 2 iteracy.Rt/L2.1, Rt/L2.3, Rt/L2.8. Rs/L2.2.

Rw/L2.1-3.

Ws/L1.1

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What homeopathy is used for

7. Homeopaths believe that homeopathy can help with any condition whichthe body has the potential to selfrepair. s a result# they suggest that

homeopathy can be used to treat a wide range of acute and chronic

medical conditions. However# homeopaths say that homeopathy should not

be used instead of conventional medical treatment# but that it should be

used in conunction with it. Homeopaths do not treat serious problems#

such as bro%en limbs# damaged oints# or severe physical inury.

8. Serious, acute (severe, or potentially chronic (long!term, life!

threatening conditions should not "e treated #ith homeopathy./"amples of these sorts of conditions include3 heart attac%# stro%e#

diabetic coma# H45# cancer# malaria# epileptic sei6ure and asthma attac%.

$. Homeopathic remedies are also not recommended as an alternative

to vaccination, such as the mumps, measles and ru"ella (%%& vaccine.

Homeopathy on the 'HS

10. espite the lac% of clinical evidence# homeopathy remains a popular

complementary therapy and it is available on the 8HS. 4n the :# there

are several 8HS homeopathic hospital&s and some G; practices also offer

homeopathic treatment. Homeopathy is also practised privately.

11. here are several associations for practitioners of homeopathy which

have a range of positions on the integration of homeopathy with orthodo"

medicine. nli%e doctors# nurses# and other conventional healthcare

professionals# homeopaths do not have to be registered with a regulatory

body. he $+omplementary and 8atural Healthcare +ouncil& is a voluntary

organisation which practitioners can register with# but they do not have

to.

1. 4s the apostrophe in paragraph ' correct< =hy