Homeopathy

Homeopathy, also known as homeopathic medicine, seeks to stimulate the body's ability to heal itself by giving very small doses of highly diluted substances that in larger doses would produce illness or symptoms. Developed in Germany in the late 1700s, it has been practiced in the U.S. since the early 19th century. Homeopathic practitioners are commonly called homeopaths.

In homeopathy, a key premise is that every person has energy called a vital force or self-healing response. When this energy is disrupted or imbalanced, health problems develop. Homeopathy is individualized, as practitioners select protocols according to a total picture of the patient, including lifestyle, emotional and mental states and other factors.

Most homeopathic remedies are derived from natural substances that come from plants, minerals or animals. A remedy is prepared by diluting the substance in a series of steps.

According to a 1999 survey of Americans and their health, more than 6 million Americans had used homeopathy in the preceding 12 months. The World Health Organization noted in 1994 that homeopathy had been integrated into the national health care systems of numerous countries, including Germany, the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Mexico.

(SOURCE: NCCAM, National Institutes of Health)