Homeopathy is a popular form of medicine that has proven to be the source of much controversy over the years. While some swear by its natural healing capabilities, others suggest that there is very little foundation to assume that any of it actually works- and that it can in turn be dangerous for your health.
And yet, many people claim that homeopathic practice has helped them to manage all kinds of aches, pains, and even long-term illnesses. Maybe you have your own experiences with the medicine and have formed your own opinions already!
Regardless, how much do you honestly know about the practice? In this fact file, I’ll take you through everything you need to know with some facts about homeopathy to help inspire your own research.
1. Homeopathy is all about self-healing.
Homeopathy is something of a complex topic, particularly as it concerns so many different measures and techniques covering all kinds of ailments and physical troubles.
However, we can boil it down to largely being about self-healing. Homeopathy is an alternative medicine in which homeopaths (the practitioners) believe that – by using strongly diluted substances that mimic certain symptoms in diseases – the body can effectively heal itself.
It’s been around for a long time, too. Homeopathy has been popular since the 18th century, and was first introduced by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann. Despite this, it is still regarded by many as a form of therapy ‘alternative’ to mainstream Western treatments.
2. The word ‘homeopathy’ is actually derived from Greek.
Believe it or not, the word ‘homeopathy’ itself is Greek. ‘Homeo’ comes from the word ‘homoeo’, which roughly translates to mean ‘similar’.
‘Pathy’, meanwhile, derives from the word ‘pathos’, which means ‘suffering’. Put those words together, and you have ‘suffering similarly’ – it’s a clever name for the process!
If you’re trying to pronounce the word, say it like this: hoh-mee-oppa-thee. The word is said to have first had recorded use all the way back in the early 1820s, though it might be even older than that.
3. It’s a practice followed by lots of famous people.
Many famous people, public figures, and celebrities reportedly use homeopathy to soothe their ailments – including Sir Paul McCartney, David Beckham, Jude Law, Jennifer Aniston, Tina Turner, and Twiggy.
However, it is not known whether they all use homeopathy alone, or as just one form of healing – you’d have to ask them outright!
Celebrities aren’t the only ones to really get behind homeopathic treatments, either! The British Royal Family has benefited from homeopathic care since the 19th century. In fact, they even have their own Royal homeopathic doctor! That said, there was at least one Royal doctor who disagreed with the practice – more on him shortly!
4. Homeopathy is very popular in India.
Although homeopathy is still making its way into Western culture, it is fully established in other countries. In territories such as India, homeopathy is fully integrated into the healthcare system. In fact, some refer to India as the ‘land of homeopathy’ for a reason!
It’s an example of traditional medicine – such as acupuncture – which is still considered ‘alternative’ to the western mainstream.
It’s also growing ever more popular in areas such as Iran and the United Arab Emirates, where the Ministry of Health actually recognises the practice and regulates it much like modern medicine.
5. It was actually created in Europe.
Despite homeopathy still taking its time to win over mass audiences in the west, the practice was actually started in Europe.
Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, who established and popularised the practice, was a German physician who focused on the concept of ‘like cures like’. It would be introduced into the USA by the mid-1820s, and by a decade later, homeopathic schools would start opening in the nation.
That said, homeopathic schools would be all but closed by the 1920s – only to make something of a comeback 50 years later!
6. There are thousands of different homeopathic treatments for all kinds of problems.
It is currently estimated that there are over 4,000 different homeopathic remedies. There are medicines for all different kinds of ailments and conditions, including asthma, hay fever, ear infections, and even mental health conditions!
That said, there are all kinds of weird and wonderful homeopathic remedies out there that are yet to be fully proven for their efficacy. There’s various rumours about what works and what doesn’t, too. For example, there are some claims that certain homepaths swear by lava to soothe toothaches, magnets can treat ingrown toenails… and that sealing vacuum in a bottle could hold the key to further research.
Strange… but true? Take these ideas with a pinch of salt, for sure!
7. Homeopathic medicine is completely natural.
One of the biggest benefits of homeopathic medicines is that due to the fact that they are all-natural, they are suppsedly not addictive. They are also widely considered safe for children as well as adults – to an extent.
That said, it’s worth exercising some caution and using common sense! For example, I personally wouldn’t give a child lava to cure their toothaches… but that’s just me, I guess! Don’t use this guide as medical evidence – always consult a doctor first before trying any remedies, whether they’re over-the-counter or based in homeopathy.
On another plus side, however, they are considered green medicines because they haven’t been tested on animals or developed with chemicals that could harm the environment. It’s one reason why homeopathy is so popular with people who want to be eco-friendly.
8. America holds homeopathic medicine under scrutiny.
Despite natural assurances, the FDA in the US implemented extra measures for scrutiny against homeopathic medicine in 2017. Now, all medicines and treatments falling under this umbrella need to be more carefully considered for highly vulnerable people – and greater scrutiny of applicable laws apply, too.
In the UK, you don’t technically need to legally apply for regulation of homeopathic medicines, but there are two schemes you can volunteer for. The main idea behind this is so that you can ensure your customers are safe.
However, it’s worth remembering that whether or not homeopathic medicines are registered and regulated, it’s still regarded as pseudoscience, with little to no scientific evidence behind it.
9. It all started with bark and malaria.
Hahnemann first started developing his homeopathic theory after looking deeply into a theory established by Dr. William Cullen, a Scottish chemist. Hahnemann specifically tested Cullen’s idea that taking cinchona, a flowering plant, could help to cure malaria thanks to its bitterness.
Hahnemann tried some cinchona bark and found he experienced physical symptoms along the lines of malaria – specifically, he experienced pain and shivering. Believe it or not, Hahnemann was actually pretty skeptical up to this point!
Hahnemann was astounded by these findings and would therefore lay the groundwork for homeopathic theory on the basis that drugs produce symptoms similar to the illnesses they treat.
10. Some Royal doctors were skeptical about homeopathy.
Sir John Forbes, who was Queen Victoria’s chief doctor, was extremely anti-homepathy – and he let it be known in no uncertain terms! He referred to even small doses of homeopathy to be useless – he apparently called the practice ‘an outrage to human reason’! Tell us how you really feel, Dr. Forbes!
He wasn’t the only high-profile doctor to speak out against homeopathic practice. Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, an American doctor and essayist, published a whole work on why he believed homeopathy to be false – ‘Homeopathy and Its Kindred Delusions’ – again, a title that really doesn’t hold back – was published in 1842, not long after the practice started becoming widespread.
11. Homeopathy regained popularity in the 20th century.
Interestingly enough, homeopathic practice would bounce between being popular and derided over the decades, well into the 20th century. For example, in the 1950s, there were fewer than 80 homeopathic physicians / practitioners working in the US alone. This changed massively by the 1970s.
The reason for homeopathy regaining popularity in the mid-20th century has been attributed to a few different things. For one, some believe a rise in ‘new age’ interests was to blame for the practice becoming popular again. On the other hand, some have a more pragmatic argument – that it was perhaps because of long waiting times for traditional drugs and doctor appointments!
12. By the turn of the 21st century, public opinion turned on homeopathy again.
Interestingly, homeopathy has fallen out of favour with public and medical opinion within the last 25 years. In particular, British medical bodies carried out research to claim that homeopathy had no legitimate place in medical science or treatments.
Specifically, it was the UK’s House of Commons Science and Technology Committee that launched a report against its scientific credibility. In particular, the report claimed that homeopathic treatments should be struck from National Health Service funding.
The report was successful in that, seven years after its publication, the government would remove homeopathy funding from the NHS completely as of 2017.
13. France and Australia have taken stands against homeopathy too.
For all that there are millions of people who swear by homeopathic treatments, a number of international medical bodies have pushed back against such medicine on the grounds, largely, that there is a lack of scientific evidence for its efficacy.
For example, Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council recommended that there were no treatments that homeopathy could successfully treat. This occurred in 2015, just two years before the US’ FDA would clamp down on treatments and products.
By 2021, French healthcare began to reduce social security protection for homeopathic medicine. This was seen as something of a big shock to homeopathy in general – with the nation having been slow to follow suit on fighting against a lack of scientific evidence.
14. Some believe that homeopathy dates back even further than Dr. Hahnemann!
While Dr. Hahnemann certainly helped to popularise the ideas behind homeopathy, some practitioners and users claim that homeopathic medicine has been a staple since at least 400 BC – as it’s alleged that Hippocrates was responsible for kickstarting the process in the first place!
And yet, it took centuries for the practice to extend all over the world. It’s still explored and practiced by millions of people and medical services from South America to Asia and back around. In fact, it’s estimated that as many as 400 million people still use homeopathy regularly.
15. It’s growing ever more popular again in the USA.
Believe it or not, while the US’ relationship with homeopathy has been shaky (including a spell of anti-homeopathy in the 1920s and recent FDA clampdowns), it’s still thought that more than six million people use it as their main source of medicine.
There are a few reasons behind this – for one, some bodies claim that there’s been no side effects recorded from homeopathic treatments for more than two centuries. On top of that, there are allegedly no recorded deaths from homeopathy. Again – this data is alleged at the time of writing.
Beyond this, healthcare costs in the US are causing outcry – meaning that many people who cannot afford basic medicine to stay healthy, let alone treat illnesses, are looking towards natural medicine – it’s often much cheaper than treatments available through clinics and hospitals!
16. Homeopathy tends to focus on uniqueness and holistic treatments.
One of the main focuses of homeopathic treatments is that each patient is unique, and that practice treats the entirety of a person, rather than just the causes and symptoms of the problems they are facing.
That means many people who practice homeopathy will focus on the whole of a person’s experience, giving it a holistic approach.
For instance, if someone is suffering from a stomachache, a homeopathic practitioner or remedy will focus on helping to ease their mental anguish and other pains, not just the root cause of the stomach problems.
It’s all about looking at the body and spirit’s different connections – at least, according to those who practice and believe in homeopathy.
17. Homeopathy is often used to help treat chronic illnesses and everyday problems.
Homeopathy isn’t just relied on to ease everyday aches and soreness. Believe it or not, many people rely on homeopathic medicine to help treat irritable bowel syndrome, allergies, chronic fatigue, and even depression. Many also use some natural remedies to fight against bruising, the common cold, and everyday nausea.
That said, while some medical sources are on the fence about homeopathy’s place in the world, they generally advise not to use it as a treatment for conditions where lives might be at stake. For example, it’s not recommended to use homeopathy to help treat heart disease and cancer.
18. Some homeopathy has been pivoted as an alternative to vaccination.
The anti-vaccination movement has grown extensively in the past few years, particularly with the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. In fact, along the way, some homeopathic medicines and therapies have arisen as potential rivals to traditional vaccination.
Some of these products, called nosodes, are supported by people who dislike vaccinations and/or who support homeopathy over everyday medicine. There is currently no scientific research to prove that nosodes are more effective than traditional vaccines in staving off illnesses. Therefore, it’s not a recommended course of treatment at present.
19. There might be some health risks to homeopathy.
So far, we’ve briefly discussed the fact that homeopathic medicines and treatments are widely assumed to be safe because they’re natural, and that there are no recorded side effects or deaths as a result of medicine courses.
However, the FDA in America is still cautious over the potential risks that homeopathic treatments and lifestyles could pose, particularly to children and young people. The FDA launched warnings regarding teething treatments in the mid-10s to help protect children, for example.
It’s always recommended that you see a traditional doctor or nurse in the first instance before considering homeopathic medicine – and you can always discuss any treatments you’re considering with them!
20. The practice of potentisation is popular with homeopaths.
One of the most popular forms of homeopathic practice is potentisation, which revolves around reducing natural ingredients or extracts with water, or sometimes alcohol. This, many people believe, helps to make healing more effective – and that the lower a dose is, the more effective it’s likely to be.
FAQs About Homeopathy
What’s an example of homeopathic medicine?
Homeopathic medicine takes many different forms – for example, some people might take watered-down plants or take sugar pills for certain ailments. A specific example might be mimicking allergies with onions – which can make you tear up when you cut them!
What country uses homeopathy the most?
India is widely known as a nation of homeopaths, and despite the practice having developed in Europe several centuries ago, it remains popular with citizens and is integrated within the country’s healthcare system.
Is homeopathy a placebo effect?
The jury’s out – there’s mixed evidence with regard to homeopathy and the placebo effect, though probability would suggest that the placebo effect will come into play at some point during homeopathic practice. It works for some people, and not so much for others – you have a completely unique experience!
Further reading
https://www.webmd.com/balance/what-is-homeopathy
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/homeopathy/
Do you know any interesting facts about homeopathy? Share them in the comments below!