Homeopathy differs from conventional medicine in a number of ways.
Homeopathy is holistic. It takes clinical, physical, psychological, environmental, life span and lifestyle assessment into consideration for selecting appropriate medicine..
Homeopathy treats a sickness by stimulating body's natural healing ability (immunity).
There are no routine medicines in homeopathy. Its treatment is individualistic which is specific medicine decided by a doctor after thorough assessment of patients clinical, physical, psychological, and lifestyle status.
Homeopathy treats physical and psychological diseases by stimulating body's inherent ability to treat itself. Nature has provided a mechanism to heal and keep us healthy. It is evident in day to day life when we see minor ailments and injuries getting better with time. This mechanism always tries to prevent & fight disease (or disorder) and bring health back to normal. But in some conditions it fails to do so. This results in progression of sickness. To understand, take for example a small wound. Observe how body tries to control bleeding and later heal the wound. Same phenomenon is confirmed during epidemic outbreak. During epidemic not everyone fall prey to it but those whose immunity is low get sick.
Immunity level of every individual differs. Major illness occurs when body's own healing mechanism proves insufficient. This illness is expressed in the form of symptoms. If these symptoms are ignored or suppressed, sickness progresses and causes pathological damage to body organs.
Law of Similia : According to this Law of Nature (like cures like) a homeopathic substance that produces a sickness (symptom totality) in a healthy person can be used in minute & safe doses to treat a sick person who has the same sickness (symptom totality). This principle is confirmed by the rebound phenomenon observed in many conditions. When a purgative is used to relieve constipation, this in turn produces more constipation. Similar rebound is seen in use of acidity or nasal congestion relieving substances.
Individualization : According to this principle sickness of every individual is different. Every individual on this earth is different because of difference in his / her constitution. The genetic makeup and the environment / circumstances one is exposed to, both are entirely unique of that individual. There is not even a single duplication just like our finger prints. Therefore the sickness of the person is also unique. This rule out routine prescribing of medicine without taking into consideration that person’s individual constitution and uniqueness of sickness. Therefore in homeopathy in addition to clinical diagnosis it is necessary to diagnose the constitution of the person. This helps in making it possible to stimulate the natural healing mechanism of that individual person.
Drug Dynamization : Drug dynamization is the process by which medicinal properties of a natural substance are activated. It activates dynamic energy of the substance. Our body is not a mere combination of non living chemicals & minerals. It is the dynamic organization of these chemicals, minerals and the vital force. This vital force is something that makes the difference between dead and alive. The disorder in vital force results in derangement of body functions & sickness. These disorders are treated well by dynamically activated medicinal substances. This dynamization process also reduces the possibility of side effects and aggravations.
To avoid suppression of sickness.
To avoid side effects & aggravations.
To avoid distortion of symptom totality & diagnosis.
Drug Proving : Drug proving is the systematic investigation of pathogenic / medicinal properties of a medicine. This is done on healthy male and female volunteers. This is not done on animals to avoid cruelty against animals and also for the reason that animals can not give details of symptoms.