What Is Homeopathy? A Plain-English Guide

Homeopathy is a system of natural medicine built on one idea: a substance that brings on a set of symptoms in a healthy person is used, in a very small preparation, for a person who has those same symptoms. This guide explains the idea, how the medicines are made and what a typical homeopathic approach looks like, in plain language.

Where the name comes from

The word comes from the Greek for "similar suffering". The system in its present form dates from the late 1700s, when the German physician Samuel Hahnemann began testing substances on himself and on volunteers and writing down exactly what each one produced. Those records, called provings, are still the foundation of the reference books homeopaths use today.

"Like with like"

The classic example is the onion. Chopping an onion makes most people's eyes water and their nose run, so a preparation made from red onion (Allium cepa) is traditionally used for hay fever-type streaming eyes and nose. Coffee, which keeps many people awake, is traditionally the starting point for a sleepless, over-active mind. The matching is done on the whole picture of the symptoms, not just on a name for the illness.

How the medicines are made

A starting material (a plant, mineral or other substance) is diluted step by step, and shaken firmly between steps. This is called potentisation. The result is labelled with a number and a letter such as 6C or 30C. You can read about the scale in our guide to potencies, and about the plant-based starting preparations in What Is a Mother Tincture?.

The individual matters

Homeopathy puts the person at the centre. Two people with what looks like the same cold may have quite different symptoms: one is chilly and restless, another is hot and wants to lie still. A homeopathic approach pays attention to those differences, as well as to mood, sleep, appetite and what makes things better or worse.

Symptoms as signals

Homeopaths tend to see symptoms as signals the body is sending rather than as the enemy. A useful comparison is a warning light on a car dashboard: the aim is to understand what the light is telling you, not simply to remove the bulb.

What science says

This is the part people often ask about. Mainstream science has not established a mechanism for very diluted medicines, and published evidence is debated. We set out the main arguments in What Does the Evidence Say About Homeopathy?. Many people use homeopathy alongside conventional care, and that is the way we present it: as a traditional approach, not a replacement for your doctor.

Two ways people use it

• At home, for everyday things such as bumps, minor aches or a cold, often from a small kit (see our first-aid kit guide).
• With a practitioner, for longer-standing or recurring concerns, where a longer consultation looks at the whole picture (see Your First Homeopathy Consultation).

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Traditional homeopathic use, education only, not a substitute for medical care. Speak to your doctor or practitioner.