Differences Between Allopathy and Homeopathy
Allopathy, a term developed by Samuel Hahnemann, describes therapeutics that uses opposites to remove symptoms of disease (Goldman, 2004). Symptoms are treated with remedies that stop the symptoms altogether. For example, taking Tylenol to relieve a fever or a headache, where the acetaminophen acts as an agent fighting against the fever or the headache. Homeopathy uses the Law of Similars when treating symptoms, and believes there is only one disease, the disturbance of the vital force (Goldman, 2004). The Law of Similars is the belief that like cures like (“Basics of Homeopathy”, n.d.). For example, a fever would be treated with a remedy that would induce a fever in a healthy person. The principle behind this belief is that the remedy would “stimulate the vital force into action in order for a cure to occur” (Goldman, 2004).
Allopathy usually uses maximum doses of medicine to treat disease and illness, where as, Homeopathy uses minimum dosing. In Allopathy, the more severe the illness or disease, the higher dosage of medicine is used to treat it. Homeopathy uses minimum doses to treat symptoms of illnesses and disease to stimulate healing.
Another difference is that Allopathy believes that it is sometimes necessary to use multiple remedies to combat the illness or disease, but Homeopathy believes that one remedy should be
used. Since Allopathy concentrates on combating the illness or disease by trying to kill the agent causing the symptoms or suppressing the symptoms all together, practitioners often prescribe multiple remedies to suppress the symptoms and to kill the agent. Homeopathy believes that by stimulating the vital force into healing the condition, that only one remedy is sufficient.
Another significant difference between Allopathy and Homeopathy is that Allopathy bases its remedies on the illness, disease, or symptoms. For example, for high blood pressure, the patient is prescribed a type of blood pressure medication. Homeopathy individualizes the remedy based on the individual needs of the person that needs treatment. For example, a person is treated based on the Law of the Cure. The Law of the Cure states that healing occurs from “vital organ to less vital organ, from within outwards, from above to below, and in reverse order of appearance” (Goldman, 2004).
In conclusion, Allopathy treats illness and disease by fighting against the disease or symptom with multiple remedies, maximum dosing, and general prescribing guidelines. Homeopathy treats a person with one remedy, minimum dosing, and individualized remedy creation. The most significant difference between Allopathy and Homeopathy is how they view and treat illness and disease. Because Allopathy believes there are multiple diseases and illnesses, it continues to believe that multiple remedies are necessary for curing multiple diseases and illnesses. Homeopathy’s belief is that there is only one disease, therefore creating individualized remedies to help the person heal himself, the way nature intended it to do.
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