Homeopathy: what's behind it?

Homeopathy: what's behind it? Because more and more patients want gentle therapies, homeopathic remedies have been on the upswing for years - despite all resistance and scientific doubt.

In the kitchen, Allium cepa presses hard on the tear glands and lets the nose run before it ends up finely chopped in the salad. Diluted, on the other hand, the kitchen onion is used as a homeopathic medicine. "Allium cepa helps people who suffer from hay fever with sharp nasal secretions and mild tears," explains Dr. Marieluise Schmittdiel. The Munich general practitioner is chair of the Bavarian State Association of the German Central Association of Homeopathic Doctors. She has been treating patients with homeopathic remedies for around 20 years.

"In addition, the symptoms should improve outdoors and in the cold and worsen when warm," says Schmittdiel. This is important, because if heat improves the symptoms and the cold worsens them, or if the tears are sharp or the nasal secretions are mild, then the patient - according to homeopathic criteria - does not need Allium cepa but eyebright, euphrasia, for example.

Treat the same with the same

The example illustrates the basic principle of homeopathy, to which it also owes its name: When the German pharmacist and doctor Samuel Hahnemann established the medical principle at the end of the 18th century, according to which similar things healed, he created Homoion (for "similar" from the Greek words) ") and pathos (for" suffering ") the word homeopathy. "It is a completely independent form of therapy and works with individual medicines that have been tested on healthy people and are prescribed in a potentized form according to the similarity rule," explains general practitioner Schmittdiel, explaining the essence of healing.

There are around 2500 different homeopathic medicines today - made from minerals, plants, animals and animal products. Each of these substances causes a specific combination of symptoms in a healthy person. And according to Hahnemann's teaching, the substance is suitable as a remedy for exactly this symptoms.

Issue: Scientific evidence

In scientific circles, however, this therapy concept is still fighting for its recognition. Many studies are devoted to homeopathy, with most studies denying an effect that goes beyond a placebo effect. This is contradicted by other publications that seem to prove their effectiveness. Only: Their scientific value is mostly criticized harshly. The main allegation is that the usual standards and guidelines for clinical studies were not adhered to.

The controversial and often very emotional discussion primarily concerns scientists. Many patients who use homeopathic remedies probably say to themselves: Maybe it will help, and it won't hurt either. Many health insurance companies take account of the increasing desire for homeopathic treatment and cover the costs.

But even supposedly harmless complaints can hide serious illnesses that require rapid conventional medical therapy. If left untreated, it can be dangerous. Therefore, the doctor should always first be asked whether homeopathy is even an option in individual cases. It may supplement conventional therapy, but usually it cannot replace it.

How does homeopathic treatment work?

In the event of an acute problem, a brief questioning of the patient is sufficient for homeopathic treatment. But homeopathy is not only used for acute complaints, but also for chronic ones.

The homeopath records all complaints, symptoms and peculiarities of a person. Then it is important to get an overall picture of the person. "A homeopathic medical history and subsequent examination take up to two hours," confirms Schmittdiel. In the end there are five to ten main criteria on the therapist's list - health complaints, but also the body's reaction to cold or heat, moods such as fear and typical behavior patterns.

Based on these main criteria, the practitioner searches for the suitable homeopathic substance or substances. "Usually, three to four drugs are shortlisted first," reports Schmittdiel, "but you have to choose the most suitable drug, because only one drug is ever administered to precisely assess the response of the sick body." The therapist determines which remedy this is by querying the symptoms again and comparing them with the homeopathic drug picture. "Confirmation questions create clarity," says the Munich doctor.

D and C potencies of homeopathic remedies

But remedies are not the same, because every homeopathic remedy comes in different potencies. Background: Since the substances in pure form triggered too strong reactions, Hahnemann began to dilute them. He developed a special dilution method, the so-called potentiation, where the respective potency describes the degree of dilution. And so there are homeopathic remedies for example in powers of ten (D) and hundreds of powers (C). D30 means: The active substance has been diluted ten times thirty times. C200 on the other hand: The substance was diluted 200 times by a factor of 100.

The homeopathic teaching assumes the following assumption: the higher the potency and thus the dilution, the deeper and longer-lasting the healing reaction of the patient. Higher potencies are therefore considered to be the stronger drugs - even though they contain little or nothing of the original active ingredient. A major point of criticism - because, according to current knowledge, this theory is not scientifically comprehensible.

But homeopaths have been convinced since Hahnemann that the content does not matter. Because it is not the amount of substance that makes them responsible for the effectiveness of the medicine. Rather, homeopathic remedies are supposed to work by stimulating a patient's self-healing powers. So much for the 200-year-old theory. The limits of the healing process lie where a person has lost this ability to react - for example, if a disease has destroyed an organ or tissue or has significantly restricted its function.

Globules, tablets and drops

General practitioner Schmittdiel usually provides her patients with three beads at the end of a homeopathic examination. These globules should let them melt on the tongue. "Homeopathic medicines work through the oral mucosa," explains the homeopath. On the other hand, the globules do not appear swallowed because the stomach acid deprives them of their strength, according to the theory.

The same applies to homeopathic drops. The right homeopathic substance in the right dosage quickly shows an effect, says Schmittdiel: "Sometimes within hours." However, the symptoms of acute illnesses, such as a cold , can come back after a few hours. Then a further intake of the remedies - whether as globules, tablets or drops - is sometimes helpful, according to the doctor's advice.