Homeopathy, a complete system of healthcare, derives its name from two Greek words: homeo, which means similar, and pathos, which refers to disease or suffering. A German physician named Samuel Hahnemann developed this treatment. Hahnemann believed that disease symptoms were treatable with minute, diluted amounts of substances that in far larger quantities produced the same symptoms. Simply phrased, the essence of homeopathy involves “treating like with like.”
In an opposite fashion from traditional medicine where the higher a drug’s potency is, the greater the effects, homeopathic practitioners dilute remedies with alcohol and water typically anywhere from one to 99 times and sometimes even higher. The higher the dilution is, the greater the potency. Homeopathy is used successfully to treat a wide range of conditions in both humans and pets. Because of the incredibly dilute proportions, homeopathic remedies are believed to be extremely safe with almost no side effects.