Difference Between Homeopathy and Allopathy
People falling ill is inevitable, where one becomes susceptible to disease because of weak immunity, and another attracts it due to psychological balance. However, to treat it, there are two options available, i.e., homoeopathy and allopathy.
While they are both derived from medical science, it works differently in your body. To know about their differences, read the detailed discussion on homoeopathy vs allopathy mentioned below.
What Is Homoeopathy?
The meaning of the word 'homoeopathy' is similar to suffering. However, unlike allopathy, it follows the principle of treating the source which caused the problem in the first place. Thus, the significant difference between homoeopathy and allopathy is that one treats symptoms while the other works on the cause.
Additionally, this part of medical science also believes giving patients a lower dose of medicine is more effective than a high dose. Not to mention homoeopathic medicine involves greater usage of natural substances like marigolds, arnica, lavender, belladonna, etc.
Homoeopathic medicines aim not to attack germs but to boost immunity to fight the disease. Also, homoeopathic medicines promote the body's emotional, psychological and physical aspects along with toughening the immune system.
What Is Allopathy?
Allopathy works to cure the symptoms of the disease you are suffering from rather than fixing the root cause. The term is extracted from two words 'allos' means opposite, and 'pathos' means to suffer. So, to roughly contemplate it, it means treating symptoms of a disease with something that is the opposite. For example, doctors use a laxative to treat constipation.
There are a few common allopathic medicines or prescription drugs to treat complex diseases, like painkillers, diabetic drugs, antibiotics, and migraine medicine. However, even though they are effective, it creates doubt among individuals because of their side effects. Thus, only licensed medical doctors can use it.
What Are the Differences Between Homoeopathy and Allopathy?
To know more about how homoeopathy and allopathy differ, refer to the table below:
| Basis of Distinction | Homoeopathy | Allopathy |
| Concept | It follows the concept that curing the cause will only treat the ailment. | It is based on the belief that cure and cause are two different concepts. |
| Recovery Time | Homoeopathy requires a little bit of time to show recovery. | Allopathy shows its action instantly. |
| Side Effects | This part of medical science is not connected to any harm to the body. It only focuses on treating the ailment, whether past or new. | Allopathy, on the other hand, treats a specific body part. However, in doing so, it may also create some side effects. |
| Effect of Dosage | Homoeopathic doctors use a low dosage of medicines to treat ailments. Thus, it induces no harm to your immunity system. | Doctors suggest allopathy is a double edge sword. It includes high-dose medicines that create instant effects and can harm the immune system. |
| Pain | It is a no-pain treatment option wherein the patient does not feel any pain while taking small doses of medicines. | It may involve painful treatment wherein some machines are attached to patients, causing discomfort. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who should consider homoeopathic treatment?
While people in the young age category should seek homoeopathic treatment, individuals who have passed 50 years should follow allopathic treatment. One of the main reasons behind it is homoeopathy takes time to show action, while allopathy is an instant effect.
Can Homoeopathy treat invasive diseases like cancer?
Though homoeopathy is considered one of the most availed complementary therapies, it has no evidence of treating cancer. People only use this treatment option for dealing with smaller health issues.