Homeopathy was developed in the 1970s by Samuel Hahnemann, a German doctor.
It involves the use of diluted substances to treat a variety of conditions.
The theory appears to be that substances which cause certain symptoms in healthy individuals can (when diluted) actually help to treat other people suffering from similar symptoms due to illness.
Homeopaths usually consider physical and psychological factors when working with a patient and often provide 'custom made' remedies according to their findings.
Sometimes the solutions used by homeopaths are so dilute that they no longer contain any of the original substance.
This has caused some scientists to state that homeopathy relies on the 'placebo effect' in order to get the desired results.
Despite this however, many people find continue to find homeopathy very effective, for themselves, their pets and even newborn babies.
The practice also appears to be considered quite safe, though it is worth noting that not all remedies are so highly dilute as others.
Commonly used forms of homeopathy include Bach flower remedies, the best known of which is called 'rescue remedy', is often used to relieve panic, stress and anxiety.
We hope you have found this article interesting.
Please note that we are neutral in our view on such therapies and that we are sharing our findings out of interest rather than in any advisory capacity.
With this in mind, please do not replace conventional medicines with any alternative or complimentary therapies and always check with your doctor before trying them.
It should never be presumed that alternative or complimentary therapies are safe or free of side effects.