There are various fields of medicine all around the world. Different doctors specialize in different fields and get hired as specialists or start their clinics in their respective specializations.
Homeopathy and Naturopathy are two fields of medicine that are very popular and have gained recognition all around the world.
Key Takeaways
- Homoeopathy is a holistic medicine system that uses highly diluted natural substances to trigger the body’s self-healing processes.
- Naturopathy is a broader field that combines various natural therapies, including nutrition, herbal medicine, and lifestyle changes.
- Homoeopathy focuses on the “like cures like” principle, while naturopathy employs multiple natural treatment methods to promote overall well-being.
Homeopathy vs Naturopathy
The difference between Homeopathy and Naturopathy is that Homeopathy uses medicines that are made from diluted and natural substances, whereas Naturopathy uses organic substances, counselling, and various exercises to treat various individuals. Another important difference is that Homeopathy does not necessarily require a medical degree to practice, whereas Naturopathy requires a medical degree to practice officially.
One of the major characteristics of Homeopathy is its belief that a body has the capability and capacity to heal itself. In India, people trust and believe in Homeopathic medicines and treatments.
Homeopathy also takes into consideration the patient’s medical history and his/her family’s medical history.
Naturopathy focuses on treatment with the help of herbal medicines, various exercises, and therapies. It believes that prevention is the best form of treatment.
Naturopathy uses natural and herbal methods to treat an individual. Naturopathic doctors also make use of Homeopathy as a tool to treat their patients.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Homeopathy | Naturopathy |
|---|---|---|
| Form of treatment | Homeopathy is a form of treatment that makes use of diluted and natural substances to treat a patient and make him healthy and disease-free. | A naturopathy is a form of treatment that makes use of herbal and natural medicines, various exercises, and therapies for treating patients. |
| Who can practice | For practicing Homeopathy, an individual does not necessarily have a medical degree but most Homeopathic doctors possess a degree in MBBS and MD that makes them more authentic. | For practicing Naturopathy, an individual needs to possess a medical degree to be certified. |
| Patients Medical history | Homeopathy always takes into consideration the patient’s medical history and his/her family’s medical history. | In most cases, Naturopathy does not take into consideration the medical history of the patient. |
| Philosophy | The philosophy of Homeopathy is the Law of Similars. | The philosophy of Naturopathy is the Six Principles of Naturopathy. |
| Part | Homeopathy does not include treatments under Naturopathy. | One of the major subsets of Naturopathy is Homeopathy. |
What is Homeopathy?
Homoeopathy is one of the most popular and efficient treatments that help various individuals to recover from various problems and diseases.
Talking about its history, Homeopathy was first introduced in the year 1835 in the United States of America. Then at the end of the 19th century, Homeopathy started to lose its popularity.
Homoeopathy started to gain importance again in the year 1978 when various diseases were affecting a large population of the United States.
One of the major features of Homeopathy is that an individual needs did not possess any medical degree to practice, but in India, doctors having degrees of MBBS and MD are practising Homeopathy so that they are accepted and recognized by the public.
The major advantages of Homeopathic treatments are:-
- One of the major merits of Homeopathy is the safety that it provides.
- The Homeopathic medicines recommended by doctors are easily available in medical stores.
- The health of those people who take Homeopathic medicines is easy to administer.
- Homeopathy also helps a person to work on his lifestyle.
Homoeopathy is a medical science that is preventive in nature and believes that diluted natural medicines can easily cure a person if he/she follows Homeopathy for a long time period.
Homoeopathic medicines are unable to treat big diseases and provide permanent treatment to individuals. Diseases like cancer require various surgeries.
What is Naturopathy?
As the name suggests, Naturopathy uses natural medicines and remedies to cure diseases and heal various problems of patients. It has gained popularity and recognition in recent times, when the cost of allopathic treatment has significantly risen.
It includes a large number of therapies and massages as well. Naturopathy initially originated in Germany and became famous all around the world in the 20th century.
Nowadays, it is merged with various allopathic treatments to improve its efficiency. One of the major features of Naturopathy is that people who wish to practice it must have a Medical degree to be certified to practice it.
There are a large number of health problems that are treated with the help of Naturopathy. These health problems include skin allergies, fats, and various digestive issues.
Doctors recommend various ways to deal with diseases under the system of Naturopathy. The various methods are:-
- Many doctors recommend various herbal and vitamin supplements to tackle various problems.
- Doctors also use spinal adjustments as an option and apply a certain amount of pressure on it.
- Under Naturopathy, various therapies and massages may also be used as an option.
Main Differences Between Homeopathy and Naturopathy
- Homoeopathy is a form of treatment that uses diluted and natural medicines as an option to treat patients, whereas Naturopathy uses therapies, exercises, and various herbal medicines to cure various health problems.
- For practising Homeopathy, an individual does not necessarily require a medical degree. On the other hand, an individual practising Naturopathy is required to complete a specific medical degree.
- Homeopathy is based on the ‘Law of Similars’ philosophy, whereas Naturopathy is based on the philosophy of ‘Six Principles of Naturopathy.’
- Homeopathy considers the patient’s medical history, whereas Naturopathy may or may not consider the patient’s medical history.
- Homoeopathy does not include treatments under Naturopathy. On the other hand, Homeopathy is a subset of Naturopathy.
- https://europepmc.org/article/med/11795090
- https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/abs/10.7326/0003-4819-139-8-200310210-00026-w4
Last Updated : 11 June, 2023
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
The emphasis on patient’s medical history in homeopathy is laudable.
The differences between Homeopathy and Naturopathy are very clear and well-explained.
It’s interesting to know that homeopathy focuses on the Law of Similars principle, whereas naturopathy follows the Six Principles of Naturopathy philosophy.
Indeed, the philosophical differences between the two are quite interesting.
This shows that both of these fields of medicine have their unique perspectives and strengths.
The historical perspective on homeopathy is quite intriguing.
The detailed explanation of the main differences between homeopathy and naturopathy is very informative.
It’s significant that homeopathy does not require a medical degree to practice, while that’s not the case with naturopathy.
Yes, it’s a considerable difference which determines the accessibility of the practice for individuals.
The advantages of homeopathic treatments, especially in terms of safety and availability, are noteworthy.
It’s good to know that homeopathy focuses on preventive measures and lifestyle adjustments.
Indeed, the availability and safety aspects contribute to the effectiveness of homeopathy.
Naturopathy’s use of various therapies and massages is commendable for promoting holistic health.
The integration of naturopathy with allopathic treatments is an interesting aspect.
Indeed, it takes a comprehensive approach to health and healing.