A homeopathic hospital is a clinical environment that seeks to offer a wide range of homeopathic health services for illnesses of all types. These hospitals typically endeavor to treat illnesses using primarily homeopathic medicine, though some homeopathic clinics share facilities with practitioners of other types of alternative medicine. Practitioners of homeopathy believe that their treatments are just as effective as traditional Western treatments, and much safer. Homeopathic treatments are often employed as a complementary part of a medical treatment plan.
Homeopathy emerged in the late 18th century and mid 19th century. Dr. Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843) is credited with developing this branch of alternative medicine. Dr. Hahnemann is believed to have disagreed with the common medical practices of the time, and began experimenting with homeopathic treatments as a means to offer a safer, more effective means of treatment to his patients.
The first schools and universities of homeopathy were established in the United States in the early 19th century. Homeopathy's early days brought apparent success with remedies for diseases such yellow fever, cholera, and typhoid. Homeopathic treatment was considered very popular in the United States in the 19th century, and it is still considered popular in many other nations around the world.
The type of treatment facility known as a homeopathic hospital emerged in the mid-19th century. The staff of a homeopathic hospital has generally been thoroughly trained in homeopathy. They have also typically received appropriate medical training and may have received additional training in other forms of alternative medicine. The typical homeopathic hospital might offer other alternative treatment services, such as reiki therapy or acupuncture, and it might also integrate more traditional therapies into its services. Facilities such as the Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine generally include pharmacy services, inpatient and outpatient care, and treatment options for conditions including cancer, insomnia, and allergies, among others.
Most homeopathic treatments are made from herbal remedies. The active ingredients used are usually very much diluted. Practitioners of homeopathic medicine often administer these remedies to treat both physical and mental disorders of all types. Remedies are generally prescribed based on the patient's symptoms. Homeopaths often pose a quite thorough series of questions to their patients, in order to pin down symptoms as precisely as possible.