Homeopathy is a medical system based on the belief that the body can cure itself. It was developed in Germany in the late 1700s and is based on the principle of "like cures like." This means that something that brings on symptoms in a healthy person can treat an illness with similar symptoms in a very small dose. Homeopathic doctors, also known as homeopaths, use tiny amounts of natural substances, like plants and minerals, which they weaken by adding water or alcohol and then shake as part of a process called "potentization". They believe this step transfers the healing essence, and that the lower the dose, the more powerful the medicine. In fact, many of these remedies no longer contain any molecules of the original substance. During an appointment, a homeopath will ask a number of questions about a persons mental, emotional, and physical health, and prescribe the remedy that best matches all of their symptoms. Homeopathic medicines can be in the form of liquid, granules, powder, or tablets.

Homeopaths believe that physical disease often has mental and emotional components, so a homeopathic diagnosis includes physical symptoms, current emotional and psychological state, and the persons constitution. A persons constitution includes qualities related to creativity, initiative, persistence, concentration, physical sensitivities, and stamina. Homeopathic remedies aim to stimulate the bodys own healing mechanisms.

However, there is no strong evidence for homeopathys effectiveness greater than a placebo. A 2015 comprehensive assessment of evidence by the Australian governments National Health and Medical Research Council concluded that there is no reliable evidence that homeopathy is effective for any health condition. Critics of homeopathy suggest that any results or outcomes are due to the placebo effect, where symptoms may improve although no real medicine was taken. Another criticism of homeopathy is that the medical practice focuses on symptoms instead of treating their underlying causes.