While holistic and homeopathic medicine and treatment are very easily confused with one another, and can often be said to be interchangeable, there are some key differences that make them unique in the way that they are administered, and their purposes.
It’s important for anyone interested in the world of natural medicine and healing techniques to know what sets both of these methods apart since it can help grant a better understanding of what sort of treatment might be most suitable for a specific illness or disease.
Many guides describing the differences between holistic and homeopathic will use a lot of terminologies that can make it a little confusing to understand how exactly they differ, along with how they are related.
Therefore, to make this a lot easier to understand, this article will clearly define the purpose of these two forms of treatment, along with several examples of how they are utilized on patients, and what situations each of them is more suited for.
What Is Holistic Treatment?
Holistic treatment or medicine is an umbrella term that describes a multitude of different therapies (see also: 8 Best Holistic Therapies That You Need To Try)that are designed to heal a person by taking into account their entire lifestyle, alongside also finding out the core of the illness and its symptoms.
Through a holistic medical lens, an illness is recognised as being an imbalance in the body’s systems, so getting rid of the illness would need to be achieved by optimizing the health of the body as a whole.
Improving a diet and avoiding harmful substances are two examples of ways that holistic (see also: Holistic Diet – What Is It, And How Can It Help You?)practitioners will advise their patients to bring balance and health back to their bodies so that they can eventually become fully healed.
Because holistic treatment brings attention to the body, mind, spirit, and emotions as a whole, there is virtually no limit to the number of diseases and disorders that it can attempt to treat.
However, this doesn’t mean that it will successfully heal everything, since this is physically possible for any form of treatment.
What Is Homeopathy?
Homeopathy on the other hand works slightly differently.
It is a form of treatment that falls under the definition of holistic medicine and is known for being extremely safe and cheap to buy over the counter in drug stores, health food stores, and pharmacies.
Homeopathy runs on a simple theory: “Like cures like”, which essentially follows the line of thought that a substance that produces similar symptoms in a healthy person, can then be used to cure someone from their illness or disease(see also: What Diseases & Conditions Can Be Cured By Ayurveda?).
Homeopathy medicines are well known for having minimal side effects on the patient and are usually kept around the house in small jars, ready for when they are most needed.
Homeopathic medicine can be used to prevent colds, heal burns, treat infections, and a lot more.
Key Differences Between Holistic And Homeopathy Treatment
Homeopathy is, therefore, a form of treatment that is categorized as being holistic.
However, there are a few essential differences that still make it very unique in how it is presented, to the point where some people even set the two apart.
Here are all the major differences to know about.
Focus Of The Treatment
Holistic forms of treatment tend to put a large focus on healing the entire person, which in turn will then cure any illness or disease.
Homeopathy medicine on the other hand does still take into consideration the well-being of the person as a whole, but it is more dedicated towards healing the specific issue with an appropriate treatment.
In this way, homeopathic medicine is much closer to a more traditional way of using Western medicine that many of us are already used to, as opposed to the more ‘alternative’ practices used through holistic therapy.
Treatment Speed
Because of the way they are designed, to be as safe and gentle to use as possible, homeopathic medicine works much slower and at a steadier rate than if a person were to use holistic therapy.
With that being said though, research and tests have found that homeopathic medicine is only a little slower than conventional medicines in terms of treatment time, but it can just seem slower to a person who might be using it for chronic or difficult diseases.
Holistic remedies on the other hand, such as natural herbs, usually produce results a lot faster since all it takes is for the herb to enter the system so that it can begin to take effect.
Form Of Medicine
While homeopathic medicine will often be presented as a tablet or in liquid form, other types of holistic medicine tend to be more natural, such as naturopathy which uses herbs and massage sessions to heal the issue.
Price
Because of the extensive amount of training and experience a holistic doctor is required to go through, it means that visiting them is a lot more expensive than if you were to see a practitioner in homeopathic medicine.
Holistic doctors are required to know all about nutrition, ayurvedic medicine, herbalism, acupuncture supplements, craniosacral therapy, and so much more just to be able to even suggest remedies to patients.
Therefore, it is often seen as the much pricier option which can still be incredibly worth the price point given the incredible results, while homeopathic treatment is viewed as more economical.
Diagnostic Tests
In the majority of cases, holistic doctors will advise their patients to undergo a diagnostic test first before being treated, however, homeopath practitioners usually won’t require you to take one.
The reason why this is the case is that homeopathic practitioners pay close attention to a person’s symptoms more than anything else, so they will usually only require a long interview where they will discuss and analyze the patient’s personal traits and experiences with the illness.
Holistic Or Homeopathic Medicine: Which Should I Choose?
Deciding between one form of treatment or the other should largely depend on the type of illness that you are being affected by and how severe it is to your health.
Many people seek out homeopathic treatment for fairly standard bodily issues such as:
Ear infections
Allergies
Hay fever
Asthma
Colds and cases of flu
Mental health conditions
Homeopathic medicine is therefore much better suited for these specific issues, while holistic medicine is better for when you feel like you need a change in your body as a whole, such as improving your diet or simply improving your overall well-being.
Always keep in mind that holistic treatment is an attitudinal approach to health care, meaning that it aims to address multiple parts of your life at once including psychological, familial, and social aspects.
It’s incredibly important to keep this in mind when deciding between one or the other, so that you can make an accurate assessment of your well-being, and decide which form of treatment is going to benefit you the most.
Summary
When looking at them on the surface, holistic and homeopathic treatment can seem like the same thing, but when you begin to dig a little deeper and understand the smaller differences between them, you quickly learn that they are both suitable for very different situations.
Always remember to pay close attention to your general well-being and lifestyle to determine whether you may need to visit a holistic practitioner, or if a homeopathic practitioner will be more suited for your specific illness or injury.
I'm Clare, the owner and operator of Off The Couch, where I serve as a qualified Nutrition & Health Coach.
Based in Dublin, Ireland, I offer coaching services both locally and globally, providing personalized strategies in nutrition, stress management, sleep quality, and fitness.
My journey into this field began as I navigated my own chronic illnesses, including early menopause, Interstitial Cystitis, Lyme Disease, and hydrocephalus.
