Sweet melting granules. Small colored tubes stamped with numbers and famous capital letters, CH. Is it the playful side of homeopathy that seduces so much the French? Or its principle of soft medicine shrouded in the magic of assets so diluted that one wonders how they effect?

Despite the theory of the placebo effect spread by a large number of scientific studies, "the French are less and less skeptical. More than 40% of them use it, regularly or not, "says the homeopathic doctor and teacher Franck Choffrut, who explains this craze by the effectiveness of this method of care.

Treatments appreciated because without side effects

"Having no side effects or undesirable, homeopathy is very popular in children and pregnant women . It also works for certain chronic diseases on which allopathy is difficult, such as repetitive otitis in children, recurrent ENT or respiratory infections. The mini granules are called to the rescue in case of painful periods, or of the evils related to the peri menopause. "Homeopathy does not eliminate all the symptoms but reduces their intensity and frequency," says the doctor.

Conversely, it is ineffective on diseases such as kidney failure, a major thyroid problem, cancer. Some oncology departments, however, integrate homeopathy into the therapeutic protocol to relieve the side effects of anti-cancer drugs, such as vomiting.

The law of similarity: for each symptom, an active substance

How it works ? Thanks to three principles developed in the late eighteenth century by Samuel Hahnemann. The German doctor discovers that the same substance causing a series of symptoms in a healthy person will cure a patient with identical symptoms. This is the law of similarity.

He then tests many substances of mineral, vegetable or animal origin on healthy individuals, and studies the manifestations they provoke. Thus, caffeine would prevent insomnia. Bee venom would work against stings and allergies.

A custom holistic medicine ...

Second major law of homeopathy: individualization. The patient must be examined in a holistic way, as well on the body side as mental or emotional . "The interrogation of the doctor is also interested in lifestyle, digestive problems, skin, sleep, not to mention the morale," explains the doctor.

This "robot portrait of the disease" makes it possible to associate a homeopathic medicine sometimes by blending the assets and the dilutions, which corresponds precisely to the treated patient. In other words, two patients suffering from the same cold may need different treatments. Similarly, a disease will not be approached in the same way depending on whether it presents punctual, recurrent or chronic symptoms.

... that works like vaccines

Another principle dear to homeopathy: dilution. " Hahnemann considered the disease as an imbalance upsetting the body, " says Franck Choffrut. For the homeopathic doctor "The idea was to bring in a stronger external force to chase it away. Exactly as vaccination does: the body is given an artificial disease stronger than the natural disease by diluting the asset so as not to create any damage ". What tell the famous degrees of dilution to the hundredth, quantified in CH on the tubes. "1 CH is equivalent to putting 1% of a maceration of the substance in 100% neutral solvent that is shaken very hard to energize it".

As for sugar, the dose is minimal, it does not trigger lactose intolerance or concern in case of diabetes. It dissolves very quickly under the tongue, allowing assets to be assimilated by the sublingual circulation system.

It is advisable to take it on an empty stomach for greater efficiency. Once the granules are melted, we eat what we want. Mint, coffee or alcohol have the reputation of being vasoconstrictors. Just wait 20 minutes after their consumption. Likewise after using a menthol toothpaste.

Self-prescription under certain conditions

The pellets are reimbursed up to 30% by the Social Security , but many people buy them in pharmacies without prescription to treat minor ailments daily. Franck Choffrut has written a reference book on the subject: "Guide to Homeopathy for Self-Prescription" (ed Dangles).

"Self-prescribing in homeopathy is possible to heal essentially" small diseases "of acute types and accessible to self-diagnosis, concludes our specialist. There is no question of self-medication, for example, in case of otitis, the latter requiring an examination of the eardrum. As we do not play wizards in case of recurrence or symptoms that drag. You need a field treatment.