What is Homeopathy?
Homeopathy is the second most popular form of medicine in the world today and it is the most popular form of complimentary medicine.
I feel that there are a number of reasons for it's rapid rise in popularity and why so many people now seek out homeopathic treatment as their first option:
- it is safe (at all stages of life), gentle, non-toxic & very effective.
- it is environmentally friendly being easily sustainable and non-toxic.
- as there are no side effects you can not get into the cycle of needing remedies to counter the side effects of the remedies that your taking for your original problem. Some people however in the course of treatment experience a temporary aggravation of symptoms.
- The remedies are non-addictive.
- it is safe to use with conventional medicine.
So What Makes Homeopathy Different?
Homeopathy is an holistic form of medicine, that addresses the individual not the symptom. This means I need to spend time with you to really understand your problems and how they are effecting you, I also need to understand the person that you are in general and then having taken a very thorough case history I will spend time and give careful consideration to your individualised treatment. This process takes between 60 - 90 minutes at the initial consultation.
At the end of this initial session I will explain how to take the remedies and also arrange a follow up appointment so that we can review the progress that you are making. At this stage any adjustment to the homeopathic prescription can be made. Follow up sessions last between 30 - 45 minutes and are usually once a month.
How Does It Work?
In very simplistic terms homeopathy is based on the principle that "like cures like". To explain this let me ask you to consider what happens when you cut up an onion. For most people the answer to this would be, streaming, burning, sore eyes and streaming nose.
Let us now consider allium cepa which is onion in homeopathic form. This remedy would be given to people who are exhibiting these symptoms in their dis-eased state e.g. it can be used to treat these symptoms in hayfever sufferers or indeed in common colds.
You may well at this stage be thinking that the example given here is very symptom based and not overly holistic. You would of course be right in this observation but in treating people with conditions like hayfever such prescribing is a vital part of how I manage my cases, providing the hayfever sufferer with what I call an acute or therapeutic remedy, allowing them to cope day to day whilst also looking to treat the deeper underlying tendency to hayfever on a constitutional level.
Each remedy has it's own symptom picture and as a professional homeopath my job is to find the right remedy for you.
What Can It Treat?
Below is a list of just some of the conditions that homeopathy may address:
General Physical Health Complaints
- acne
- allergies
- asthma
- catarrh
- constipation
- coughs/colds/flu
- diarrhoea
- digestive conditions - including IBS, ulcerative colitis etc.
- eczema
- fatigue - including ME and chronic fatigue
- fertility issues
- headaches
- hayfever
- pregnancy complaints
- sinusitis
- skin conditions
- warts
Children's Problems
- asthma
- colic
- eczema
- fevers
- molluscum
- recurrent infections
- sleep problems
- slow development and behavioural problems
- teething difficulties
General Mental and Emotional Health Complaints
- anxiety
- compulsive behaviours
- depression
- eating disorders
- fears and phobias
- grief
- insomnia
- panic attacks
- post traumatic stress disorder
- stress
Female Complaints
- endometriosis
- fibroids
- infertility
- menopausal problems
- menstrual problems
- pre menstrual syndrome
First Aid Conditions
- bites and stings
- bruises
- burns
- coughs/colds/flu
- fears and anxieties
- fevers
- shock
- splinters
- tonsilitis
and many many more.
The Consultation
The homeopathic healing process begins in the consultation. You will be listened to and your case will be carefully taken and considered and then an individualised holistic prescription will be decided upon.
If you have never experienced a homeopathic consultation before let me share with you what to expect:
- the initial case taking session will last between 1 and 1.5 hours
- we will explore your health problems in detail.
- I will then ask you about your health history.
- I am also interested in your family's health history.
- We will also explore what makes you the individual that you are, looking at your character, food likes and dislikes, fears and anxieties and a whole lot more.
- I hope that you will feel heard and understood.
- The result of this in depth case taking will be a homeopathic prescription with clear instructions on how to take and to store the remedies.
- We will then arrange a follow-up consultation to assess how you are doing. These follow-ups last for about 45 minutes. Your prescription will then be adjusted accordingly.
