What is Homeopathy
Homeopathy is a holistic form of medicine based on the principle of treating the individual rather than the symptoms alone.
Homeopaths believe that illness is the body’s way of showing that it is out of balance in some way, and is trying to regain its normal state of good health. It is expressing its state in the form of symptoms. Each person expresses this in their own unique way, and this is what the homeopath will be looking for. It is the patient who needs treatment rather than the disease.
Homeopathic remedies are carefully chosen, following a detailed case-taking which looks not only at the symptoms the patient is experiencing, but also their individual way of experiencing them on an emotional and physical level. This means that two people with the same illness may be given completely different remedies.
Homeopathy as we know it today, was developed over 200 years ago by a German physician called Samuel Hahnemann, who took a new approach to treating illness which he called homeopathy, from the Greek words meaning ‘similar suffering’, or ‘like cures like’. For instance, coffee is well known for causing sleeplessness – however in minute doses it can actually cure sleeplessness.
Because remedies are highly diluted, they are very safe – I have frequently prescribed for pregnant and nursing mothers and also babies from the moment of birth.
What happens in a consultation?
The first consultation takes one and a half to two hours, and involves asking you about your symptoms, how they affect you as an individual and how you experience your symptoms. You would be asked about your lifestyle, personality and anything else that will help the homeopath to choose the right remedy for you.
Usually I will then work of your case, and send you a remedy with instructions on how to take the remedy.
I usually ask people to return in about 4 weeks time to assess the treatment. Sometimes, although people say nothing has changed, careful questioning reveals that change has taken place, but is quite subtle, or the patient has forgotten about certain aspects of their state they mentioned at the first consultation, as they have disappeared!