HOMEOPATHY

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Homeopathy is a holistic medicine which uses specially prepared, highly diluted substances (given mainly in tablet form) with the aim of triggering the body’s own natural healing mechanisms.

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A homeopath will prescribe medicines according to the clients' specific set of symptoms, and how they experience them, taking into account everything about that person's level of health, their personal health history, and other medications they may be using.

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How does it work?

Homeopathy is based on the principle of “like treats like” – that is, a substance which can cause symptoms when taken in large doses, can be used in small amounts to treat similar symptoms. For example, drinking too much coffee can cause sleeplessness and agitation, so according to this principle, when made into a homeopathic medicine, it can be used to treat people suffering from sleeplessness and agitation.

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This concept is sometimes used in conventional medicine, for example, small doses of allergens, such as pollen, are sometimes used to de-sensitise allergic patients. An important difference with homeopathy however, is that the medicinal doses (known as remedies) are so small that toxic side-effects are avoided.

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Benefits

Unlike some conventional drugs, homeopathic medicines are non-addictive, have no dangerous side effects (as the active ingredients are present in extremely low concentrations) and can be safely given to pregnant women, babies and children. It can help with most physical and emotional health complaints, holistically and naturally, and forms part of the healthcare habits of over 2 million people worldwide.

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Research

There is a growing body of high quality randomised clinical trials available demonstrating that homeopathy is more clinically effective than placebo, eg in the treatment of hayfever, upper respiratory tract infections and sinusitis. 

More information on homeopathy research can be found here: 

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https://homeopathy-soh.org/homeopathy-explained/evidence-base/
https://www.hri-research.org/hri-research/what-can-homeopathy-treat/

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Consultations

A homeopath’s job is to gain a thorough understanding of your health and the exact symptoms you are experiencing. During the first consultation, your homeopath will ask lots of questions to build up a complete picture, taking into account a wide variety of factors such as medical history, personality traits, stress triggers, likes and dislikes, lifestyle and dreams.

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Your homeopath wants to understand what is unique about you, and how your body and mind express themselves. Because homeopathy looks at the whole picture, patients who have the same diagnosed illness – hay fever, for example – are each likely to need different homeopathic medicines.

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This first consultation will usually take about one hour. You will be asked many questions and some of them will seem strange for those not used to homeopathy. The practitioner is building up a picture of your unique make up, a bit like putting together a jigsaw puzzle.

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Homeopathic treatments involve a gradual process of change towards better health. The first follow-up consultation is usually about four weeks after the first prescription, although in some cases it may be sooner. The second session tends to be shorter than the first – usually between half an hour and an hour. Your homeopath will ask about changes that have occurred, using their detailed notes as a reference point, before deciding on the next step in your treatment.

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The number of consultations that may be needed is difficult to predict – it depends on a number of factors such as the age of the patient, how long the symptoms have been going on and your response to your prescription.

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Please call or email Julia Linfoot for more information or to discuss how homeopathy may help you.