FAQ

Homeopathy is a complete system of medicine, which means that it has its’ own philosophy, diagnostic techniques, traditions, evidence and therapeutic processes.

This system is not so much concerned with what disease you have, but rather how you personally manifest the disease. For example, three different people may be complaining of a cold, but their symptoms might present very differently. One may have a blocked nose and sore throat, another might experience a headache and itchy nose, and yet another’s may be chilly with a dry cough. Allopathic medicine would treat all colds similarly, but a homeopath would treat these patients completely differently. They would look closely at all the different mental, emotional and physical symptoms and prescribe accordingly.

Homeopathy defines health as freedom on the physical level where the entire body operates in an integrated, harmonious way for optimum efficiency allowing us to respond appropriately to the environment.

The wonderful truth about homeopathy is that it absolutely just cannot harm you! There are very few ingredients in it – and they are entirely natural and non-toxic. The remedy works on a like-cures-like basis and whatever it is made from has been heavily diluted, often until there is nothing of the substance left in it at all! That can be hard to comprehend as it differs to the mainstream approach, but if you give it a go, you’ll see the effect! Homeopathic remedies trigger your body to begin healing at its own pace; instead of trying to suppress an individual symptom, they encourage gentle and permanent restoration of health on levels – mental, physical and spiritual health. What harm can that do?

Homeopathy was the original medicine before ‘modern’ allopathic science came along and defined the parameters for measuring health!  Dr Hahnemann, who discovered homeopathic philosophy, actually spent years doing what he called ‘provings’ of the remedies, which are case-studies to describe the effects of the remedies in individuals. Since then, hundreds of homeopaths have done the same, so there are loads of case-studies about how it has helped people. So Homeopathy is a science based on sound logic and vast experimental data.

Homeopathy is totally individualised and so traditional scientific measurement may not always be useful because a remedy that helps one person won’t necessarily help another on a mass scale! The homeopathic pharmacopoeia lists more than 3000 remedies, whose clinical efficiency has been proved in various clinical trials conducted all over the world. However, modern day, peer reviewed Homeopathic Research is still done all the time! The British Homeopathic Association has more information on the research which helps see the accurate facts.

Classical Homeopaths should be able to treat all acute diseases and also chronic degenerative conditions but in their starting in their beginning stages. Once chronic conditions have reached their final stage homeopathy can do very little for such patients.

It can also be helpful for people who are experiencing symptoms that do not necessarily fall into a particular “disease category”, such as chronic fatigue, feeling apathetic or simply feeling out of touch. It would be impossible to list all types of ailments for which people seek homeopathic treatment, but some of the more common ailments encountered are:

Stress and anxiety, period and fertility problems, menopausal symptoms, pregnancy related conditions, insomnia, depression, fatigue, headaches, ear, nose, throat and eye disorders, digestive and urinary tract problems, respiratory tract illnesses, bone/joint conditions, skin conditions, hayfever and allergies, It’s can also be used for children’s health issues; teething, colic, travel sickness, colds and coughs, fears and phobias, night terrors and temper tantrums etc.

Homeopathy : a Holistic approach, From a holistic perspective, the patient is considered as unique, requiring individual assessment and treatment. Patient is an integrated entity, including the Physical, Mental, Emotional, Spiritual, Social and any other aspects of the total person. Individuals are seen as living systems that are self-healing, self-renewing, homeostatic and adaptive.

Homeopathy looks beyond the labels of disease to cure their causes rather than merely their symptoms and it stimulates the body’s own natural healing powers to bring health, vitality and well-being. It does not treat superficially by just driving away the symptoms but heals the patient from within. It uses medicines that cover the disturbance of the whole person rather than giving different medicines for different afflicted parts of the body. Patients often report improvement in overall energy, mood, quality of sleep, and digestion, and the disappearance of other symptoms apparently unrelated to the condition being treated with homeopathy.

Thus, homeopathy is highly individualised and based upon a holistic assessment. As well as the patient’s actual complaint and conventional diagnosis, the following factors may play an important part in medicine selection, especially in chronic disease:  the patient’s constitution, emotional and mental make-up, the way the patient responds to physical, emotional and mental influences/stress in his/her life, the patient’s personality, temperament, genetic predispositions and any strong family history of particular diseases.

Homeopathic medicines are aimed at improving the level of health by stimulating the self-regulatory mechanism. Improving the level of health implies reducing any disease process as well as the susceptibility to illness and disease. That means that it is not limited to certain diseases but is universally applicable to all kinds of diseases.

It can often be used as a first option in certain medical conditions, keeping more costly and potentially toxic treatment as a second option. In addition, it can offer therapeutic options where conventional treatments have failed or where conventional treatments do not exist for the problem, where they are contraindicated or not tolerated. In many disorders homeopathy should be a first choice treatment instead of a last resort.

Homeopathic treatment is an effective method of healing – in both Acute and Chronic conditions. In many cases of chronic disease homeopathic treatment can achieve results which would be considered impossible with conventional treatment.

The therapeutic possibilities, however, depend on how much irreversible damage has, or has not, occurred, and on the extent to which the organism is able to recover. If the distortion is too great, the damage too severe, the disease highly infectious or life-threatening, the condition becomes more suitable for the stronger methods of conventional, modern medicine.

However, in incurable stages of a disease homeopathic treatment may relieve a patient to a large extent.

In injuries and accidents, homeopathic treatment can be of immense value.

Homeopathy can even help if surgery is necessary. Homeopathic medicines can be given both pre-operatively and post-operatively to speed up healing and to counteract any effects of anxiety, shock and anaesthetics.

Limitations are specific surgical indications, deficiency diseases and very serious diseases in which gross anatomical changes have evolved.

In general, patients treated with homeopathy make a much more rapid post-operative recovery than patients who have not had this treatment.

THE 5 LEVELS

Homeopathy really comes into its own because it can be used at deeper levels, and in different ways, depending on your condition:

1. Level 1 – Complementary treatment – Homeopathy is often a helpful treatment to use alongside allopathic treatment. For example, to manage side-effects from chemotherapy.

2. Level 2 – Trauma and acute care – For example in first aid situations – Arnica for bruises, Apis for bee stings, Cantharis for burns.

3. Level 3 – Therapeutic treatment – There are specific treatments for named diseases – for example specific remedies for headaches, coughs, colds, or stomach ache.

4. Level 4 – Individual symptoms – This is where homeopathy starts to become individualised. A homeopath would combine knowledge of specific diseases, with consideration of physical, mental and emotional symptoms, as well as other strange or peculiar symptoms. This paints complete picture on which a remedy prescription is based.

5. Level 5 – Chronic disease – This level if often linked to inherited conditions – the specific ways people express their disease. It may also involve any recurring thoughts or feelings they might have about their life.

Homeopathic medicines do not cause any side-effects. Homeopathy is safe. Unlike other medication, homeopathic medicines are non-toxic and harmless and do not have any adverse side effects.

Patients unable to use conventional prescription drugs due to side effects can often safely use homeopathic medicines. Homeopathic medicines are natural, prepared from minute amounts of herbs, minerals and animal products. Their quality and safety are assured by the national medicine agencies based on Pharmacopoeia requirements.

They are suitable for pregnant women, infants and children without worrying about the dosage.

Many childhood ailments could be very effectively and quickly treated with homeopathy without producing any side effects whatsoever. Unlike antibiotics and other such medicines, homeopathic pills do not hamper digestion, or lower the body’s resistance. Neither do t hey cause any allergies nor cause any damage, even if taken over a long period. There is no toxicity, no addiction, no dependency, no withdrawal. Millions of people use it to help themselves, their families and their pets without any dangerous physical repercussions

Patients are usually more concerned with their present problems and try to attract attention of the physician to listen their problem. Every problem has its origin in the past and it needs to find out and relate to know the exact characteristic feature of sickness.  It will be essential for a physician to know their previous healthcare, health behaviors, social, occupational and family history.

The additional information in the past medical history may have a particularly significant place in diagnostic decision making when there are some concerns about the validity or the reliability of the symptom(s). Presenting condition of the present illness may have similarity with the many of the patient and may lead to conclusion far away from realistic condition. Present conditions are the reflux state of something happened in the past. It will be useful to know why this present condition aroused.

Significance of Previous History — Patient’s previous history may provide information for diagnostic purposes by providing consideration of – predictive validity and concurrent validity

HOMOEOPATHIC ASPECTS FOR PAST HISTORY — Constitutional homoeopathic treatment consists mainly of prescribing on the psychosomatic make-up of the patient and on the past history. Understanding the Man as a whole is the basic requirement for finding out a constitutional remedy for an individual. Present of a Man is a reality based on the past. Thus to perceive the present totality of a man it is quite necessary to incorporate the past as well as the family history of the patient.

The patient is viewed against a background of a theoretical average person of the same age, sex and social environment, and the salient mental and physical characteristics are noted and matched by a remedy having a similar drug picture. One or more, usually a number of remedies carefully chosen in this way can frequently restore health when there are no insuperable pathological barriers. Quite often the psychosomatically selected remedy can cover outstanding episodes in the past e.g. The chronic diseases are due to suppression of skin affections or emotions; hence detailed history will reveal whether any past ailments suppressed has lead to the present complaints.

Every incidence affects our life, so it is very important to know all the incidences and its impact it had on the patients. Hence a detailed history right from the childhood till date is needed to find the right medicine which suits the patient. If you co-operate and give honest and detailed history we can help you to achieve better and healthy life.

This is difficult to tell but as a rule we can say that for every year of suffering it will take one month of treatment. Homeopathic remedies offer long lasting health.

1. The duration of the treatment depends upon the nature of the disease and the fighting capacity of the patient`s body.

2.The treatment is required for a certain time period so as to improve the resistance of the body to fight diseases.

3. Once the patient starts improving we stop the medicines and the natural immunity and control mechanism of the body will take care of the rest of the problems.

4. Homeopathy is a process and we are working on resolving the underlying cause of your illness.

5. While you will often notice a response quite quickly, healing takes time.  The length of treatment depends on many factors such as the nature of your illness, whether acute or chronic, medical history and what factors have created the imbalance.

6. A general guideline for acute ailments such as coughs, colds and first aid situation, these should resolve in days or weeks.

7. For chronic or longstanding conditions I would recommend committing to 4-6 visits and you may require less or more depending on your specific needs.

8. From experience once we start homeopathic treatment, we would expect to see change taking place within the first 2-3 weeks if not earlier with improvement continuing thereafter.

9. Programmes run over a 3 month period with 2 consultations per month with flexibility to space these further apart or extend treatment if needed.

1. Women go through many changes in their life at all fronts. There are a lot of hormonal changes right from the time of puberty to pregnancy. With time women have evolved and excelled in various roles that were earlier a privilege of men. This means dealing with internal and external stress.

2. With Homeopathy we have been able to help women physically in their complaints and emotionally to cope with the stresses that they undergo.

3. Child bearing forms an important aspect in a woman’s life. Children & mother always share a special bond.

4. We strongly advise pregnant women & women who are planning to conceive to take homoeopathic medications. Homeopathy has the capacity to significantly help women during pregnancy which in turn helps the child who is still in the womb.

5. We believe that a healthy state of mind & body of the mother and father helps in healthy conception, healthy infant and a healthy child.

6. Homeopathy plays a vital role in the preconception & pregnant state. When on the right homoeopathic medication the body is in a perfect state of harmony. Homeopathy helps in keeping the immune system healthy to tackle any infection throughout pregnancy.

7. Hormonal changes affect mood & temperament. This is especially experienced by women during premenstrual syndrome, pregnancy, post-partum and menopause. Women suffering from menstrual complaints like PCOS too have lot of hormonal variations. We have given remarkable results in many such cases with Homeopathy.

1. Once we have our appointment date and time confirmed, I will send you a homeopathic questionnaire or History Form to complete and return before we meet.

2. The first consultation lasts approximately 1 hour and it’s an easy gentle conversation. The purpose of the initial consultation is to gain an insight into your illness, how it affects you and establishes any triggers, causes, or aggravating factors that may be involved in creating an imbalance.

3. In addition we look at aspects such as your medical and family history especially Interpersonal Relationship (IPR), energy levels, and sleep patterns, how you are affected by environmental factors such as weather and temperature, appetite, mood changes, anxieties and how you react to stress. Symptoms you may think of as unusual or unimportant may be of great value.

4. The aim of our homeopathy consultation is to get a broad overview, not only of your presenting complaint, but also of you as a person. This helps to provide me with a balanced perspective of where your health is at and where you may be struggling or feel stuck.

5. Based on the information gathered, a personalised prescription is drawn up and I prescribe a remedy or remedies specific to your needs.

6. The follow up consultation lasts approximately 30-45 minutes and usually take place every 2-4 weeks later, depending on what we decide together.  As your health improves consultations will be spaced further apart.

7. During this time we both discuss and assess the changes that have occurred and decide together how the treatment can best be continued to ensure healing continues.

Homeopathy is a demanding system not only for the prescriber but for the patient as well. It is not a therapy in which the patient unthinkingly reports the diagnosis of allopathic physicians, receives a pill, and is then cured. It requires a good deal of objective self-observation, an attitude of sympathy and assistance for the task confronting the prescriber, a willingness to avoid interfering factors and the wisdom to be patient during whatever healing crises occur. For most people, these responsibilities are quite easy to meet, and the results are correspondingly gratifying.

Substances to Avoid

Another important thing to remember is that it is wise to avoid any substances that might interfere with your remedy. Certain substances have been found to reverse (antidote) the effects of homeopathic remedies and medicines.

It is suggested that you avoid the following substances, practices and items to insure the best response from your remedy:

Avoid:

– Coffee

– Camphor, or camphorated products including products containing eucalyptus and camphor oils

– Mint, or mentholated products

– Recreational drugs

– Some conventional drugs (Be sure to tell your homeopath what you are taking)

– Stress, which can lower the resonance of a homeopathic remedy.

1. The homeopathic practitioner is faced with a challenging task in choosing precisely the correct remedy at each stage in a patient’s treatment, but the patient as well carries significant responsibilities.

2. The patient must learn to observe areas of life which are ordinarily ignored by most people, and this observation must be done objectively and dispassionately.

3. It is not enough for the patient to merely keep a notebook of every detail and then leave it to the Doctor to decide which details are significant and which are not.

4. Those observations noted by the patient in the course of daily existence – those which have some meaning, however small and therefore these are the ones which lead to a prescription.

5. On the other hand, it is important that the patient does not go too far in the other direction either. Some people are too careful about not misleading the prescriber and so they ignore changes until they are absolutely certain.

6. So, it is possible to go too far in either direction – either reporting too many symptoms having little actual significance or ‘explaining away’ the many symptoms which in fact are important. The best policy lies in between. The patient should accept the fact that everyone is an individual, including especially himself, and that any eccentricities which occur are simply a manifestation of his individuality.

7. At the same time, the patient should not place ultimate importance on these changes. No judgments are made about them. Otherwise, he may begin to imagine that he has some serious disease. They are merely manifestations of the unique way that the defence mechanism is attempting to maintain balance.

8. The basic task of the patient is to report to the prescriber every deviation from natural function, not only on the physical level, but on mental and emotional levels as well. Much more important are the wide varieties of symptoms expressing themselves in every aspect of the patient’s life – relationships, work stresses, reactions to environmental changes, food cravings or aversions, sexual desire, quality of sleep, and so on.

9. Even small observations which seem insignificant from an allopathic standpoint may well be crucial from the homeopathic perspective – particularly if it is something which has meaning to the patient. For example, suppose a patient has been found by allopathic doctors to be suffering from ulcerative colitis. He is used to spending the entire consultation discussing details about his bowel habits. A homeopath is also interested in this information to some extent, of course, but much more time will be spent on other aspects of the patient’s life.

10. Another responsibility of the patient is to avoid impatience. This is especially true for chronic disease sufferers. The laws of Nature proceed at their own pace and they do not progress any faster under the demands of impatience. One cannot expect immediate relief from symptoms possibly caused by pain-killers, tranquillizers or cortisone. Homeo- pathy does not have specific medicines to relieve pain, allay anxiety, counteract insomnia, etc. Homeopathic prescriptions are always designed to bring about cure of the entire organism. The goal is harmonious functioning on all levels of being, not merely momentary relief of specific symptoms. Sometimes this process takes weeks or months and in more severe cases it can take more time also.

11. The actual time required for cure depends upon several factors. A patient with a strong constitution will respond more dramatically, while someone with a weak vitality will take longer to cure. Stronger patients may need only one prescription and weaker ones may need a carefully- prescribed series of remedies. Patients coming from families exhibiting many chronic diseases are likely to require a longer time for cure.

12. In addition, patients with a history of several illnesses, particularly if treated with many allopathic drugs, present more problems for homeopathic treatment. And finally, patients with long histories of poor diet, no exercise, and abuse of alcohol or drugs can expect cure only after extended periods of time.

13. Allopathic drugs are among the most powerful interfering factors. An occasional aspirin for temporary aches or pains is generally no problem, but consistent use of analgesics, tran- quillizers, antibiotics, contraceptive pills and especially cortisone can completely counteract the action of homeopathic remedies. Therefore, homeopathic patients should refrain from all other therapies except for true emergencies and, if possible, only after consulting the homeopath.

14. Coffee is another common homeopathic ‘antidote’. Coffee is a stimulant which can have effects as powerful as medicines. Decaffeinated coffee, black tea, and grain-based coffee substitutes are all acceptable.

15. The handling of remedies themselves can also be an impor- tant factor for patients taking daily doses. Even in their glass vials or paper envelopes, remedies can be destroyed by exposure to direct sunlight, strong odours (particularly the odour of camphor and other aromatic substances) and excessive heat or cold. Remedies should be stored in a shaded place of moderate temperature free of strong odours.

16. Finally, the responsibility which occasionally can be the most demanding for patients is that of waiting out whatever healing crisis occurs. In the process of cure, the strengthening of the vital force may result in a temporary increase of symptoms. Usually this lasts from only a few hours to a few days, but in some cases it may take longer. The patient must be able to recognize what is happening and trust the judgment of the homeopath. The patient must avoid panic and await further developments.

1. Homeopathy treatment is holistic and individualistic

Homeopathy recognises that each person is unique and treatment is devised according to your individual needs.  I take a person by person approach to treatments. It all starts with a conversation about where you are at with your health.

2. Homeopathy is safe, gentle and effective

Homeopathy works by stimulating the body’s own innate healing ability. Although gentle the results can be rapid, powerful and long lasting. I will guide you through a supportive process in transforming your health.

3. Homeopathy can be used by everyone

Children, teenagers and adults – homeopathy can help. It can be used safely for vulnerable groups, babies, children, pregnant and nursing mothers, the elderly and for those with compromised immune systems.  I see so many people with straightforward or complex health concerns.  I will support you holistically to improve your health.

4. Remedies are non-addictive with no harmful side-effects

A special preparation process called potentisation refines the remedies to remove any toxic side effects.

5. Homeopathy can be used in conjunction with conventional medicine

It is always advisable to let your Doctor know about your healthcare treatment.

6. Homeopathy can act as a form of preventative treatment

By boosting the body’s immune system, homeopathy can help improve a person’s susceptibility to illness and infection.

Homeopathic remedies are safe and very effective for children. As Homeopathic remedies strengthen the resistance, it is very wise to start Homeopathy as early as possible and let them grow healthily from the beginning. It lessens or removes the need for eye glasses, dentures etc… Homeopathy is also effective in behavioral problems and temperament seen commonly in children like irritability, obstinacy, temper-tantrums, fears, phobias, thumb-sucking, nail biting, destructiveness, bed-wetting; as well as mentally and physically backward children. Most of the children’s ailments like cold, cough, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, dysentery, colic, tonsillitis, bronchitis, asthma, chicken pox, mumps can be addressed very effectively with homeopathic remedies without any side effects. Homeopathy removes allergic tendencies in kids to most food items. Single remedy for multiple symptoms in very minimal dose is offered in Homeopathy. Homeopathic remedies are loved by kids because as the pills are sweet.

The disorders that have a physiological condition but are originated in the emotional state of an individual are termed psychosomatic ( Psyche means mind, Soma means body ). The psychosomatic conditons are also referred as psycho-physiologic disorders. This term applies to a large number of disorders of organs innervated by the autonomic nervous system in which emotional factors are primary contributing factor. The nervous system regulates and coordinates body’s activities and brings proper responses by which the body adjusts to changes of either external environment or internal environment. The autonomic nervous system which controls body functions involuntarily divides in to sympathetic and parasympathetic system. Conditions like anxiety, fear stimulate sympathetic nerve fibers and produces vasoconstriction in the part supplied like general rise in blood pressure, acceleration of the heart rate, depression of gastrointestinal activity. Some effects of parasympathetic stimulation are constriction of bronchioles like in asthma, contraction of smooth muscles of alimentary canal (produce griping pain in stomach), slowing of heart rate, and increased secretion by gland like salivary, gastric glands. Repeated episodes of these anxiety conditions produce disorders in those organs. Symptoms can be healed smoothly without side effects by addressing mental anxiety and physical problem together. Homeopathy remedies act at the level of mind and body together to eradicate the problem as a whole. examples of psychosomatic disorders: Migraine, asthma, acidity, peptic ulcer, allergy. Most of the times, some of the following mental conditions are the cause for these problems: such as excessive anxiety, irritability, insecurity, obsessive traits, undue jealousy, suspicion ( paranoid fears ), depression, neurosis etc. By relieving these emotions, homeopathic remedies bring harmonious state of health. Homeopathy is for the person as a whole, not for disease.