Homeopathy

Homeopathy works by assisting the body's own natural ability to cure itself. It is one of the most popular forms of natural medicine used by over 30 million people in Europe. To date, there have been over 20 large trials which demonstrate homeopathy is effective.

What does homeopathy treat?

Homeopathy is a low risk treatment, free from side effects. Whilst I treat people from many different backgrounds and of all ages in my practice, the gentle and safe nature of homeopathy makes it particularly suitable for babies, children, pregnant women and elderly patients.

In the recent past, patients have consulted me for:

Skin: eczema, psoriasis, acne, urticaria.
Respiratory: tonsillitis, asthma, bronchitis, recurrent colds.
Psychological: stress, depression, anxiety, insomnia, panic attacks, obsession, anger
Digestion: IBS, heartburn, diabetes.
Allergies: hay fever, asthma, angio-oedema
Neurological: epilepsy, sciatica, neuralgia, tics, migraine.
Circulation: high blood pressure, anæmia.
Women's health: thrush, PMT, cystitis, infertility, ante, post-natal & menopausal problems, breast abnormalities
Children: glue ear, colds & coughs, behaviour problems, diarrhoea & constipation, fevers, teething, colic, warts.

But homeopathy can be effective for a wide range of illnesses as long as there is no irreversible changes in the body. This includes conditions which cannot be diagnosed by your doctor even after many tests at hospital.

Also, because we are treating the whole person, homeopathy can help several different complaints at once.

What happens in a consultation?

The first visit with a homeopath takes 1-2 hours for adults (1hour for children) which may seem long when compared to a visit to a GP or a hospital consultant. However, experience has shown that this amount of time is necessary to understand your complaint in enough depth to prescribe effectively.

We explore the nature of the problem you have, how you experience the symptoms and how it affects you as a person. Homeopaths are particularly interested in any unusual symptoms which are unique to your complaint because these are very helpful in finding the curative medicine.

If you are in agreement, the consultation is recorded on video which provides essential information for the successful analysis of your case.*

Children's consultations take about 1 hour and involve a mixture of observation, informal play and interview with the parent(s) and child depending on their age. I treat all ages from babies to teenagers.

* In addition, your express permission may be sought to use the video recording for teaching trainee homeopaths.

What's the medicine like?

A single remedy, tailored to your particular symptoms, is sent to you in the post a few days after the consultation. The medicine comes in the form of a small sugar pill and is normally taken as a single or daily dose (often in water) to start the natural process of cure. The cost of the remedy is included in the consultation fee.

Homeopathic medicines are specially prepared, at approved pharmacies, using plant, mineral and animal* sources; here are just 3 examples from a current range of over 3500 possibilities:

Plant	Mineral	Animal*

*Please note: animals are not harmed in the preparation of these medicines.

Many of these medicines have been tried and tested for over 200 years. Also, there have been over 20 large clinical trials that demonstrate homeopathy is greater than placebo.

Follow-up Appointments

I recommend that all patients attend a short course of treatment eg 3-6 sessions. This is important because sometimes the initial prescriptions are not the most effective whereas those given later often prove successful in the light of better information and clearer insight into the disease process.

Most patients attend a follow-up appointment about 4 weeks after the initial consultation. We see how you have responded to the medicine and discuss treatment options. It may be necessary to re-take your case at this stage.

Holiday cover is provided by a very experienced colleague (locum).

How long does treatment take?

Those patients who are generally healthy require only minimal treatment eg 2-4 sessions. Others, with more serious or chronic health problems, will probably need more visits to the homeopath to get better. But the amount of treatment varies from individual to individual.

I can usually offer some kind of prognosis after the first or second consultation.