The word homeopathy derives from the Greek root words meaning 'like cures like'—so 'that which causes disease can also cure it.'

WHAT IS HOMEOPATHY?
Homeopathy is a gentle, safe and complete system of medicine. It has been practised effectively for over 200 years. Started by Dr Samuel Hahnemann in Germany its use spread through Europe to America and is used extensively in India, South Africa and Europe. Being an holistic medicine homeopathy looks at the patient as a whole. It takes into account the many symptoms an individual may have and then often one medicine is used that best covers their whole picture; to stimulate healing. Symptoms are the body's way of expressing an imbalance; homeopathy helps you to regain that balance and become healthy. Homeopathy looks at what causes the person to produce symptoms. This could have been an accident, a shock, long term stress or never having been well since a particular bout of illness e.g. glandular fever. These are all events that can affect the immune system and make a person susceptible to ill health. Homeopathy therefore deals with the cause of the illness rather than the effect, in this way, by treating the cause the effect will disappear.

HOW DOES IT WORK?
Homeopathy works on the principle of 'like cures like'. This means that a substance that would cause symptoms to appear in a healthy person when given in its raw state will cure those very same symptoms if the substance is transformed into a homeopathic medicine by dilution and sucussion. Think about what happens to your eyes and nose when you slice up a kilo of red onions, your nose will run and your eyes will stream. The remedy Allium Cepa is made from red onions, it stimulates the healing capacity of the body when suffering from a streaming cold or hayfever with those same symptoms. Homeopathic medicines are called remedies and are made from plants, animals and minerals. Remedies are prepared in such a way that only a tiny amount of the active ingredient is used and it is diluted to a safe dose. Homeopathic remedies do not cause side effects, are not addictive and there is no risk of overdose. Therefore they are perfectly safe to use at any time of life, including pregnancy, in newborn babies and breastfeeding mothers.

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT WHEN SEEING A HOMEOPATH?
Seeing a homeopath should be a relaxing and enlightening experience, you will find that time will fly. Leave plenty of time, your homeopath needs to get to know you. Many people seek help from homeopathy when they are going through a difficult patch in their life. The quiet, confidential and supportive environment along with the remedy helps the patient regain perspective and balance. A first consultation for an adult will take at least an hour and a half, a child's consultation an hour, and a toddler's about 45 minutes. Be prepared to be asked questions like what is your favorite food, what do you dream about, do you like to sit out in the sun, or are you happier under an umbrella? What are you frightened of, what does it feel like to be you? The homeopath will be building up a profile of you, the answers to these questions will help match your case to one of the several thousand remedies at our disposal. Quite often you will be sent home without a remedy. The homeopath will need to work on your case quietly after you have gone; choose the remedy and either post it or drop it off if you live nearby. Clear instructions will be sent on how to take the remedy, when to repeat the dose, when to phone in with a progress report and when to come back for a follow-up appointment.

WHEN DO I GO BACK TO SEE MY HOMEOPATH?
We will discuss this at the end of your first consultation; classically most homeopaths like their patients to phone after about ten days just for a quick catch up. The second or follow up appointment usually happens about four weeks later. If you have a condition that may take longer to see improvement, such as Alopecia, then the gap may be longer.