In This Chapter
^ Finding out what homeopathy is all about
^ Understanding how it works
^ Discovering what homeopathy can be good for
^ Knowing what to expect in a typical consultation
^ Knowing how to find a safe and effective homeopath
Omeopathy is one of the most widely practised, yet also one of the most controversial, forms of complementary medicine. This system of medicine is based on the principle of ‘like cures like’ and uses minute doses of substances that would Cause Symptoms in a healthy person, to Treat Those same symptoms in a sick person.
For more than 200 years, homeopathic medicines have successfully been used in Europe, India, the US, and elsewhere to treat a wide range of ailments and their popularity continues today. Homeopathy is now practised by many doctors, nurses, dentists, and vets as well as those trained specifically in homeopathy, and over-the-counter homeopathic remedies are big sellers in pharmacies and health food shops.

However, controversy rages because the substances used in homeopathic remedies are so diluted that no molecules of the original plant, mineral, or animal substance remain. For this reason, critics argue that homeopathic medicines cannot possibly be having any effect other than as a Placebo - that is, the effects are all in the mind of users. Also, research evidence showing positive effects for homeopathy is very limited and no one knows exactly how it works.
In this chapter, you discover the roots of homeopathy and look at the type of ailments it seems to help. I also examine ideas about how it may work and give you a bird’s-eye view of what happens in a homeopathic consultation. Finally, I give you some tips on how you may like to use homeopathy yourself.

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Finding Out about Homeopathy
The term homeopathy was coined by Dr Samuel Hahnemann from the Greek words Homoios, Meaning ‘similar’, and Pathos, Meaning ‘suffering’. Hahnemann based his therapy on the following principles:
The Law of Similars: Hahnemann believed that the effects of a substance on a healthy person could be identified by a system of Proving (see the later section ‘A (very) brief history of homeopathy’) and then used to treat the same symptoms in a sick person. This Law was revised by later homeopaths to the Law of Sameness, or the Doctrine of Isopathy, whereby a disease may be cured by diluted preparations of itself.
Infinitesimality: Hahnemann experimented with diluting substances to remove their toxicity and vigorously shaking them between dilutions, which he believed released their healing power. He concluded, controversially, that the more diluted a substance was, the more potent the remedy became. This is also known as the Principle of Minimum Dose.
Individualisation: Hahnemann considered each person to be unique according to their own complex physical, mental, and emotional makeup and believed that the whole person, and all their symptoms, needed to be treated, not only their disease and disease-related symptoms.
Homeopathic remedies are made from highly diluted plant, mineral, human, and animal substances and even poisons and are believed to work by somehow triggering the person’s natural healing ability. Sarcodes Are remedies prepared from healthy animal or human tissue or organs (for example, the remedy thyroidinum is prepared from a specimen of thyroid tissue). Nosodes Are preparations made from diseased or pathological specimens.
A (Very) brief history of homeopathy

The idea of like curing like has existed in medicine since ancient Greek times, when it was mentioned by the great physician Hippocrates. It has also been featured in folk medicine through the ages. However, the inspired work of a German doctor, Samuel Hahnemann, in the late 18th century, led to homeopathy being developed into a comprehensive system of medicine.
Hahnemann practised medicine for many years but gradually became disillusioned with the barbaric practices that were common at the time. He gave up his practice and concentrated on translating medical texts from various sources in his search for a more natural, yet effective system of medicine. The works of the renowned Scottish physician William Cullen and the great Swiss alchemist Paracelsus seem to have given him the clues he was looking for.
In Cullen’s great Materia Medica, Hahnemann read about the use of a bark, from the Peruvian cinchona tree, to treat malaria. Now we know that this bark is effective against malarial fever because of its quinine content but at the time Cullen claimed it was because of the bark’s bitterness. Hahnemann found this claim hard to accept since other bitter substances did not ease malaria. So he got some of the bark, which had become quite a common medicine in Europe at the time, and tried it on himself for two weeks. To his surprise he started to develop fever-like symptoms that mimicked malaria (some people have since suggested that he may have been allergic to the bark!). This outcome gave him the idea that more diseases may be cured by substances that could produce disease-like symptoms in the body.
Hahnemann wanted to try out various medicines of the day to see their effect on healthy bodies but realised doing so would be difficult with substances such as arsenic and mercury – common medicinal substances at the time but also known to be poisonous.
The great Swiss physician and alchemist Paracelsus had already suggested that it was ‘the dose that makes the poison’ and so Hahnemann hit on the idea of dissolving the substance in water or alcohol and then repeatedly diluting it until little of the original harmful substance was left, in order to make it safe. He also added a process of Succussion-Vigorous shaking between dilutions – which he believed somehow released the healing energy of the substance, although no scientific verification for this exists.
After experiencing malaria-like symptoms with cinchona bark, Hahnemann started testing out other substances – a system he called Proving - using himself and other healthy volunteers. He carefully observed the symptoms that were produced in the healthy subjects and then tried using the same substances on sick people with similar symptoms.
Hahnemann found that large amounts of a substance sometimes made symptoms worse and so he started to experiment with increased dilutions. To his surprise, the more diluted a substance was, the more potent it seemed to become as a remedy. He later called this concept the Law of Potentisation and, as he and others experimented by making ever greater dilutions, he noted that, even beyond the point where technically none of the original substance was left, the remedy could still have therapeutic effects.
Hahnemann started to practise again using his homeopathy, and his gentle, effective style of treatment rapidly gained popularity. He carried on testing out more and more substances by ‘proving’ and wrote his findings up in a series of voluminous books. His ideas soon began to spread around Europe and farther afield. In England his system of medicine soon became the treatment of choice for the upper classes and even enjoyed royal patronage, as it still does today. German doctors also took his therapy to America and India, where it is now used by more than 300,000 practitioners!
Grasping the idea behind homeopathy
Homeopathy is based on nine basic principles. The key principle is Hahnemann’s Law of Similars Described in the earlier section ‘Finding Out about Homeopathy’. Other important principles include:
1. The miasms, Which are three basic patterns of disease that underlie all human suffering – skin conditions, inflammatory conditions, and degenerative conditions (see the later section ‘Exploring miasms’ for more).
2. Proving, Which means that the profile of a remedy can be identified by giving it to volunteers and then recording all mental, physical, and emotional symptoms experienced.
3. The totality of symptoms - that the whole person needs to be treated, not just the disease. All symptoms are regarded as important, not only the disease-specific ones.
4. Hering’s law of direction of cure, Which homeopath Constantine Hering added in the 1800s. This law suggests that cure moves in a predictable order: downwards and outwards, from the most important organs or body systems to the lesser ones; from the mental to the emotional to the physical; and from the most recent symptoms to the oldest ones. Homeopaths use observation of this process to determine if a remedy appears to be working or needs to be adjusted.
5. Vital force Or an inherent ‘life force’ that governs health and disease. This concept has been likened to that of Qi In acupuncture. A weak vital force leads to disease. Hahnemann believed that homeopathic remedies could somehow stimulate the vital force.
6. The single remedy, A principle of classical homeopathy, advocates using only one remedy at a time according to its proving. However, many homeopaths now use combination remedies (known as Complex homeopathy). Classical homeopaths disapprove of this practice arguing that combined remedies have never been subject to provings so their effects are unknown.

7. Potentisation, Which is the belief that diluting and succussing remedies gives them their power.
8. Susceptibility, The principle that each person is different and responds best to different potencies of remedies.
Choosing the remedy
For homeopathy to work, you need to use the right remedy. The remedy is selected according to a Repertory (a huge guidebook on the profiles for different remedies) compiled from provings. Many homeopaths use large repertory books but some also now rely on computerised repertories.
Homeopathic potencies are described by means of numbers and letters, such as 30c.
The Roman numerals X (10), L (50), C (100), and M (1,000) refer to the number of parts of water or alcohol that one part of the original substance, or Mother tincture, Is diluted in. The numbers refer to how many times each drop has been taken from one volume and added to another.
The Roman numeral C indicates the Centesimal Scale, evolved by Hahnemann and using 1 in 100 dilutions, while the Roman numeral X represents
The Decimal Scale, evolved by Constantine Hering and using 1 in 10 dilutions.
Potencies range from low potencies of 1x, 3x, 3c, 6x, 30x, and 30c and so on, through mid potencies of 200c, to high potencies such as 1m, 10m, and 50m (a 1/50,000 dilution). Remember, the more diluted the mixture, the higher the potency.

These low and high potencies are often misunderstood to mean weaker or stronger remedies but potency relates to the action of the remedy rather than its strength.
If the symptoms abate and the person’s general condition improves, then the selected remedy has been correct. If no improvement is noted, then an alternative remedy may be chosen.

Selecting the potency
The potency of the remedy depends on the number of times it has been diluted and succussed.
Factors that determine the choice of potency include the person’s pattern of symptoms; their susceptibility to the remedy as determined by the homeopath; the nature and severity of their disease; and their age, constitution, temperament, and vitality. The potency may be increased over time.
Lower potencies are generally taken every few hours for a few days while higher ones are taken much less frequently, often just once in a week.
Determining constitutional types
Dr James Tyler Kent was responsible for developing remedies for what he called Constitutional types Of patients. This idea was further developed by his student Margaret Tyler and in modern times by the well-known Greek homeopath George Vithoulkas.
According to this concept many different constitutional types exist, characterised by different physical, mental, and emotional traits. Each type is associated with a particular remedy, and named after it, but other remedies may also be prescribed for different types too.
First the raw, natural material for the remedy is obtained from plant, mineral, human, or animal sources (nowadays, other more esoteric sources may also be used such as sunlight and holy water). The material is then chopped or ground and left to soak in a mixture, usually of 90 per cent alcohol and 10 per cent distilled water, for 2 to 4 weeks. Every now and then, the mixture is shaken to encourage the materials to dissolve in the liquid. When ready, this liquid is strained and bottled and is now known as the Mother tincture. A single drop of this tincture is taken and added to 99 drops of alcohol or water and then shaken or knocked rapidly against the hand or other hard but elastic surface (this process is called Suc-cussion). For each step of the dilution process, Hahnemann recommended that the liquid be succussed ten times. Succussion is a laborious process, so one of his followers, General Korsakov, invented a machine to carry out this process and modern versions of this machine are used today.
A dilution of 1 part per 100 is known as a 1C potency. If one drop of this solution is taken and
Added to 99 parts water or alcohol, this becomes a 2Cpotency. It is now 1 part in 10,000. If this process is done six times you get a solution with a 6C potency, Which is commonly sold in shops. This means the medicine has been diluted a million, million times, the equivalent to a drop of water in 20 swimming pools. If the medicine is diluted to a 15C potency, This is the equivalent of a million, million, million, million, million times dilution, less than one drop in all the world’s oceans. When you get to 30C potencies (Hahnemann’s preferred level of dilution), you’re talking about astronomical levels of dilution. Yet the weaker the dilution, the stronger the medicine is considered to be, as long as it is succussed between each successive dilution.

The diluted liquid is then bottled; or applied to sugar – or lactose-based tablets; Pillules (tiny, rounded pills); sucrose granules, which are then dried and packaged; or it can be added to ointments and creams.
Some examples of common homeopathic constitutional types are:
The Pulsatilla Type Is typically caring and kind and has a strong desire to be liked and accepted. They can be tearful and temperamental. This type is easily run down and may suffer frequent colds and flu.
The Nux Vomica Type Is typically highly competitive, hard working, strongly driven, and ambitious. Such people often suffer from overwork, stress, irritability, and impatience.
The Silica Type Is usually diligent and conscientious but lacking in confidence and often rather frail and prone to colds.
The Graphites Type Is prone to indecision and may be rather bulky physically and generally lazy, both mentally and physically. This type also has a tendency to suffer from skin problems.
The Lycopodium Type Is often outwardly successful but hides deep insecurity within. This type often suffers from digestive complaints.
Exploring miasms
Hahnemann was also concerned with the problem of curing chronic diseases and after 30 years of practise he identified three Miasms That he believed were the basis for all disease in later life.
The word miasm comes from a Greek word meaning ‘infection’ or ‘stain’. Hahnemann used the word to refer to an inherited condition, a trace of a former illness, or a toxicity, passed on subtly from generation to generation and predisposing an individual to certain types of disease. The three miasms that he identified were:
The psoric Is the most fundamental miasm and is associated with ‘the itch’ and scabies. The psoric miasm is said to underlie any skin condition, especially itchy ones.
The sycotic Is linked to the venereal disease gonorrhoea, and inflammatory conditions.
The syphilitic Is linked to the venereal disease syphilis and degenerative conditions.
Some homeopaths believe that the miasms may be combined; for example, a combination of the psoric and the sycotic is known as the Tubercular miasm, Linked to tuberculosis, while others believe that this is a separate miasm in its own right.
Developing nosodes
Hahnemann developed Nosode Remedies (from the Greek word Nosos,mean-ing disease) from diseased matter in sick humans (such as discharges of pus or mucus) in order to treat these miasms. This sounds disgusting but the multiple dilutions meant these toxic substances were rendered harmless. So, for example, psoric miasms were treated with the remedy Psorinum, Derived directly from infected scabies cells.
Nosodes (remedies made from diseased matter) are used by some homeopaths for homeopathic immunisation against childhood diseases, or for treating animals, but this practise is very controversial and there’s no evidence that it works. For example, at certain boarding kennels nosodes have been given to healthy dogs during a distemper outbreak in an attempt to protect them against the disease but there is no way of
Knowing if this was effective or not. More controversially, some parents have chosen to give their children homeopathic nosodes in place of actual immunisations. This practice has been severely criticised in medical circles because no evidence exists to show that the nosodes can protect against childhood diseases. Many homeopaths also disagree with this practice.
Hahnemann believed that the nosodes could help to clear patterns of inherited illness and toxicity. However, he also sensibly advocated good hygiene, healthy diet, fresh air, and exercise as important for health, too!
Homeopathy today
Homeopathy is not yet fully regulated in the UK, although moves are well underway to create a single register under the auspices of the Council for Organisations Registering Homeopaths (CORH) as a step towards this.
Most homeopaths are registered with one of the two main professional bodies (see the later section, ‘Finding a Good Homeopath’) and a New Registering and Regulatory Body (NRRB) is also being established.
New rules established in 2006 for the labelling of homeopathic products mean that therapeutic indications, such as ‘for colds’ or ‘for chilblains’, can now be displayed on over-the-counter homeopathic remedies as a useful guide for buyers.
In Europe and in India, homeopathy has continued to flourish, with several million consultations taking place each year. In the US homeopathy suffered a decline as orthodox medicine and modern pharmaceuticals became more prominent. Homeopathy is now becoming popular again, with remedies sold in many pharmacies and drug stores. However, practising laws vary from state to state and in many places you have to be a medical doctor to practise homeopathy.
Exploring Different Types of Homeopathy
Several different homeopathic approaches are in use today, including, among others, classical, complex, and clinical.
Classical homeopathy: Classical homeopathy Is based on the original work of Hahnemann. Followers of this approach prefer to use just one remedy at a time at a single potency. They believe that the real art is to identify the single, best remedy and potency for the person and then to carefully observe its effects, making adjustments as necessary. The advantage of this approach is that it is easier to determine the effects of any specific remedy.
I Complex homeopathy: Complex homeopathy Involves combinations of more than one remedy, sometimes at different potencies, and may also involve some herbal medicine. This form of homeopathy developed out of the work of 20th-century practitioners such as Swiss naturopath Alfred Vogel and German medical homeopath Dr Hans-Heinrich Reckeweg, who called his system homotoxicology, referring to the importance of toxins underlying disease. He believed that the body could select the most appropriate remedy and potency from complex formulae to deactivate and remove toxins.
I Clinical homeopathy: This approach, advocated by the medical doctor Douglas Borland, focuses on specific remedies for individual diseases and is usually referred to as Therapeutic homeopathy/prescribing.
Dr Schussler’s Tissue Salts: Dr Wilhelm Schussler, (sometimes also spelt Schuessler) a homeopathic physician, was an early follower of Hahnemann who initially used the full range of homeopathic remedies but later became convinced that most disease was linked to imbalance of minerals within the body’s cells. In 1872, he developed homeopathic remedies for 12 of the most common, essential mineral tissue salts found in the body using a dilution ratio of just 1:9 rather than the usual 1:99. This ratio means that the remedies do contain minute amounts of the actual mineral substance and so are part homeopathic and part micro-nutrient. Rather than treating like with like, these remedies are designed to enable the cell to rectify its imbalance. Schussler Tissue Salts are now widely available in health food shops and are also available in combination formulae.
Animal homeopathy: Increasing numbers of vets are now using homeopathic prescribing in the treatment of animals. The remedies, potencies, and so on are selected in the same way as for humans, with consideration given to the animal’s temperament and behaviour as well as their symptoms. Typical treatments are for infertility in cattle, infectious diseases in pigs, salmonella in chickens, and Cushing’s disease in horses and dogs, although the efficacy of these treatments still remains largely unproven.
Understanding How It Works
Hahnemann believed that the process of dilution and Succussion (vigorous shaking) somehow left an imprint of the substance that could trigger healing in the body.
The placebo effect is an improvement in health that is not due to actual treatment. For example, people who get better while on a doctor’s waiting list, without actually being seen or treated, are said to have been cured by the placebo of being on the waiting list rather than any medicine. Similarly, critics suggest that homeopathy works because psychologically people feel better after taking a pill even though the pill contains no measurable active substances.
Several studies that compare the effects of giving homeopathic remedies to giving identical
Pills or tablets that have not been homeopathi-cally treated have yielded similar results, leading at least one researcher to conclude that ‘homeopathy is little better than placebo’. However, a quite recent large-scale analysis of many trials combined suggested that the overall effect of homeopathy Was Greater than placebo. Both types of studies have been criticised and so the controversy currently still rages and further investigation is needed.
Modern-day homeopaths believe that this process somehow creates a vibra-tional or electrochemical pattern that is somehow then conveyed through water in the body direct to the cells.
Huge excitement was generated in 1988, when French researcher Jacques Benveniste published his work in the renowned journal, Nature, Suggesting that water could hold a memory of the substances with which it came in contact. His work on tiny cells suggested that a substance could still produce noticeable effects on the live cells even when hugely diluted.
However, Benveniste’s work was later discredited on the grounds that errors had occurred in data collection and analysis of results and his results could not be repeated elsewhere. Subsequently some laboratories do claim to have repeated his results but this has not yet been proven. Benveniste maintained to his death that his work could become a landmark finding of the 21st century and many of his supporters continue his work today.
Dr Masaru Emoto from Japan, who has developed a photographic technique for imaging water crystals, also claims that water may be able to carry a memory, but again his work remains controversial and unproven. Sceptics remain entirely unconvinced that water can have such a memory or that homeopathy can have any effect whatsoever other than placebo.
All this controversy means that many medics and scientists still reject homeopathy outright, while those who do accept it admit that they have no idea how it really works.
Discovering Whom and What Homeopathy Is Good For
Homeopaths claim that their remedies can bring about some sort of improvement for most ailments. Most homeopaths treat everyone from babies to the elderly and are used to dealing with both acute (recent, more severe) conditions and chronic (more long-lasting and often less severe) ones.
A typical cross-section of ailments treated by homeopaths includes hay fever, colds and flu, infant problems such as teething and colic, skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis, respiratory conditions such as asthma and coughs, digestive problems, joint problems such as rheumatism and arthritis, anxiety and depression, fevers, headaches, and chronic fatigue.
What’s the evidence that it Works?
Several large-scale studies, where data is pooled from different research trials, have concluded that homeopathy isn’t effective. These include studies at the Peninsular Medical School in Exeter by Professor Ezard Ernst and his colleagues, such as one that looked at studies of osteoarthritis being treated by homeopathy, and concluded that overall it was ineffective.

Some individual trials have shown positive results for homeopathy. These include three trials at the Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital by Dr David Reilly, which suggested that homeopathy could ease hay fever, and a study by Professor George Lewith and his colleagues at Southampton University, which showed that homeopathy could reduce allergic reactions to the house dust mite in asthma sufferers. Other trials have suggested homeopathy may help treat glue ear, infant diarrhoea, vertigo, premenstrual syndrome, asthma, and chronic fatigue – to name but a few conditions – as well as boost immune function in people that are HIV-positive. Some animal studies have also been encouraging.
Some large-scale trials have also yielded encouraging results. For example, a huge study at the Bristol Homeopathic Hospital reported that more than 70 per cent of 6,500 patients surveyed said that they noted improvements from their homeopathic treatment.
However, many studies have been criticised for design flaws and many have yielded negative or conflicting results so more good research is needed.
My son Michael was a very healthy baby, born at home. I had a fantastic pregnancy and an easy labour using only the homeopathic remedy Arnicato Ease discomfort during the labour and no other drugs or remedies of any kind. I recovered quickly and baby Michael thrived until one day, aged about 7 months, he suddenly developed a bright red patch on the side of his cheek and became irritable and upset. He already had a few teeth and teething had been uneventful, so I wasn’t too worried and thought this was probably just a slightly more difficult one. However, as the day wore on he became increasingly clingy and listless, wanting to be carried all the time, and I began to get concerned. I called a homeopathic colleague, who
Kindly came round to see him. She prescribed the childhood combination remedy ABC (Aconite, Belladonna, and Chamomilla) for Michael and the transformation was remarkable. Having been clingy and discomforted for nearly 10 hours, within 30 minutes of taking the remedy he was smiling happily and crawling about vigorously as usual with no sign of discomfort or of the redness on his cheek. He slept well that night and the next morning a beautiful new tooth started to peek through his gums but he didn’t even seem to notice it. I used this combination remedy often thereafter when he had difficulty teething and found it to be a really useful childhood ABC!
For more on homeopathy research, look at the research pages on the Society of Homeopath’s site (Www. homeopathy-soh. org), the British Homeopathic Association (Www. trusthomeopathy. org/case/res_toc. html) or the NHS Complementary and Alternative Medicine Specialist Library (www. Library. nhs. uk/cam).
When not to use homeopathy
Homeopathy is held to be entirely safe and non-toxic because of the level of dilution of the remedies; therefore it is not considered to have any contraindications and can be used by anyone. However, using inappropriate remedies may trigger mild symptoms as the remedy ‘proves’ itself, that is, it may bring on symptoms in an otherwise healthy person. Stopping the remedy should bring quick relief.
What to Expect in a Typical Consultation
Your first consultation with a homeopath is likely to be quite lengthy. The homeopath usually starts by asking you questions about your health and your life.
Questioning

The questions asked by homeopaths are sometimes surprising, as they seem so wide-ranging. They’re likely to cover not only your symptoms but also your general mood, diet, lifestyle, preferences, fears, and so on. The homeopath will also be interested in how you react to different types of weather or other environmental changes, how you feel at different times of the day, and more.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is based not only on your current symptoms but also your physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual state. Your answers to questions will be used to build up a picture of your constitutional type, and of the best remedy and potency for you.
Written repertories will be consulted to check the appropriate remedy and may lead to further questioning to whittle down different alternatives. Increasingly, homeopaths are also using computer programs that enable them to rapidly check through the more than 2,000 remedies now available. The homeopath may also examine you or take account of other signs by doing the following:
I Listening to the tone of your voice
I Examining your skin tone and complexion
I Checking for any specific odours

Observing your facial expressions and posture
The homeopath also aims to identify or rule out any serious underlying disease that may require medical referral.
Treatment
The homeopath should explain your proposed treatment plan and give you precise instructions on how to take the remedy. Follow these instructions carefully. Sometimes the remedy is labelled, but some homeopaths prefer to give the remedy ‘blind’ and only tell you what it was after you’ve taken it.

The chosen remedy, or combination of remedies, is usually made up on the spot and then given to you, or else sent on to you shortly afterwards.
Remedies are often given as pills or tablets made from a lactose base. If you are intolerant to lactose (found in dairy products), inform your homeopath, who can then give you non-lactose remedies (usually made from fruit sugar) as an alternative. Sometimes powders, creams, or liquids may be given.
Taking homeopathic remedies
Never handle homeopathic remedies. Tip them direct from the cap of the dispenser into your mouth or transfer them via a spoon. Once in the mouth, allow the remedy to dissolve gradually.
Homeopathic remedies are considered so subtle and sensitive, you’re generally advised to take them 20 minutes before, or at least an hour or so after, food, rather than with food. Also avoid taking them anywhere near consumption of coffee, tea, peppermint (including in toothpaste and mouthwashes – most homeopaths recommend that you use herbal, non-mint toothpaste while taking homeopathic remedies), or cigarettes. Other strong smells or substances are also thought to interfere with the remedies, including menthol, camphor, eucalyptus (these are often found in cold remedies), and aromatherapy oils. Don’t use these substances at the same time as homeopathy and don’t store them near homeopathic tablets.
Store homeopathic tablets in a cool, dark place away from any other substances with strong odours.
If you’re flying, try to avoid putting your remedy through the x-ray scanners. Many airports will allow homeopathy to be hand-checked but you Must Also carry a prescription from your homeopath or a receipt from your homeopathic supplier as verification. With current tighter restrictions on hand luggage, homeopathic medicines may not always be permitted – check with your airline before flying. You may have to check them in your main baggage.
Remember to always tell your homeopath if you’re taking any other medicines, supplements, or remedies, and about any recent dental treatment, in case these may interfere with the chosen remedy.
Your homeopath may also give you some general lifestyle and dietary advice.
Knowing what to expect once you start treatment
After taking your remedy, you may start to notice some changes. Sometimes people feel almost immediate improvement and just continue to feel better as treatment goes on. Other times, symptoms may appear to get slightly worse before they get better. This is regarded by homeopaths as a Healing crisis, Which normally passes quickly.
If you have any severe increase in symptoms or any other outcome that you’re worried about, consult your homeopath as soon as possible. If symptoms are just mild, you may want to make a note of them to discuss with your homeopath at your next appointment.
Knowing how long to continue taking the remedy
Your homeopath will give you precise instructions for taking your remedy and you need to follow these carefully. In general, remedies are only taken for a short time and dosage is decreased or stopped as symptoms improve.
Duration and frequency
Your first consultation with a homeopath usually lasts between one and two hours. Subsequent visits are shorter, usually 30 minutes or so. You’ll probably be asked to have one or two of these shorter follow-up visits to check that the remedy is working and to make any necessary adjustments to the remedy being taken.
Knowing Whether Your Homeopathy Treatment Is Working
You may experience immediate benefits from a homeopathic remedy or you may experience a mild flare-up of symptoms and feel more tired than usual. These effects should pass in a day or so and improvements should be noticeable. Be patient and allow the remedy to work its course.
If you experience a significant deterioration in your symptoms, or a marked fever, contact your homeopath for advice.
Ask your homeopath what improvements you can realistically expect over what sort of timescale. For best results, carefully follow the directions for taking the remedy and the diet and lifestyle advice given by your homeopath.
If you have no improvement after a course of treatment, then it may be that the right remedy has not been selected for your ailment or that homeopathy may not be effective for your condition. Discuss this situation with your practitioner.
Here are some common questions that I’m often asked about homeopathy:
IU Are homeopathic remedies safe? Yes, because they’re so diluted, homeopathic remedies do not normally have any toxicity or side effects, so pregnant women and babies can take them. Reported side effects are extremely rare.
IU Can I treat myself with homeopathic remedies? Yes, many people keep homeopathic remedies in their first aid cupboard at home and use them for common minor ailments such as bruises, cuts, colds and flu. Many health centres and colleges also run courses on self-use homeopathy where you can learn more (see, for example, Www. revital. com).
If you have any serious complaint or medical concern, always seek the advice of a qualified health professional.
IU How often do I take the remedies? How often you take the remedies depends on your general health and the type of health problem that you’re trying to rectify. For acute conditions, such as a new bruise being treated with the remedy Arnica, the remedy may be taken every 15 minutes, every 30 minutes, every hour, or every two hours, according to the severity of the symptoms or the recommendation from your practitioner. For chronic conditions, the remedy is usually taken three to six times a day. Once the remedy starts to work you normally tail off its use and it is only re-used if symptoms recur. You usually take nosodes only once (refer to the earlier section ‘Developing nosodes’).
Most homeopaths strongly caution against self-prescribing of nosodes because they consider them to have very potent effects on the body.
IU Does it matter if I drink coffee while taking homeopathic remedies?
The potency of homeopathic remedies may be affected by strong tastes and odours. Try to cut out, or reduce intake of items such as coffee, tea, and mint while on homeopathic remedies and at least to take them one hour before or after the remedy. Good alternatives are herbal teas, dandelion coffee, juices, smoothies, and good old-fashioned water!
IU Do the remedies taste bad? No, most have a mildly sweet taste.
I Can I take other medication at the same time? Yes, homeopathic remedies can be taken at the same time as most medicines but do inform your homeopath of what you are currently taking.
Finding a Good Homeopath
Most qualified homeopaths in the UK are members of one of the following:

IU Society of Homeopaths (Tel: 0845 450 6611; Www. homeopathy-soh. org): This is the largest organisation registering professional homeopaths in the UK. All its members have undergone a three-year full-time, or four-year part-time, training approved by the Society. Not all members are also medically qualified. The Society regulates standards of training and practice and has a complaints procedure for the public. It also operates a directory of registered practitioners. Members have the letters RSHom or FSHom after their names.
British Homeopathic Association and the Faculty of Homeopathy (Tel:
0870 444 3950; Www. trusthomeopathy. org/trust/tru_sea. html): This organisation has more than 1,300 members worldwide. All are medically qualified or from disciplines allied to medicine (such as nurses, midwives, dentists, pharmacists, podiatrists, and vets). Full members have the letters FFHom (Fellow of the Faculty of Homeopathy) or MFHom (Member of the Faculty) after their names. Those with a basic level of training are designated as LFHom (Med). The Association operates a Code of Ethics and complaints procedure and a member directory.
In the UK you can see a homeopath on the NHS. Five homeopathic hospitals – in Bristol, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, and Tunbridge Wells – were incorporated into the NHS when it was set up. Your GP can refer you to one of these hospitals. Many health insurance companies also cover homeopathic treatment.
In the US, laws about the practice of homeopathy vary from state to state. Take a look at the National Center for Homeopathy (Tel: 00 1703 548 7790; Www. homeopathic. org).
You can find homeopathic associations in other countries (for example, India, Australia, and New Zealand) at Www. homeopathyhome. com
Other ways of finding a homeopath are to:
Ask friends, family, and colleagues for personal recommendations.
Consider visiting the teaching clinics at homeopathy colleges. All students practise under close supervision from experienced practitioners and fees are low compared to private practice.
To find a homeopathic vet, contact the British Association of Homeopathic Veterinary Surgeons (BAHVS) (Tel: 01367 718115; Www. bahvs. com) for a list of vets trained in homeopathy. A few have gained the Faculty of Homeopathy’s veterinary qualifications VetMFHom or VetFFHom.
Questions to ask your homeopath
You may want to ask your homeopath about the following:
Qualifications: Most practitioners are happy to give details of their training and qualifications.
Insurance: Members of professional associations must have appropriate indemnity insurance.

Experience: Ask your practitioner about their experience in treating your particular ailment and their usual degree of success.
Treatment: Ask about the likely frequency of consultations that you may need and the costs involved.
Counting the cost of homeopathy
Initial homeopathy consultations usually cost around Ј40 to Ј100, while follow-up sessions are in the region of Ј20 to Ј45. NHS homeopathic hospital treatment, by referral from your GP, is free.
Some homeopaths offer concessions for infants, retired persons, or those on benefits. Ask your homeopath for details.
Gaining satisfaction
If you’re dissatisfied with your treatment, first talk things over with your practitioner. If you think that the practitioner has been negligent or unethical in any way, then contact their professional body and go through the formal complaints procedure.







