December 19, 2018
Homœopathy treats the “whole person” which means that two people presenting with the same complaint may receive a different medicine based on their individual symptoms and emotional response to the illness. Homœopathy was developed by Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician, over 200 years ago and is based on the principle of “like curing like” although the principles go back further to Hippocrates & Paraselcus. “like curing like” What type of medicine will be given? Homœopathic medicines are made utilising predominately plant, animal & mineral substances in dilution to stimulate the body’s own natural healing response. They are prepared according to strict guidelines set out in international pharmacopoeias and under the control of the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Since the medicines are very dilute, homœopathic medicines are considered gentle in their action when prescribed by a registered homœopath. What conditions can homœopathy treat? As indicated previously, a wide range of both acute and chronic illnesses may benefit from homœopathic medicine. – Acute illnesses commonly prescribed for include: sports injuries, coughs, colds, diarrhoea, hay fever, travel sickness. Homœopathy may also be of help in deeper, more chronic diseases, including a wide range of illnesses: autoimmune diseases and on-going chronic complaints for which conventional medicine often has nothing further to offer. Today, extensive clinical experience, observation and research continue to support homœopathy’s effectiveness for a wide range of complaints for men, women, children, infants and the elderly. What does a visit to a homœopath involve? An in-depth investigation is all important when taking a homœopathic case. As well as asking about your symptoms, a homœopathic practitioner will be interested in you as an individual and the unique way in which your symptoms affect you. The first consultation with a homœopath may take an hour or more, however, simple acute complaints may only take 15-30 minutes. Information relating to current symptoms and past medical history will be required. Questions may also be asked about diet, sleep, lifestyle, and about some mental and emotional aspects. Physical examinations may be required according to the particular complaint. Treatment then involves the prescription of the most suitable medicine, matching all of the symptoms and individual characteristics of the patient to the medicine. Two people with the same condition may have very different prescriptions because of their own unique set of symptoms. Your practitioner might also advise general lifestyle and dietary changes as part of a treatment plan or recommend a visit to a General Practitioner or for tests to be carried out. Research According to the Faculty of Homeopathy, UK, between 1950 and 2014 over 104 Randomised Controlled Trials (RCT’s) were published in peer review journals which describe statistically significant results. Of these RCT’s comparing homœopathy with placebo or conventional medicine, 43 reported positive results for homœopathy.1 The largest ever National Health Service (UK) homœopathic study, carried out in Bristol, spanned 6 years of research with over 6500 individual patients: – chronic diseases such as eczema, migraine, arthritis, chronic fatigue and irritable bowel