What is Homeopathy about?

It�s all about the individual!

Your symptoms are the most obvious sign that something is off balance in your system. It�s like the tip of an iceberg with the bigger picture, the root of the ailment, lying underneath this apparent expression.

In homeopathy we look at this bigger picture, the whole you and what makes you the unique person you are:
How you experience your symptoms and how they affect you physically and emotionally, what makes your complaints better or worse, your own and your family�s health history, for infants and children the history of the mother during pregnancy, your childhood, your fears, your food desires and aversions and a variety of other aspects are all taken in consideration in order to obtain a comprehensive picture of who you are.

Based on this individual presentation a specific remedy will be chosen.

Can children get treated with Homeopathic medicines?

Absolutely! Children and infants, even newborns, can benefit greatly from homeopathy. Conventional treatments often pose a risk of side effects and may require increasingly frequent or higher-dosed medication to keep the problem in check.

Homeopathy, using absolutely safe, non-toxic and non-addictive remedies, is a gentle and effective way to address many childhood ailments and to gradually strengthen your child�s constitution to make him or her less susceptible to illnesses. Since homeopathy doesn�t interfere with conventional treatments, consider homeopathy as a means to boost your child�s innate vitality when her or his condition requires a conventional drug regimen.

The case-taking process is similar to an adult consultation: The goal is to develop a comprehensive picture of the individual. With children, especially preverbal ones, much of the information is collected through observing the child and talking with the parent/caregiver.

Does homeopathy interfere with other treatments?

No. Homeopathy is compatible with and never interferes with most conventional, complementary or alternative medical treatments, so one may, depending upon circumstances, choose to utilize the benefits of more than one discipline.

Will I have to stop taking my regular medication before starting with homeopathy?

No. Absolutely not. A qualified homeopath would never ask you to discontinue your meds before undergoing homeopathic treatment.

With good homeopathic care and time you might find you need to take less conventional medication or can even do without them. However, do not change your regular meds and their dosage before speaking with your regular medical care provider, such as your GP or Nurse Practitioner.

Homeopathic remedies do not in any way interfere with or compromise the effectiveness of pharmaceuticals. However, �suppressive� drugs, i.e. medications that relieve superficial symptoms but mask the underlying cause, such as cortisone creams, can make it challenging to assess the positive effects of the homeopathic remedy which is why you might be asked to use them only when absolutely necessary.

What conditions can homeopathy help with?

Everybody can benefit from homeopathy: It increases your vitality to help your system restore equilibrium and develop a greater resilience to disease. It is gentle and safe for adults, children, infants, pregnant or nursing women.

Quite often people come to first recognize the effectiveness of homeopathy when being treated for an acute injury or illness, be it a sports injury, a bad bruise, a nasty bee sting, the flu, a sudden earache or a bout of stomach flu. In these instances homeopathy can bring rapid relief, speed up healing and shorten recovery times.

Deeper-seated and/or chronic conditions, such as recurring chest/respiratory complaints, painful menstruation or anxiety can be effectively addressed with homeopathy. Here are some examples of the symptoms or conditions that can improve or resolve in the course of homeopathic treatment:

What is the difference between homeopathy and naturopathy?

Naturopathy! Many people are confused about this. So let�s first look at what homeopathy and naturopathy have in common:

Both refer to an alternative, holistic way of dealing with disease. Both look at a person in totality, not as a collection of different parts but rather as a dynamically connected whole.

Here�s what makes them quite different from each other:

Naturopathy uses a variety of methods to diagnose and treat disease. Naturopathy is an umbrella term for many natural therapies, which include, among many others, herbal medicine, supplements, lifestyle counselling and modification, nutrition and dietary alterations, massage, iridology, acupuncture and can include some homeopathy. The philosophy of naturopathy is based on providing a framework which supports recovery from illness.

Homeopathy is a very specialized holistic method of promoting and maintaining health where diluted substances stimulate the natural healing process. The unique characteristic of homeopathy is the specific selection of a remedy to match (correspond with) the patient�s symptoms based on the principle known as the Law of Similars which states that a substance which can produce certain symptoms in a healthy individual can cure a sick individual who is suffering from a similar set of symptoms.

Homeopaths may sometimes offer diet and life-style counselling as naturopaths do, but it is the individually selected homeopathic remedy which is used to specifically address a client�s complaint and initiate the his/her own healing process.

Homeopathic remedies are, unlike some herbs, always non-toxic and safe, even for pregnant or nursing women.

What does the word �homeopathy� mean?

Homeopathy, literally translated, means �treating likes with likes�, from the Greek �homoios� meaning �similar� and �pathos� meaning suffering. Homeopathy is the study of sufferings seen in individuals and applying medicines which correspond to these states.

In other words, homeopathy is based on the �Law of Similars� which means a substance that can cause certain symptoms in the healthy individual can cure these symptoms in an unhealthy person.

Does my extended medical insurance cover the cost of homeopathic treatment?

You will have to check with your health insurance provider. Some insurances cover homeopathic treatment under their complementary or paramedical services. If your extended benefits provider doesn�t provide coverage for homeopathic treatment, contact them and see whether they can adjust your plan to include it.