Frequently asked questions about homeopathy

1. What kinds of problems can homeopathy help?

2. How can homeopathy improve my symptoms and help me feel better?

3. Do I have to stop taking my other medicines to benefit from homeopathy?

4. What are homeopathic medicines?

5. How do you find the correct homeopathic medicine for me?

6. Is it the placebo effect?

7. What about the homeopathic remedies I've seen at the health food store?

8. What is the patient's role?

9. Why do I need a follow-up visit?

10. What results should I expect from homeopathic treatment?

 

1. What kinds of problems can homeopathy help?

There are three levels on which homeopathic treatment can be effectively used.

First Aid

Homeopathy can be used in first aid to safely treat common minor injuries, such as sprains and bruises, minor burns, skin irritations and reactions. Some other common first aid situations that respond well to homeopathy include poison ivy, diaper rash and insect bites, teething pain etc.

Acute Homeopathy

Acute illnesses are those that would eventually clear up on their own but are generally unpleasant in the meantime. They are temporary illnesses such as colds, flu, coughs, and so on. Homeopathic remedies can speed healing and help to avoid complications. They are also safe, gentle and has no harmful side effects.

Homeopathy can also be a good alternative in sensitive conditions such as pregnancy or pre- and post-operative situations. Here it provides exceptionally gentle support for health and healing that does not pose the risks or side effects common to many over-the-counter and prescription drugs.

Constitutional Homeopathy

Constitutional homeopathy refers to the treatment of a person as a whole, considering both past and present health challenges. When applied correctly, constitutional homeopathic care can elicit a profound healing response in chronic and long-term health problems of all kinds. This is a specialty area of the professional homeopath since it requires the greatest knowledge and training.

 

2.  How can homeopathy improve my symptoms and help me feel better?

Symptoms are messages from the body. Without symptoms, a person could have a potentially life threatening illness with no way of identifying it. The down side is that symptoms tend to be uncomfortable.

Many conventional drugs try to suppress symptoms, sometimes leading to even more serious symptoms as a result. Conventional  physicians do not always recognize the new series of symptoms as being related to the old ones. They treat them as new and unrelated problems.

Did you know that a fever is the body’s attempt to activate the immune system’s defenses against infection? If a person is given a symptom-suppressing medication — fighting the fever — too soon, they will be less able to fight the actual infection.

In homeopathy, we see every symptom as related to the others that you experience. We look at the big picture. Many people intuitively see this as a most logical and reasonable approach.

Homeopaths do not seek to remove or suppress symptoms. The homeopath's goal is to recognize and remove the underlying cause of these symptoms. This is why a homeopath will work toward understanding the whole person before prescribing a remedy.

Then the homeopath matches the “big picture”— including your current emotional, physical, and even spiritual health — with a homeopathic remedy that corresponds with this pattern. In this way a remedy is selected to stimulate your healing at the deepest level, which in turn leads to reduced intensity and frequency of symptoms.

 

3. Do I have to stop taking my other medicines to benefit from homeopathy?

It is possible to take conventional drugs and homeopathic remedies together, using the homeopathic remedies as a complementary treatment to an existing regimen. However, homeopathic treatment often works so effectively that the person does not need to take conventional drugs.

Individuals with a history of long-term use of prescription medicines can sometimes require more time to respond to homeopathic treatment. Over time many people have found that their need for conventional medications is reduced or eliminated after they have been under homeopathic care.

In all cases, individuals are strongly encouraged to work with their primary care physicians before reducing or stopping any prescription medications. This is a decision with which your entire health care team should help you.

In some rare situations the individual must decide if he or she wishes to use conventional or homeopathic medicines. There are medicines that are so strong that they neutralize any action by homeopathic remedies.

 

4. What are homeopathic medicines?

Homeopathic remedies are extremely small doses of substances occurring in nature. Sometimes they have been diluted past the point of molecular identity, leaving water and sucrose as the only material ingredients. Some people describe these kinds of remedies as “energy medicine.”

Their manufacturing process makes all homeopathic medicines exceptionally safe and free of side-effects when used appropriately. But how do they work?

Homeopathic remedies work by stimulating the body's own healing mechanisms and not by by directly changing the body's chemistry. This is the case even when lab results show that clear physical changes have occurred in the body after homeopathic treatment.

The documented results from thousands of experienced homeopaths and from millions of their patients clearly show that these small, individualized doses produce profound health benefits.

Since each individual is different, the process of healing for each person will also be slightly different. Some people will feel better very quickly while others will require a longer period of time or more frequent doses of the appropriate remedy.

These remedies are specially prepared solutions which undergo a specific and standardized process. This process is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the The Homœopathic Pharmacopœia of the United States.

More information on research done on the mechanism and efficacy of homeopathic medicines is available on the Research section of this web site.

 

5. How do you find the correct homeopathic remedy for me?

Finding the appropriate homeopathic remedy depends on the homeopath gaining an understanding of you as a whole person. During your initial appointment you will have the opportunity tell the homeopath about all your symptoms, whether the discomfort is physical, mental, or emotional.

Asking questions to help you to share your experience in depth, the homeopath looks for the pattern that runs throughout your symptoms. Then the homeopath matches that pattern with the homeopathic remedy that corresponds to it. This is the remedy that will best stimulate your ability to heal.

Homeopathic remedies are only given when the whole of physical and psychological symptoms has been identified and understood. Thus, homeopathy is truly a holistic approach to healthcare.

 

6. Is it the placebo effect?

Homeopathy works equally well for people who are fans of homeopathy as it does for skeptics and newcomers. There is no requirement to “believe in” homeopathy in order to benefit from it. Here are some powerful examples:

Infants: Homeopathic remedies and treatments are successfully used by parents for common infant ailments such as colic, teething pain and some infections.

Animals: There are many veterinarians using homeopathic medicines to treat domestic pets such as cats, dogs and birds, as well as barnyard animals like goats, horses and cows. Is it possible to have a placebo effect with animals?

Millions of people across the world use and rely on homeopathic remedies. Today there are a rapidly growing number of conventional medical doctors using homeopathic medicines, including:

Moreover, in many European countries there is a growing trend of medical doctors referring patients to homeopathic physicians.

 

7. What about the homeopathic remedies I've seen at the health food store?

Many of the homeopathic medicines found in health food stores are called "combination medicines" or "formulas," since they have a number of different homeopathic medicines mixed together in them.
Manufacturers choose the medicines that are most frequently used for symptoms common to “The Flu” or “Allergies” or “Teething” and assume that one of them will help the symptoms from which the buyer suffers. These combination medicines are popular in the U.S. and in Europe because they are  easy to use and because they usually work-- for at least a little while.

This makes them very appealing to people with limited knowledge or training in homeopathy. Also, since these homeopathic medicines are much safer than conventional drugs, many consumers prefer them to other options. This can be especially true for holistically-minded parents.

While these products can certainly be helpful, professionally trained homeopaths find that a homeopathic remedy specifically chosen for an individual works more reliably and more deeply. Remedies chosen based on an understanding of the specifics of your physical, mental and emotional situation also work to improve your health for the long term in the way that combination remedies are unlikely to do.

 

8. What is the patient's role?

The homeopath's job is to work with you to gain a full understanding of your situation and to identify the pattern that connects all of your symptoms in all the areas of your life. Your part in this process is to be as open and honest about yourself as possible. Generally people find homeopathic appointments to be positive and interesting experiences.
Once you have begun homeopathic treatment it is also important to keep a watchful eye on the changes taking place in your health. Since the shift can be quite gradual, you might want to keep a journal or notes on any noticeable changes in your symptoms and sense of wellbeing.

You should also keep in touch with your homeopath if you have other health-related events in your life arise. For example you may be seeing your homeopath for migraines, but the symptoms you experience when you get a cold might provide helpful information in your treatment. Your homeopath can also help with many problems that may come up.


9. Why do I need a follow-up visit?

Follow-up appointments help you get the best results possible from your homeopathic care. These appointments are used to determine what methods or remedies are required to help you achieve your highest  health potential. For example, in some cases more than one remedy may be used sequentially so that balance and full health can be restored.

Follow-up appointments are also a time for the homeopath and client to work together to clearly understand indications that another dose of a homeopathic remedy is appropriate, to determine how often  future follow-up appointments are needed, and finally, to determine when the client is ready to be discharged from regular homeopathic care.

Generally, the homeopath will schedule follow-up visits approximately three to four weeks after you take your first dose of the indicated homeopathic medicine and as-needed after that.

 

10. What results should I expect from homeopathic treatment?

What you will experience when you receive the correct remedy can include the disappearance of specific symptoms, more energy, stronger immune system functions, and a sense of increased well-being. Homeopathic treatments have rapid and far-reaching effects. Even if the changes require time to develop, they usually are long-lasting.
In simple cases, clients should expect to feel significantly better after the first treatment. In acute cases, clients should start to feel better within hours. Results for chronic conditions should be noticeable within three months, but individual results are by definition individual. Some clients will require more time if the condition is a very complicated or has been a problem for many years.

 

**Thanks to the National Center for Homeopathy and Whole Health Now