Frequently Asked Questions

  • Will I have to change my diet?

    fruitPeople really worry about this one!  But please don’t.  My role as your homeopath is simply to select and prescribe the best possible homeopathic remedy for you, the individual.

    That said, it’s widely recognised that poor diet can be a contributory factor in ill health and many patients have asked me for advice in this area over the years.

    Sparked by these concerns, and a personal love of gorgeous food,  I’ve attended various courses so can help with nutritional guidance if required.  But please understand I’m not a fully qualified nutritionist.

    (And for those who don’t want me to interfere I promise I won’t!)

    Close
  • Is homeopathy safe?

    Absolutely!  Homeopathic remedies are non-addictive, free from toxic side effects and safe for all ages including babies.

    The extended and in-depth consultations of homeopaths reveal many useful signs and symptoms.  Although not qualified to diagnose, homeopaths are trained to recognise serious pathology and refer patients back to their doctor.

    You may wonder if by choosing homeopathy you risk your health by delaying conventional treatment. In practice most people seek allopathic help first, and it’s possible to use the two methods side by side.  I support integrated health care and don’t claim homeopathy to be a substitute for conventional advice.

    Professional homeopathic care is undertaken responsibly and ethically.  Although not compulsory, I choose to be on an accredited register, to show my commitment to protecting you from risk – as part of a professional community dedicated to and bound by high ethical standards and policies. Accredited registers help people get better care by ensuring that the health practitioners on them are competent and trustworthy.

    I display the quality mark so you can be sure my commitment to public safety has been verified by the Professional Standards Authority.  In homeopathy, our accredited register with the PSA means we work alongside employers, commissioners, local authorities, patient and consumer protection agencies as part of a quality assurance network.

    You can get in touch with confidence.

    psa-75

    Close
  • Can I use homeopathy alongside medication from my doctor?

    Certainly.  Drugs prescribed by your doctor or hospital don’t normally prevent remedies from working.  There are a few situations when the two may be in direct conflict though, e.g. it’s unrealistic to expect your hormonal system to be brought into natural balance while taking the ‘Pill’.

    Just ask me about your situation.  (I’m the kind of homeopath who’ll support you through any conventional tests/advice/diagnosis etc.)

    If you choose to alter your conventional medication while under my care, that responsibility lies with you and your GP or specialist, and is beyond my professional remit, competence and ethics.

    Close
  • Can I drink coffee? Eat mints?

    Many people who’ve heard of homeopathy have also heard that coffee and other strong flavours such as mint can act as an antidote.

    It’s generally accepted that you should avoid drinking coffee or cleaning your teeth for 15 mins before and after taking your remedy, but otherwise do sip or scrub as normal.

    Close
  • Do homeopaths diagnose?

    No, no & NO!!  I encourage you to contact your GP for any diagnosis.

    You probably feel reassured once you know the name of your particular illness. But it’s your GP who’s qualified to offer you this information, not your homeopath.  We’re trained to recognise serious pathology, (and therefore refer a patient to their GP), but not to give a formal diagnosis.  So we don’t; it would contravene our Code of Ethics and Practice.  In any case, the specific nature of your symptoms is of more value to us than your disease label.

    By way of example, a common symptom of tonsillitis is a sore throat.  Your sore throat may have burning pain, be worse on the right side, and most troublesome in the evening, while your mate may experience left-sided throat pain which is dry and tickling, and at its worst in the mornings.  A third person may have the burning pain but on the left rather than the right.  There are pretty much as many variations as there are people.

    So it’s the individuality of your symptoms which are the focus for me, and which points me towards the best possible remedy to stimulate your healing.  I do, however, understand and respect the reassurance you may gain from knowing what you ‘have’, so urge you to seek a conventional diagnosis/tests/advice from a GP.

    Close
  • What’s a “classical” homeopath?

    There are essentially two schools of homeopathy, the older classical school, and the younger practical one, both with their advocates.

    The philosophy underpinning the classical way is that only one remedy is prescribed at a time.  That’s so I can monitor and understand its specific effects, and keep a clear view of the case in sight.  That clarity and logic appeals to me, giving consistently good results.   So I chose to train in classical homeopathy, and that’s the way I work.

    Close
  • Can’t I just go to my local chemist for the right remedy?

    daisyWe’re lucky to have some homeopathic remedies available in the high street, and this ready access can be invaluable at times. It’s quick and easy to buy e.g. the ever popular Arnica, Apis or Calendula cream.  Local stockists are also useful when you know the remedy you need and want it quickly.

    Given the thousands of remedies available though, the two dozen or so held in pharmacies are very limited stock.   So they have a limited use.  The likelihood of the chemist stocking your closest matching remedy is remote.

    And unless pharmacists are trained in homeopathy they can’t (however much they want to) be a viable sub for an in-depth consultation with a pro homeopath with several years’ training and experience.

    Of course you want to save money, I understand that.  But so often without knowledge, the remedy won’t work, so you lose out and “I tried homeopathy and it didn’t work for me” becomes the cry.  You could be put off for life, and that’s a real pity.

    Close
  • I tried homeopathy at home and it didn’t work – why?

    As homeopathy’s efficacy comes from the principle that ‘like cures like’, remedies can only act homeopathically if correctly selected so that like matches like.  The wrong homeopathic remedy won’t act homeopathically, just as the wrong key won’t unlock a door.  Selecting the right remedy is a skill usually acquired through years of training and experience.

    Being holistic in its approach, homeopathy relies on careful observation and interpretation of the many aspects of you.  Just as you can’t see your own face without a mirror, there are facets of your personality and behaviour which only others pick up on.  Homeopaths are trained to see the wealth of information which comes from reading between the lines.

    In simple first aid situations, self-prescribing works very well, and I encourage it.  (Examples are the use of Arnica for bruising or Apis for a wasp sting.)  But sometimes there just isn’t a substitute for the training and experience of a professional, and the comprehensive nature of a full consultation.

    To read more about my 90-93% success rate please see Results & Testimonials.

    Close
  • Are there any side effects?

    One of the biggest differences between conventional treatment and homeopathy is that prescription drugs are plagued by significant ‘chemical toxicity problems’, or ‘adverse drug reactions’.   (Side effects to you and me).

    The dilutions used in homeopathic remedies eliminate any toxicity issues*.  Many are innocuous before dilution anyway.  In stark contrast, a report in the British Medical Journal shows the number of adverse drug reactions from conventional medicines reported voluntarily by medics in the UK in 2005 alone was 21,234.

    5% were fatal.

    That same report includes results from a 6 month study of hospital admissions by Liverpool University researchers.  The study led the authors to extrapolate that true figures nationwide could be as high as 250,000 a year.  Annual estimated costs to the NHS from such reactions is £466 million*.

    Homeopathic medicines avoid any such side effects.

    For a small minority there may be an initial ‘healing response’ after taking a remedy, as your body adjusts to the change in its energy field. If you do notice it and find it uncomfortable, it’s usually minor or short-lived.   It’s also perfectly ‘normal’ for some patients.  Most of us, though, don’t notice any such response, simply feeling the benefits instead.

    Close
  • Isn’t homeopathy just placebo?

    homeopathy pillsIt’s clear that the placebo effect exists, and can enhance therapeutic situations, whether orthodox or alternative. We know homeopathy is more than placebo though.

    That’s because homeopathy’s action can be seen and measured on animals, babies, and people under anaesthetic (or otherwise unconscious).

    In all these scenarios there’s no prior belief that what’s given will work.

    But it still has an impact.

    To test the hypothesis that any benefits from homeopathy are due to the placebo effect, Dr David Reilly and his team at Glasgow University conducted four double blind placebo controlled trials.  They were spread over a period of 18 years and involved 252 patients.  All four trials were consistent in showing positive, reproducible results – results showing that homeopathy has an effect greater than placebo*.

    Close