Home   Email Us   About us   Location

Classes   Therapies   Courses   Hire a Room

Bookings: 0207 881 0728 (conditions)

Yoga - Pilates - Qigong - Osteopathy - Chiropractic - Physiotherapy - Acupuncture - Cranial - Massage - Reflexology - Hypnotherapy - Homeopathy - Grinberg - Life Coach

Homeopathy at the Light Centre, Belgravia

Back to Therapy Table

Homeopaths:

Sue Breetzke
Liz Watson
 

Overview

Homoeopathy is a system that aims to stimulate the body to heal itself and offers effective relief for a wide range of physical and emotional issues. 

Below, you will find a list of frequently asked questions and answers which we hope will give you some insight into this wonderful medical system.  Please feel free to call one of us if you would like to discuss treatment of a complaint or would like more information on what Homoeopathy can offer.

Appointments can be made by calling the bookings number listed on the home page.

Background

What is Homeopathy?
How does Homoeopathy work?
Is there any evidence that Homoeopathy works?
How does Homoeopathy differ from Conventional Medicine?
What sort of complaints can be treated with homoeopathy?
What can I expect during a homoeopathic consultation?
What does treatment cost?
What are the origins of Homoeopathy?
How has Homoeopathy continued to develop?

What is Homoeopathy?

Homoeopathy is a system that aims to stimulate the body to heal itself

All symptoms, no matter how uncomfortable they are, represent the body's attempt to restore itself to health and balance. So instead of trying to dry up the runny nose from a cold with antihistamines, a homeopath would use a remedy that will stimulate the body to move in the direction it is already going, and, in the process, clear the runny nose!

Back to Top

How does Homoeopathy work?

Homoeopathy looks at individuals and not at diseases

Each of us suffers a cold in his or her unique way. Yet conventional medicine makes the assumption that all colds are alike and offers a common series of drugs; something to dry the nose, something to bring down the fever, something to suppress the cough, something to ease the headache.

Homoeopathy, on the other hand, looks for substances that match and will bring into balance the individual case. The person with a beginning cold, characterized by slow onset, aching, loss of appetite, chills, and a desire to be left alone will need a different remedy (bryonia) than the person whose cold comes on a bit quicker and is characterized by intense sneezing, a runny nose that burns the upper lip, a desire for hot drinks, a bone chilling coldness and a desire not to be left alone (arsenicum). Both people have colds, but they are expressed differently, and, therefore, are in need of different homeopathic remedies.

Back to Top

Is there any evidence that Homoeopathy works?

Science may not yet have found a method to prove how it works, but Homoeopathy is a well established medical system with more than 200 years of well documented clinical evidence of its effectiveness.  This evidence is added to daily as cases are reviewed and discussed by homoeopaths through well established international forums. 

Back to Top

How does Homoeopathy differ from Conventional Medicine?

An important basic difference exists between conventional medical therapy and homoeopathy.

The homoeopath believes that the body’s inherent state is one of health and vitality and this is the state to which it will naturally return given the right stimulus;  whereas conventional medicine sees the body more ‘mechanically’ and believes that the body suffers fundamental breakdowns or flaws which must be controlled or fixed.

In conventional therapy, the aim often is to control the illness through regular use of medical substances. If the medication is withdrawn, however, the person returns to illness. There has been no cure. A person who takes a pill for high blood pressure every day is not undergoing a cure but is only controlling the symptoms.

Homoeopathy's aim is to cure: "The complete restoration of perfect health."

In conventional medical thought, health is seen simply as the absence of disease. You assume that you are healthy if there is nothing wrong with you…

To a person versed in homoeopathy, health is much more than that – a healthy person is a person who is free of ‘dis-ease’ on all levels: physical, emotional, and mental. Obviously, a person with a broken leg is not free to move around. But on a more subtle level, a person who cannot eat certain foods or is allergic to certain materials is also experiencing a lack of freedom. It is a good emotional release to cry, but someone who continues to cry for several weeks is experiencing a lack of freedom on the emotional level. Likewise, a person who cannot absorb what he has read or cannot remember day to day appointments is experiencing a restriction on the mental level.

The homeopath recognizes such limitations and aims through the use of the properly selected remedies, to restore the person to health and freedom.

Back to Top

What sort of complaints can be treated with homoeopathy?

Homoeopathy can be used to treat a wide range of physical and emotional issues such as:

-  Panic attacks (click here to read a case history)

-  Headaches, migraines   

-  Asthma, chest conditions

-  Hay fever, allergies    

-  Low energy, chronic fatigue

-  Depression, stress, anxiety

-  Skin complaints eczema, psoriasis, allergies, acne 

-  Arthritis, rheumatism

-  Colds coughs, sore throats                              

-  Ear infections

-  Insomnia

-  Fertility issues (click here to see a case history)

-  Menopausal symptoms (click here to read a case history)

-  Depression

-  Shock

-  Post-traumatic stress

-  Digestive complaints:   IBS (Click here to read a case history), Crohns, (click here to read a case history) diarrhoea, constipation, bloating

-  Preparation for and recovery from birth for both mother and baby

-  Preparation and recovery from surgery and dental work

-  Children’s behavioural problems

-  Bed wetting

-  Menstrual problems

-  Colic, teething

Back to Top

What can I expect during a homoeopathic consultation?

  • A homeopathic appointment is very different from a visit to the GP in that you will be asked in some detail about your symptoms, medical and family history and yourself. Some questions will relate to your life style, sleep patterns, energy, appetite, anxieties and stresses to help the homoeopath gain a good understanding of you as a person. 
  • First appointments can take up to two hours, after which the homoeopath may prescribe a remedy immediately or may take a couple of days to analyse your case further before prescribing.
  • Follow up appointments are usually 30 minutes and will be timed to monitor your response to the remedy prescribed. Frequency of follow up appointments will depend on the type of complaint and a treatment plan will be discussed during your first appointment.

Back to Top

What does treatment cost?

Costs for treatments can be found on the therapies page.

Back to Top

What are the origins of Homoeopathy?

Dr Samual Hahnemann (1755 - 1843) is considered to have been the first person to formulate the laws and philosophy of Homoeopathy.  Hahnemann discovered many of the core remedies used today, which were sufficient to ensure that this medical discipline was thoroughly established, eventually publishing his book; "The Organon," editions 1 to 6,  which is still considered a key text book for modern practitioners.

Originally trained as an orthodox doctor, Hahnemann became so disillusioned and appalled with the medical practices of the day, which included bloodletting, in huge, and sometimes fatal quantities, and the use of very poisonous drugs such as mercury, which caused untold damage.  Such dangerous and unscientific methods persuaded Hahnemann to give up orthodox medicine.  Instead he made a precarious living by writing, translating, and trying to find a more gentle and effective way of healing.

In 1791, he translated an English article on the use of Peruvian bark, from which quinine is extracted to cure Malaria.  Struck by the similarities in the symptoms of quinine poisoning in a healthy person and the symptoms of Malaria, he started experimenting, testing small doses of the bark on himself.  He noticed that he developed palpitations, became drowsy, and that his fingers and feet became quite cold.  He noted symptoms of anxiety, with chilliness and trembling, a marked thirst, and intense weakness.  There was a numb disagreeable sensation over the whole of his body.  These symptoms occurred suddenly and regularly, lasting for about 2-3 hours.  When he repeated the dose, they re-occurred.  When he stopped taking the drug, the symptoms vanished and he recovered.  Hahnemann had produced in himself the symptoms of Malaria.  

Thus, he started on the long road of rediscovery that like cures like, otherwise known as the 'Law of Similars.'  Hahnemann called this process of testing substances on healthy persons a 'proving.'  It demonstrated that every remedy has imprinted in it a symptom picture.  When the symptom picture that the remedy produces in a healthy person fits the characteristics of a patient, then a 'similimum' is achieved and a cure will result.  By the end of his life, Hahnemann and his colleagues had scientifically 'proved' over 100 remedies on themselves.  More than 3000 remedies have now been 'proved,' although a much smaller number are commonly used in practice.  These are collected into the Materia Medica; an extremely detailed compilation of the symptoms, from both the proving and confirmation in clinical practice, of each remedy. 

Back to Top

How has Homoeopathy continued to develop?

Homeopaths carry on with the process of developing homoeopathy as they continue to refine and develop the methods used both in the choice of remedy and the management of treatment.   New remedies are proved and monitored in clinical practice with results shared through international forums.

Homoeopaths registered to practice in the UK must meet requirements for continuing professional development every year, many homoeopaths use this as an opportunity to study further and specialize in the treatment of certain diseases, such as Cancer or HIV Aids, others attend conferences or seminars on new approaches to treatment or in-depth studies on remedies.

Back to Top

All copy By Sue Breetzke