Homeopathy
Homeopathy is a system of medicine which is based on treating individuals with natural substances which stimulate the body to heal itself.
Homeopathy works on the basis of “like cures like.” In other words, that which harms us can also heal us, when administered in very small doses. Any substance which can cause illness or symptoms in a healthy person can also heal those same symptoms in a sick person. For example, coffee contains stimulants that can cause restlessness and insomnia; in homeopathy we may use the remedy made from coffee, coffea, to treat a person suffering these types of symptoms.
Remedies are made from a wide variety of natural substances such as plant extracts and minerals. They are prepared in special Homeopathic Pharmacies, where the substance undergoes a process known as 'potentisation'. The substance is dissolved in alcohol to prepare a tincture which is diluted to make a remedy which is then commonly taken in liquid or tablet form. The remedies themselves are said to stimulate the body to heal itself.
Homeopathy is an holistic treatment; it treats the person as a whole as opposed to the symptoms of their disease. There is no single remedy for treating a specific illness - there are many and the remedy prescribed by the homeopath is the one that matches a patient's specific symptoms. Headaches that are better for cold, for example, and worse for movement and bright lights.
Homeopathy has been used in the UK for over two hundred years. It was first discovered in the seventeenth century by Samuel Hahnemann. To find out more about homeopathy and its history, visit The Society of Homeopaths website: www.homeopathy-soh.org or telephone The Brackley Clinic on 01280 703389 and asked to speak to their homeopath, Lisa Allison.