Homeopathy

Homeopathic Medicine plays a vital role in integrative healthcare. It can be used on its own to treat both chronic and acute conditions or in conjunction with conventional therapies. It is a safe, gentle and efficient medicine that treats on a holistic level. Homeopathic Medicine is a safe and gentle approach that complies with the most important tenet in medical practice: first do no harm.

The homeopathic principle is best illustrated by the phrase 'let like substances be used to treat like diseases'. To do this the homeopath uses small dilutions of botanical, mineral and other substances to treat specific ailments. Homeopathic remedies work by activating the body's immune system, so they are equally useful for treating long term or acute illnesses.

People of all ages come to our clinic with a large range of needs from boosting their overall health with preventative measures, to the treatment of specific health problems. Homeopathy can work effectively in treating people with a wide variety of problems including:

• skin diseases
• colds and flu
• allergies
• digestive problems
• infectious diseases
• genetic or psychological disorders
• ear infections
• diabetes
• hypertension
• headaches
• sleeping problems
• infertility
• PMS
• Arthritis
• Anxiety
• Depression
• autism

Every individual is assessed as a whole person and each case is seen as unique.

Homeopaths believe that good health comes from a balance between the mind, body and spirit and that each person has the ability to heal themselves from within. Homeopathy is a system of natural medicine that uses very small doses of natural remedies from the plant, animal and mineral kingdoms to stimulate the body's self-healing abilities. It is a holistic practice which treats the symptoms of the body and mind as one. The symptoms of ill-health are expressions of disharmony within the whole person and therefore the whole person needs treatment, not just the isolated symptoms of a particular illness. By healing on this level, one will ensure cure on a mental, emotional and physical plane that is non-invasive, gentle, quick, safe and permanent.

Homeopathic medicine can be used preventatively, for chronic conditions as well as for acute conditions; it is a holistic form of integrative medicine where each patient is treated individually and their symptoms addressed on a one-to-one basis. It is important that the practitioner understands the client's constitution and character so that they can prescribe a medicine that is specific to them. In conventional (allopathic) medicine, people diagnosed with the same "condition" will generally be given the same medicine but in homeopathy, because the treatment protocol is as individual as the patient, the prescription depends on many factors (temperament, constitution, state of mind, lifestyle, thoughts, ideas and physical symptoms). The relationship between patient and practitioner makes the treatment protocol personal and helps the homeopath understand the underlying causes of one's particular dis-ease.

The key to a successful prescription includes:

1. Understanding a patient's symptoms
2. Recognizing the physical signs of an internal imbalance
3. Listening to the patient in a non-judgmental and confidential way
4. Being able to bring the patient to a place of freedom so that they can express themselves openly and confidently.
5. Administering only one medicine at a time for the totality of the symptoms

What to expect during a Homeopathic Consultation: An initial consultation takes approximately two hours. During that time, you will be asked to talk about yourself and all of your symptoms in as much detail as possible. You will also be asked to talk about events in your life that have had an impact on you so that the practitioners can understand how you deal with certain situations.

After the initial consultation is finished, the practitioners will work on your case and ask you to return to pick up your medicine. This will occur either the same day as your consultation or if the case is complex you will collect the medicine the following week. At this time, they will have an opportunity to ask you some final questions (if required) and will provide you with the treatment protocol. This session is much shorter than the initial intake and will last approximately 20 minutes. Follow up appointments take between 30-60 minutes and the frequency of the appointments is based on the person's condition.

With your first visit at the Endeavour College of Natural Health Homeopathic Teaching Clinic you will be asked to complete a questionnaire regarding your current state of health and health history. The consultation will be with two senior student clinicians and supervised by an experienced Homeopath. The detailed initial consultation should take under two hours to help identify your health needs and to ensure that the clinicians have all the information relevant to the individual case. From this point the student clinicians will research the case and look for a medicine that fits the totality of the symptoms expressed. Each case is treated with strict patient confidentiality and anonymity.