Homeopathy is a complete system of medicine that has been around for 200 years. Established in Germany, it has spread and become popular around the world. It can be described as a complementary, holistic therapy, approaching each case as unique and individual.

In treating illness, homeopathy aims to stimulate the body’s own healing mechanism and boost the immune system. It aims to treat the cause of disease as well as symptoms.

Homeopathy is based on two important principles, that “like cures like” and “the law of minimum dose”.

The first principle means that a substance that causes symptoms in a well person, can also be used to cure similar symptoms when they result from illness. For example, the onion (Allium Cepa) is often prescribed to hayfever where the eyes burn and there is a nasal watery discharge, the exact symptoms may occur when peeling onions. The second principle, the minimum dose, means the Homeopathy employs very diluted medically active substances to treat disease. This makes it gentle in its action. The medicines do not interfere with conventional drug treatments.

Homeopathy can be used by people of all ages and is safe for pregnant women and babies. Both acute illnesses, like the common cold, diarrhoea and childhood diseases, as well as chronic illness like asthma, hayfever, arthritis and eczema respond well to homeopathic treatment. Acute illnesses respond rapidly to treatment whilst chronic conditions may take longer to heal.

Homeopathy can treat conditions such as:

• Acute and chronic viral conditions
  Such as colds, influenza, hepatitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, measles and chicken pox.

• Gynaelogical complaints
  Such as fibroids, endometriosis, menorrhagia (heavy periods), dysmenorrhea (painful period), menopause, infertility, PMT, pregnancy, pre and post natal complaints.

• ENT and respiratory problems
  Such as sinusitis, tonsillitis, ear infections, coughs, asthma

• Urinary tract or kidney infections
  Such as cystitis

• Psychological complaints
  Such as anxiety, depression, fears, stress, substance addiction, insomnia

• Skin problems
  Such as acne, eczema, urticarial, boils, warts

• Children and Babies
  Such as treating glue ear, childhood diseases, molluscum, bed wetting, ill effects of vaccination, behavioural difficulties.