Homeopathic Consultation And Common Q/A
A Homeopath takes a detailed history related to your health right from your childhood. Many times people share all the appropriate information needed for case taking. Quite a few times people just need remedy only for some particular complaints. then a specific remedy can also be chosen. When it comes to Classical Homeopathy it becomes more important to consider the person holistically and that is somatic, mental, social, spiritual, and developmental levels.
The homeopath regards disease as a disturbance of the Vital Force.
The aim of homeopathy is not only to treat any acute as well as chronic condition but to address its underlying cause and individual susceptibility. As far as therapeutic medication is concerned, several remedies are available to treat any condition that can be selected on the basis of cause, sensations and modalities of the complaints.
So, in homeopathy, each person is regarded as a sum of one’s symptoms and one’s innermost feelings regarding the disease. Since the aim is to understand each person as an individual, the homeopath looks for things that are most individualistic of people.
e.g. With chronic pain conditions homeopaths ask about the location of pain, the sensation/character of pain (or how one describes the pain), and most importantly the emotional aspect in general as well as how the person is expressing one’s emotions and feelings in relation with the pain. For example, while explaining their backache some will say, “I feel as if I am stabbed,” while others might say, “I feel I am not supported,” or “I feel heavy/ burdened general aches and soreness.”
During this confidential, in-depth ‘case-taking’ process your homeopath will want to know precise details of your current illness, but will also consider other aspects of your health including your past medical history, diet, lifestyle and personality.
The exact description of the physical ailments, past and present.
How it began? Was the onset sudden or gradual?
What is the exact sensation? For e.g., if there is pain, is it burning, shooting,throbbing, pulling etc.
What makes it better or worse : Is there any time of day that the complaint increases in intensity, or then abates ?
What upsetting incidents happened at the time that the problem manifested ?
What does your problem make you feel ?
General Symptoms:
What do you like in food and drink ?
How much is your thirst ?
How much do you sweat and where ?
How is your sleep ? What position do you sleep in ?
About your pattern of urination and bowel habits.
Your menstrual functions.
About which side of your body tends to be affected more.
What complaints you are prone to : allergies, obesity etc.
How is this condition or illness affecting you?
The feelings created by the ailment are an integral part of the whole and therefore important to arrive at the proper remedy that will bring a cure.
Incidences that have affected you deeply or that have had an impact on you. These are very important to the Homeopath, especially what the person felt and how he reacted in the incident. The homeopathic remedy becomes clearer from such instances.
Many times people feel relaxed or relieved during the process of case taking itself, and after taking a thorough case, homeopaths analyze the case and select the remedy in a best suitable potency for that particular case.
When you see a homeopath it’s their job to get a thorough understanding of your health and the exact symptoms you are experiencing, so that they can find a homeopathic remedy which matches you and your symptoms. Typical Consultation Process
involves a detailed discussion with patient to build a true symptom picture.
Once the homeopath has derived a complete picture of you as an individual he attempts to match you with a very similar picture from homeopathic textbooks. Homeopathic remedies are described in a lot of detail; each remedy is described as if it were an individual. He has already studied these remedies and he tries to find one that matches the person in his physical symptoms and in his mental makeup. It is like finding the key to a lock. Any lock can only be opened by one particular key.
Homeopathy is a holistic medicine and as such takes into account all aspects of the individual and their symptoms before making a prescription. This first consultation will usually take between one and two hours, depending on the practitioner.
Follow-ups
The first follow up consultation will usually be around 6 weeks after the first prescription, although in some cases it may be sooner. The session will be shorter, and the homeopath will ask about changes that have occurred, using their detailed notes as a reference point, before deciding on the next course of treatment.
The number of consultations needed is difficult to predict – it depends on a number of factors such as the age of the patient, how long the symptoms have been going on and their individual response to the prescription.
What about seeing my doctor?
It is recommended that you maintain your relationship with your GP/PCP or specialist. When necessary homeopathic and conventional approaches can be used alongside one another to give the most effective and appropriate medical care. Your local NHS services will also be able to arrange any diagnostic procedures you may need and provide emergency cover.
Some people choose homeopathy because they are unhappy with side effects from their current conventional medication, and in many cases homeopathic treatment can gradually reduce or remove the need for conventional drugs. However you should continue with any conventional medical treatment that may have already been prescribed as it may be dangerous to stop this suddenly. Any change in use of conventional medication should be discussed with both the prescribing doctor and your homeopath as treatment progresses.
If at any stage of your treatment you are concerned about changes in your symptoms, you should contact your homeopath and/or medical practitioner immediately.
1) WHAT IS A DOSE IN HOMEOPATHY?
One dose is generally considered to be - 1OR 2 tablets / 1 globule/ 1 Pill
For example, if my remedy is in globules and the directions say to take one dose 3 times a day, I will be taking 1 globule in the morning, 1 globule around noon, and 1 globule in the evening.
2) HOW TO TAKE A DOSE?
Do NOT touch the pills.
Drop 1 pill from the remedy bottle into the cap and pop it in your mouth, under the tongue.
For children, you can place the pill into a small piece of paper, then make it into a funnel and drop it in their mouths. Let the pills dissolve in the mouth completely.
Do not eat or drink anything before and after 10 min of taking the dose.
3) WHERE DO I BUY HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES FROM?
Vandana will guide you from where you can buy medicines. She keeps a whole bunch of remedies and potencies. Prices vary depending upon the size of bottles and potencies you require. If she does not have any remedies in her stock then she can put order in the homeopathic pharmacy and that will be shipped to your address.
4) DO I NEED TO RESTRICT ANY FOOD ITEM WHILE ON HOMEOPATHIC TREATMENT?
As homeopathy believes in individualization while selecting a remedy so the dietary restrictions also need to be individualized, keeping in mind the disease being treated, patient sensitivity, food habits and the remedy prescribed. Foods that aggravate or have a medicinal action similar to the remedy being prescribed may need to be avoided.
5) DO I NEED TO STOP THE MEDICINES PRESCRIBED BY MY DOCTOR?
No. you should not stop taking medicines prescribed by your doctor/primary physician. Homeopathy works alongside conventional medicine. It is not contraindicated.
6) IS IT SAFE TO TAKE HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINES DURING PREGNANCY?
Yes. Homeopathy is safe for pregnant women. What is so remarkable and different about homeopathic remedies is that there is no possibility of negative side effects. This makes it especially valuable for pregnant women, new moms, babies, and children of all ages. Except for a few remedies which are used for labour, one can take their constitutional/ acute remedies or cell salts. For more info please give me a call.
7) DOES HOMEOPATHY WORK FOR ACUTE CONDITIONS?
Yes. Homeopathy has wonderful remedies for acute conditions like fever, cough, cold, diarrhea, headaches etc.
8) WHAT ARE THE MEDICINES MADE FROM?
Homeopathic medicines are made from natural substances like tree roots, leaves, flowers, fruits or whole plants, animal discharges or minerals found in nature and are called remedies. Usually the natural substance is then ground with lactose or milk sugar. Remedies are prepared by homeopathic pharmacies in accordance with the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States (HPUS) and FDA-approved guidelines.
9) WILL MY HEALTH INSURANCE COVER THE HOMEOPATHY CONSULTATION?
Your health insurance MIGHT cover part or all of your visits to a homeopathic practitioner depending on your practitioner's health-care license or certification qualifications and their participation with your insurance plan. It is Clients' responsibility to check with their providers.
10) WHERE AND HOW TO STORE THE MEDICINES?
As far as possible, store all homeopathic remedies and essences in ‘neutral’ conditions away from bright light, strong smells, extremes of temperature, electrical equipment (e.g. fridges, televisions, music systems, microwaves etc.) and mobile phones, computers, (desktops/ laptops) or internet routers and TV.
11) HOW MANY SESSIONS I NEED TO COME FOR ?
This depends very much on what sort of illness you have, how long you have had it, and what your individual characteristics are (each case is different, and no two patients are alike). I will gauge your initial response to remedies and discuss a likely treatment plan with you.