Homoeopathic medicines (called remedies) are made from repeated dilutions of natural substances. There are thousands of remedies that the homoeopath can use. Homeopathic treatment is based on the principle that what can cause disease in a healthy person, can also remove it in the sick. These remedies stimulate the body’s own defences and immune system to respond appropriately. Nutritional advice may also be given.

When homeopathy remedies are made, they undergo a very specific process of preparation which includes both vigorous shaking (which is called succussing) and repeated and accurate dilution (which is called potentization). The more you dilute and succuss a remedy, the more potent it becomes.

Because homeopathic medicines are so carefully formulated, it is understood that they resonate with the individual and stimulate the body into making its own healing response. 

The homoeopath tries to understand the symptoms of the individual as these are the expression of the inner disease. Unlike conventional medicine which uses drugs to inhibit or suppress symptoms, homeopathic medicine seeks to understand the total picture of symptoms that are being expressed, and to remove the underlying cause of these symptoms. This is why the homeopath takes the time to try and understand the whole patient, as symptoms on all levels can be expressions of the same inner imbalance.

What is the difference between homeopathy and conventional medicine?
Homoeopathy: This is based on treating you as a whole person in the knowledge that you may have symptoms on 3 levels (physical, mental and emotional). The medicines are customized to be exactly right for you as a unique individual. Homoeopathy works to remove the underlying imbalance that is causing your ill-health.

Conventional medicine: This usually relies on treating the physical symptoms and does not try and understand the other aspects of you as an individual that may be contributing to, or causing your ill-health. This may involve suppression, control or elimination of these physical symptoms without addressing the underlying imbalance.

How does homeopathy differ from naturopathy?
Homeopathy seeks to understand the nature of each individual patient and their disease and prescribes a different remedy for each type of disease state as each patient is different. Therefore you can say that homeopaths are specialists. Although naturopaths take a thorough case for each individual patient, Naturopaths by contrast are generalists as they have certain protocols to treat certain disease states. They predominantly use herbs, supplements and diet to treat patients and their homoeopathic knowledge is usually limited.