Frequently Asked Questions
Homeopathy is a system of natural health care that has been in worldwide use for over 200 years. It is recognized by the World Health Organization as the second largest therapeutic system in use in the world. While it is most popular in India and South America, over thirty million people in Europe also benefit from its practice.
The name homeopathy, coined by its originator, Samuel Hahnemann, is derived from the Greek words for 'similar suffering' referring to the 'like cures like' principle of healing. Hahnemann was born in Germany two hundred and fifty years ago. At this time the old world view was being renovated and traditional beliefs, many flimsily based upon superstition, were being increasingly subjected to the rigorous of experimental scrutiny and assessment.
Homeopathy is based on two principles that have occurred regularly throughout the history of medicine, both in eastern and western worlds. The first principle of 'like cures like' can be looked at in several ways. One is to assume that the body knows what it is doing and that symptoms are the body's way of taking action to overcome an illness. This healing response is automatic in living organisms; we term it, the vital response.
The application of a correct homeopathic medicine increases the body's ability to take this action and so makes the body's own healing more rapid and effective. In chronic illness, this vital stimulus literally lifts the suffering person over the stumbling block of their disease. Before the medicines are decided upon, their curative powers are discovered by testing them out on healthy human subjects and carefully noting emotional, mental and physical changes. This is termed a 'proving'. This information constitutes the basis for 'like cures like', for a medicine's unique symptom picture must match up with the individual's expression of the disease. The second principle, that only 'the minimum dose' should be employed is based upon the understanding that the stimulus of the medicine works from within the vitality and is not imposed from the outside. Only enough is administered to initiate the healing process which then carries on, driven by its own internal healing mission.
- Homeopathic treatment works with your body's own healing powers to bring about health and well being.
- Patients are treated as individuals, not as a collection of disease labels.
- Homeopathy treats all your symptoms at all levels of your being, be it spiritual, emotional, mental and physical and finds the 'like cures like' match for them.
- Homeopathically prepared remedies, providing the minimum dose, are gentle, subtle and powerful. They are non-addictive, and not tested on animals.
You should expect when visiting any homeopath to spend a considerable amount of time during your initial visit.
You may be asked to fill out a health history form, so be sure to bring important times/dates with you if you can, such as when you were immunized, hospitalized, when you had surgery, allergy episodes, and so forth. This information will provide me with a solid sense of your past health concerns and your family history, all necessary information to gain a clear picture of your background. Don’t worry, though, if you don’t have much of this information (some people don’t have knowledge of family health or of their own health as a child). Bring as much information as you can or that your memory permits.
Then, once all the paperwork is completed, your consultation will begin. I will begin by asking you to describe your most immediate health concerns. Often, you’ll be asked to describe symptoms and sensations (how you feel about your symptoms or how you feel while you are experiencing symptoms) in greater and greater detail. I will be writing down this information as we spend time together in order to gather a very clear and concise picture of your health state. You may find this very unusual and quite different than a visit to an allopathic practitioner. As an example, let’s say you have a pain in your elbow. In conventional medicine, you might be asked to describe it, your elbow will be examined, perhaps you’ll have an X-ray if the pain was the result of an injury or if arthritis is suspected, and ultimately you may be prescribed something for the pain.
In classical homeopathy, you’ll be asked in greater and greater detail about the pain. What makes it better? What makes it worse? What kind of pain is it (people feel pain and describe pain in many different ways)? How are you feeling when in this pain? What does this pain remind you of? What else about it should I know? Your homeopath will explore many facets of your health, your feelings about your health, and the sensations you have while experiencing your current situation by using questioning techniques designed to help you express yourself as fully as possible so a complete health picture can be found. You might feel a little bit pressured during the interview as you are asked “Can you tell me more about that?” but you needn’t feel worried – I will guide you easily through the questions and give you feedback during your consultation. You should feel free to ask questions at any time. You may not be prescribed a remedy on your first visit. As a classical practitioner I may wish to spend some time in research and differential analysis (comparing several remedies to determine which one is the closest match for your overall state) to ensure giving you the best prescription possible. Think of it this way: When you get a headache, it usually isn’t because your body lacks aspirin. A thorough homeopath may need to spend some time determining which headache remedy is best suited to your needs. Depending on your case and your state of health, you could be asked to return for a visit within a week or two – or it could be as late as four to six weeks after your initial visit. This is really very case-dependent, but I will discuss with you the best timing for a return visit.
The response to a remedy is very individual. Sometimes the response could be quite intense or it may be more subtle and difficult to notice.
Different patients respond to a remedy in different ways. Some patients immediately feel better inside themselves or may feel that they have more energy. Other patients could briefly feel tired or their original symptoms may temporarily feel worse before they start feeling the improvement.
This reaction happens because the body has been stimulated into throwing out toxic materials. This can sometimes take the form of a discharge (e.g. runny nose, cold etc.). Sometimes you may notice that some old symptoms return briefly or you may notice a temporary release of emotional symptoms. These are all good indications that the process of self-healing has begun.
The return of old symptoms means that the body is dealing with the conditions that were not dealt with at the time or were previously suppressed. It is important not to suppress these symptoms as they are a normal part of self- healing. These are temporary and will usually quickly pass.
Each individual case is different and cure depends on what sort of illness you have, as well as the other individual characteristics of your case. Deep seated diseases, that have been around for years, do not disappear overnight and cure depends on how much there is to unravel. I will discuss this with you before the treatment.
Whilst we appreciate the need in certain circumstances for prescription medications, the world in general is moving away from antibiotics, antidepressants, and anti-inflammatory and anti ‘everything’ medications; in homeopathy our aim is not to suppress anything but to let our body heal itself in the safest and most gentle way.
By far the most important part of your Homeopathic journey will be the case taking process. It is here that you and your Homeopath will get to know each other and hopefully form a bond of mutual respect which will be the basis of your path to well being. Here at THC we have created a sanctuary, a space where you feel secure, safe and comfortable, this is essential. Once you have decided on going ahead with your consultation, I will have advised you to book it at a time when you are not rushed, when you’re a free to spend some time away from everything so that once here it is easy to relax and open up.
The Homeopathic Conversation can take up to 2 hours in some cases; we will be talking about you, your feelings, emotions, worries and your life. This will be entirely confidential, we are bound by our code of ethics not to judge, criticize or pass on anything that has been said during this process without your consent. At times it maybe necessary to confer with your medical specialist, again this will be at your discretion.
A full medical history will be taken initially and information about your families past medical history will also be noted. All this will be done at your own pace, if things get too much or you feel overwhelmed then the session will be halted until you feel up to continuing. Often you will not have spoken for such a long period of time about yourself, this, in itself can be cathartic and is all part of your journey. While you are talking I will be listening and taking down notes which will help me after you leave to piece together your case. I need to know what makes you different from everyone else, what makes you feel better/worse, I need to know the real you so that when I am doing my case analysis I can identify which remedy is best suited to you. At times I will also ask you questions which may seem irrelevant to you, but these will give me important information and enable me to do my job correctly.
Once your case has been taken and analyzed we should have found what we call your constitutional remedy. In Classical Homeopathy it is this remedy which best matches you, each remedy has its own signature and my hope is that I will have found the nearest remedy to your own character traits. This forms the Homeopathic philosophy of ‘like cures like’ and once taken will stimulate your bodies own ability to bring about balance.
During follow up consultations it is important to explain why I have prescribed what I have to clients, it is essential to be clear and available for any questions you may have; it is what I am there for.
So………are you ready? Are you open to a natural path to health and well being? Are there any other questions you would like to know? I am here, you only have to ask.
Thank you for taking the time and interest to read this and I look forward to meeting you should you wish to delve into the wonderful world of Homeopathy.
Remedies are derived from a variety of natural materials including plants, animals and minerals and are prepared in licensed laboratories under strict quality control. I generally have my remedies in stock, if I do not have yours then I will order them from UK and they will reach you, usually within a very short space of time.
Medication is given in tablet, granule, and powder form (which maybe mixed with water or alcohol). They are available in different but extremely dilute strengths which are identified by a potency number. Choosing the right remedy at the appropriate strength is very important and should only be done by me as your Homeopath.
Over-the-counter remedies are usually strength 6C. This means that the substance has undergone 6 steps in a series of dilutions, where each step involves taking 1 part of the remedy and diluting it in 99 parts of alcohol.
A fascinating but as yet unexplained characteristic of homeopathic remedies is that the more dilute the remedy, the more effective it is. For example, a remedy diluted 30 times by a factor of 100 (strength 30C) is much more potent than a 6C remedy, even though it contains less than the original substance, this is and always has caused confusion but can be compared to a sauce reduction in cookery where the more one reduces the sauce the stronger it tastes, this is a literal example but one must never simplify the actions of these potentized remedies. The potency of the remedy I prescribe for you will be based on my findings during the case taking process and will be very specific to you.
Try not to touch your remedy by hand, you will notice that when I offer you a remedy during a consultation I will never touch it with my hands, the active ingredient is on the outside of the pill or tablet and its efficacy is kept at optimal at all times. If you are at home then try to tip one pill or tablet into the lid of the container so that you can easily pop it into your mouth without handling.
Other remedy considerations:-
· Ideally take your remedy under your tongue
· Store your remedy in its original container
· Store at room temperature
· Store away from strong smelling substances
· Do not take you remedy if possible within 30 minutes of eating, cleaning your teeth, taking allopathic medication or smoking
· Keep your remedy under your tongue for as long as possible or until it dissolves
· Do not take another one of your remedies without consulting myself first, unless we have developed a specific protocol for you.
Homeopathic remedies are very dilute, containing minute quantities of the active ingredient, this then follows that adverse reactions are very uncommon. Occasionally, however patients may experience what we call an aggravation or a slight worsening of symptoms; this is not necessarily a bad thing and can actually indicate that the remedy is already having an effect. In some instances treatment maybe halted and the remedy given in a lower dose, but this would be done under my supervision. Remember the artificial disease is similar, but stronger, than the original dis-ease condition, because of this, the vital force may react more strongly to it, thereby exciting your symptoms to the point that they appear to be worsening. Artificial diseases are curative when they are similar, but stronger. In most circumstances, homeopathic aggravations are welcomed by me, as I believe that this aggravation is a precursor to a cure, a positive sign that the chosen remedy is doing its job, and affecting a cure for you. Not everyone will have an aggravation. This does not necessarily mean that your remedy is not working. Dr. James Tyler Kent observed that, "If the quality and the quantity of the remedy administered are in exact proportion to the quality and quantity of the sick-making force, then we have a cure with no aggravation” This is actually exactly what I, as a Homeopath want to achieve, and that is…..the gentlest cure possible for you.
One way to get baby to take the remedy is to crush the pellets into a powder that you can slip into your child's mouth during feedings. Or crush the pellet, blend into a paste with natural and neutral cream and apply to the inside of baby’s wrist. Older children will take the remedy without much prompting as there is no strong taste.
And lastly……
If you are worried or unsure of how to take your remedy I can be contacted at any time, please see my details below.
How do I find you?
From The Point shopping center (100 meters away)
Locate Browns Pharmacy under the arches at the side of the shopping center…..imagine you have just walked out of the pharmacy, turn right and walk along the arches towards center of Sliema, you will see two huge green and white blocks of flats on your right, this is Fort Cambridge, we are just opposite the main entrance to these flats on the left hand side of the road on Tigne Street
From the center of Sliema:
Walk along The Strand/Ferries from Zara towards The Fortina Hotel next to the sea. Just before you reach the hotel you will see a left hand turn, go up this road (it's a steep hill) right to the top. Turn left and we are there. On the left.
Any problems call me on 99426869 and we will find you
Where do I park?
If you do not find street parking then there is the Point car park and Fort Cambridge car park minutes away.
What are your opening hours
All of our therapists work to their own schedules and do their very best to fit you in at a time convenient to you, resulting in very flexible opening hours.
What payment methods do you accept?
We all accept Revolut, Cash and Cheques but if you only have cards then there are both BOV and HSBC ATM’s in The Point, which is just a minute away.
What if I am late?
Obviously we accept that sometimes this is unavoidable and all of us try to be understanding and will give clients their full amount of time but in the event of back to back appointments the therapist reserves the right to finish at the planned time.
What is your cancellation policy?
IMPORTANT
If for any reason you cannot keep your appointment please let me know within 24 hours as I allow over 2 hours for each patient for case taking otherwise a €20 cancellation charge will be payable, thank you for understanding.
Do you provide disabled facilities?
Yes we do; our entrance, office doors and bathroom are all wheelchair friendly.
Is it always best to book?
Yes it is always advisable to book in advance. However, drop in appointments are possible so if you are passing it might be worth popping in to see if your favorite therapist is available.
What about jewelery & valuables
Kindly ensure that you leave your valuables at home prior to your appointment. Whilst our therapist will take every precaution to keep things safe we here at Tigne Holistic Centre do not accept responsibility for the loss/theft of your belongings.
Do you offer voucher's and gift cards?
Each of our therapists offer their own vouchers. However, we do have a general Tigne Holistic Centre vouchers which can be used against any therapy you wish. Contact Ashley for further information.
Contact numbers
All of the therapist’s here at THC are self-employed and are responsible for taking their own appointments therefore on our 'Therapist Page' you will find all their contact details so that you can contact them directly.
How do i know which treatments is suitable for me?
Should you be unsure of which treatment may be best for you and you need specific advice please complete our contact form or call Ashley directly on 99426869.
Are we accredited?
All our professional therapists are accredited by their own respected professional bodies.