Homeopathy at Home

Homeopathy is safe for home use as there are no dangerous side effects. This, to many, is the principal that gets them interested in homeopathy in the first place.

There is also a popular misconception that other forms of alternative medicine, such as herbal, nutritional supplements, or chinese herbal are also completely safe to self-prescribe, because they are 'natural'. This is not the case; homeopathy is safe because everything is very very dilute. In contrast, many herbal remedies and supplements are very concentrated and can cause serious side effects if not taken carefully.

When people use homeopathy

Most people first come to homeopathy when they feel they've been failed by conventional medicine. It may be for a long-held, chronic condition, or a short lived acute ailment. It may be that conventional medicine has been unable to help at all, or that the side effects are simply not worth the risk.

This was from our survey in September 2003:

For what do you most often use Homeopathy?
Long term illnesses which conventional medicine has been unable to treat		29%
Long term illnesses which conventional medicine is able to treat, but with major side effects		16%
Long term illnesses which conventional medicine is able to treat, with no side effects		12%
Minor short term illnesses		39%
I've not yet used it		4%

You can see that of those who use homeopathy on long term illnesses, most do so because conventional medicine has been unable to treat them, and a much smaller number use homeopathy to avoid the side effects of conventional medicine.

Long Term and Short Term - Chronic and Acute

Long term (chronic) illnesses are deeper rooted than short term (acute) illnesses, and are consequently more difficult to treat successfully at home - normally guidance from a homeopath should be sought.

Short term illnesses can be treated much more successfully at home, by a layperson.

And finally, as you become more confident at treating conditions at home, don't get over-confident. Stopping prescribed medication without first consulting a physician can endanger your health. If symptoms persist, always seek professional medical attention. Bear in mind that even minor symptoms can be a sign of a more serious underlying condition, and a timely diagnosis by your doctor could save your life.