How long does it take to see results/improvement?
I often tell my patients that Homeopathy is one of the best kept secrets. In acute conditions or emergencies, the correctly prescribed remedy can work within minutes.
Acute conditions like colds & flu can clear up within a few hours of taking the medicine, especially if the remedy was started right at the onset.
Other acute conditions like sinusitis, gastro etc can take between 1-3 days to clear, depending on the underlying health status of the individual concerned.
In terms of chronic conditions like infertility and autoimmune disease the period required is more variable. In chronic conditions a degree of improvement can usually be seen within the first month of treatment.
The rule in general is, for every year an individual has had a chronic condition, a month of treatment is required to reverse organic and functional changes that have taken place in the body.
Is homeopathic medication the same as herbal medication?
No. Herbal medicines are derived purely from plants – either the whole plant, or a part of the plant. Homeopathic medicines are derived from different sources including minerals and are prepared according to the laws of serial dilution and succussion.
Homeopathic medicine can often be taken alongside conventional medicine, not all herbal remedies can be taken together with conventional medicine.
Who can take homeopathic medication?
Homeopathic medicine is safe for use in Newborns, toddlers, adults, pregnant women, and the elderly.
Are there side effects?
Homoeopathy itself does not produce side effects. The reason for this is because homoeopathic medicines are not used to suppress symptoms.
The moment a medicine is suppressing symptoms, a side effect is the result. Homoeopathic medicines stimulate the body’s own innate capacity for self-healing.
Homoeopathic medicines can however cause an “aggravation”. This sometimes occurs in the 1st-2nd day of taking the medicines.
It is a short-lived, slight increase in the intensity of symptoms as a result of taking the medicine, and is followed by improvement/cessation in symptoms thereafter.
Can CAM and Homoeopathy be used together with my conventional medicine?
It depends on which conventional medicines are being used. Most natural medications can be used alongside conventional treatments except where contraindicated.
Often certain conventional medications that are producing troublesome side effects can be replaced by equally effective natural alternatives (which have been clinically proven to do so).
A classic example is the side effect of muscle pain, cramping, and joint pain as a result of the use of statins in the treatment of high cholesterol.
Cholesterol problems can be easily managed with natural medicines and a change in diet.
Does medical aid cover the consultations and medicine?
Yes, most medical aids do reimburse the patient for our consultations and medicines. The practice is contracted out of medical aid.
Therefore, the patient needs to settle (by cash/card) after each visit and will receive an electronic invoice thereafter, with which to claim back from medical aid.