What does a homeopath do? A homeopath is a medical practitioner trained to treat people through homeopathy. This practitioner asks patients a lot of questions about the symptoms, bowel movements, sleep patterns, and emotional condition. Then the homeopath uses the responses as a basis for prescribing a remedy that will heal a certain disease. Generally, homeopaths are trained for three to four years. Their trainings include case analysis that teaches them how to match remedies to particular symptoms. Most homeopathic doctors are MDs, NDs (doctor of naturopathic medicine), osteopathic physicians, and chiropractors.

Although it is easy to find information about homeopathic remedies on the Internet these days, finding a doctor that specializes in homeopathic treatments is quite difficult. It is because in countries like the United States, there are no standards for homeopaths. Also, only a few specialists actually practice homeopathic medicine despite having some formal training.

The following are some guidelines to help you when you choose a homeopathic physician:

• Look for a homeopathic practitioner with a degree in medicine, preferably with a certification from the Certified Classical Homeopath (CCH). It is best if the physician comes from one of the reputable schools that provide specialized trainings in homeopathic medicine such as National College of Natural Health Sciences (Portland, Oregon), International Foundation for Homeopathy (Seattle), Bastyr University (Seattle), and Hahnemann Medical Clinic (California).

• Check if a homeopathic doctor has a website that details his credentials and experience in homeopathic medicine, as well as show testimonials about the doctor’s performance.

• Ask for recommendations from family members, friends, and colleagues who have undergone successful homeopathic treatments.

• Be sure there are no pending complaints or lawsuits against the doctor.

* Contact the doctors you are considering to see which ones are qualified and well trained. Ask them about the following:

- The patients they have treated before and how they recovered with the help of homeopathic remedy

- The duration of homeopathy treatments

- The frequency of taking a dosage of the remedy

- Side effects of homeopathic remedy, if there’s any

- The cost of each session

- Insurance coverage of homeopathic treatment, if there’s any

• Your initial consultation with the homeopathic doctor must last for about 1 ½ hours so that he can create a remedy plan for your condition or illness. If the consultation is too short, the homeopath may not be qualified enough to cure your condition.

• If your disease is chronic, the homeopathic physician must work in cooperation with your current doctor.

• The homeopath should not prevent you from continuing your current medication prescribed by your MD doctor because it can harm your health. Only the other doctor can tell you to stop taking the medication.

• When prescribing a medication, the homeopath must inform you about the medicine you will be taking. Some homeopaths do not do this, so once they leave, the patient is left with no choice when it comes to resuming the treatment.

Homeopathy can be your best solution in curing a disease; that is why choosing the right homeopath carefully is very important.

There are different reasons why people would choose to become a homeopath.  For one, homeopathy is all about restoring body balance, improving the immune system and improving overall health by using natural medications.  Those who have experienced the benefits of homeopathy, intend to learn homeopathic therapies so that they would be able to share the medical system that changed their lives.

A homeopathic practitioner is the person who would prescribe and administer homeopathic remedies to the patient.  Homeopathic practitioners are not only knowledgeable in homeopathy, but they are also required by the national government to possess doctor’s license and practice conventional or traditional medicine.  Practitioners are not only prescribing medications, they are also involved in raising patient awareness, teaching patients about proper lifestyle, education patients about proper diet and being an advisor.

It is important to identify if the homeopathic practitioner is a qualified and professional homeopathic practitioner.  There are trainings and education that a practitioner must be able to finish.  Aside from the medical degree, there are also Diploma and Certificate Courses for Homeopathic therapy.

If you are doubtful about the background of the homeopathic practitioner you are going to, you could check the professional licenses with the National Center of Homeopathy, the Council for Certification and the Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians, and the American Institute of Homeopathy.

Some myths about homeopathy would say that the doctors and practitioners are like witch doctors.  They would be mixing different natural herbs as remedy and some myths would even say that they would be chanting while mixing the remedies.  This would be the case with some practitioners who are “self-proclaimed” and are not professionals.

In real homeopathic therapy, practitioners would indeed be mixing, diluting and forceful shaking of substances.  This process called potentization is said to be capable of changing the energy in the substance.  This change would eventually help in self-healing.  Self-healing is another important factor in homeopathic therapies, which is why practitioners would always involve patient education.

Training and education would take a lot of time and can be costly.  There are licensing programs and courses which are available for those interested.  There are also homeopathic schools located in different states,  you could check the National Center of Homeopathy for the offices of these schools.

Learning does not end after the training or the certification program, apprenticeship is encouraged.  Working with an established practitioner would surely help you have hands-on experience and learn from the mentor.  Aside from that it is also important to work closely with the dietician and chiropractors.   You could even treat this as a hospital internship.

When building relationship or attending trainings and seminars of other homeopathic practitioners, make sure that you are building relationships with qualified professionals.  As mentioned earlier, there are self-proclaimed homeopaths out there.  Make sure that you would be checking their credentials or at least get references.

Before you start practicing, inquire about state regulations.  Aside from being a licensed doctor and practicing another medical field, there are other regulations which may be different on each state.  You could learn this from the local chapter of the homeopath organization or you could directly consult the national organization for help.

ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder), one of the most common mental conditions that develop in children, is an impairment of social functioning in various settings. In the United States, about two million children have ADHD. If your child is one of them, you may want to consider homeopathy as a treatment method for your child’s condition.

Homeopathic ADHD treatment is proven effective. In various trials, homeopathic treatments for patients with ADHD have produced positive results in lessening behavioral problems such as impulsiveness, restlessness, and inattentiveness. The other benefits of using homeopathic medicine to treat ADHD include better concentration, better performance in school, higher self-esteem, better social skills, reduced chances of fatigue, and reduced emotional and mental problems.

Traditional ADHD treatments use stimulant drugs that alter chemicals in the brain to reduce the symptoms of the mental disorder. This is a known side effect of such drugs. Homeopathic treatments work differently. Compared to stimulants, homeopathic remedies do not attempt to suppress the aspects of a child’s behavior. Instead, these remedies work to level out any imbalance in the body in a natural way, of course without changing the chemicals in the brain or the body.

Another difference of homeopathic versus traditional treatments for ADHD is that the former zeroes in on not just the condition itself, but also other symptoms such as recurring colds and ear infections. In addition to that, the homeopathic ADHD treatments are tailored for every patient. One treatment may work for one patient but not for another. And if a patient is prescribed the right treatment, potency, and doses, the risk of side effects is minimal.

Derived from natural sources such as plants and animals, homeopathic medications come in the form of sweet tablets or pills that can be dissolved in the mouth. Thus, these medications are easy to administer to children with ADHD.

Planning to take your child to a homeopath for the treatment? You must first learn what to expect during your initial visit. Usually, first-time consultations take about 30 minutes to 1 hour. It really takes a bit long because the homeopath needs to come up with an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the right medication for your child. The homeopathic doctor will try to understand the specific situation of your child by asking extensive questions about your child’s health history.

Also, the homeopath will ask about the immunizations, medications, and supplements that your child is taking. He will also ask additional details on your child’s eating habits, fears, lifestyle, sleep, dreams, and traumas (both physical and emotional). After the interview, the homeopath will take note of physical and behavioral symptoms that he may notice such as rashes, skin color, circles under the eyes. This procedure helps in selecting accurately the homeopathic remedy for your child’s condition. And when the information regarding your child has been compiled, the doctor will prescribe a remedy as well as the dosage, potency, and frequency of taking the medication.

It is necessary to strictly follow the instructions of the homeopath regarding your child’s medication to avoid complications associated with homeopathy. Also, you will need to set up follow-up appointments so that the progress of your child can be checked. This will determine whether the remedy will be continued or not.

More and more people are turning to alternative medicine to seek cure for their illness and health problems.  WHO estimated that about 60 to 80 % of patients have sought alternative medication.  Homeopathy is one of the alternative methods that uses natural substances for its remedies.

Homeopathy has been practiced for a long period of time.  In Asia, Europe and United Kingdom, homeopathy is widely practiced.  In the United States,  homeopathic practitioners are required to be a licensed doctor and practicing in another medical field.

Birth of Homeopathy

Homeopathy was based on the findings and teachings of Dr. Samuel Hahnemann.  He began to practice homeopathy on 1790 based on his experiments. One of his most prominent experiments was during his research on treating malaria-induced fever.  He ate a bark of  the cinchona (South American tree) and discovered that it stimulated similar symptoms to that of malaria stricken patients. He continued experimenting which eventually led to his conclusion that the cure of an illness relies on substances that stimulates the symptoms of an illness.

During the 1800s, Dr. Hahnemann established the first homeopathic school in the United States and was able to gain popularity due to his ability to cure diseases during that period.  During the 1900s, there are already 22 homeopathic schools in the U.S.  There were medical institutions like the Boston University, Stanford University and New York Medical College that started to teach homeopathy.

Eventually, these schools closed down when the drugs and medicines began to be commercially released affecting homeopathy’s popularity. Aside from that mainstream and modern science during that time started to criticize homeopathy.  Physicians to Queen Victoria stated that the small doses or solution drank in homeopathic treatments are useless.

Homeopathy remerged in other countries in Asia, Europe and in the United Kingdom.  It has strong followers in Russia, India, Germany, and South America.  But it is still rebuilding in the United States.  From the past years, homeopathic remedies or medication purchase are seen to increase yearly by 12 to 15%.  Aside from that homeopathic practitioners are not only homeopaths, they are also medical doctors practicing another field, naturopaths, chiropractors, nurses, dentists and even veterinarians.

Philosophy Behind

According to homeopaths, a person who is exposed to a stressor would reach a state in which it would adopt to the stressor.  This state may help the person survive through the ordeal.   Thinking about this, homeopathy believes that those who can adopt to their environment are the healthiest.   If the person who is stressed is suppressed, then it could result into a deeper and with higher risks.

This concept guides homeopaths with their therapies and treatments.  There are times when the patient would turn for the worse while under homeopath treatments.  But this is temporary, it would progress to strengthening of the body and the system.

There are important philosophical principles followed in homeopathy.  The Law of Similars which is in simple terms, what causes the sickness could also cure it is one of its philosophical foundations.  There is also what is called as Hahnemann’s theory of Miasms.  In this theory, diseases may occur within the family and they display patterns.  Disease could also be acquired through life.

Homeopathy is known to be a gentle and an effective way of naturally curing diseases and health problems.  Since it is natural, it is considered safe for children, babies, elderly and even for pregnant women.  Homeopathy works on the principle of ‘Law of Similars.”  According to this principle, the same thing that causes symptoms also holds the cure.  The body is gradually exposed to substances that causes these symptoms, eventually boosting the body’s immune system and lessens the risk of these diseases from occurring.

The good thing about homeopathy is that it is non-toxic and safe.  Aside from that, it is ideal for children to take since it is mostly mildly sweet pills, powders and liquids. In surveys, children and babies are said to respond to homeopathic treatment well.  In a study conducted by MedScape Today, about 38.4 % of the adult respondents and 41.8% of children respondents were very satisfied with the treatment.  In the same study, children responded better to homeopathic treatments.

Aside from treating existing sickness, homeopathic treatment can also strengthen the child’s immune system and help the child restore his or her health.   Homeopathy can be recommended to children who are suffering from asthma, bed wetting, rashes, bumps, bruises, ear infections, cold, teething, tonsillitis, irritability, restlessness, frequent upset stomach, diarrhoea, and motion sickness.  There are even doctors who are using homeopathy to address infectious diseases like measles, chickenpox, and mumps.

Homeopathic pharmacies sell some medicines which can be used for simple problems.  Here are some common problems and recommended remedy.

• Rashes – Calendula cream that has both the characteristic of an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory.

• Teething – Chamomilla, about 30c can relieve pain especially if the baby is crying inconsolably.

• Colic- Colocynth 30c preparation especially if the baby is starting to pressure his or her abdomen to keep off the pain.

• Cough, colds and fevers – Aconite 30c, Belladonna 30c, Gelsemium 30c, Pulsatilla 30c and Bryonia 30c.

For minor symptoms, there is no need to bring your child to the homeopath since children and babies tend to respond quickly with homeopath treatment.  However, if the child’s condition did not improve quickly, then it would be better to bring the child to the homeopath or your general paediatrician.

Even if your child is taking homeopathic treatment, maintain your relationship with your child’s paediatrician.  It may be necessary to perform both homeopathic and conventional treatment to ensure your child’s safety and health.  For example, if your child has serious asthma, it is dangerous to withdraw your child from taking them just because he is undergoing homeopathic treatment.

When getting a homeopath practitioner for your child, make sure that he or she is registered in the Register of the Society of Homeopaths.  This would assure you that they are practicing in accordance with the Code of Ethics and Practice of the homeopath.  Aside from that, the United States require homeopaths to be licensed doctors and at least practicing in another field.  Check references and ask around about the homeopath to make sure he is not a “quack” or a “self-proclaimed”  homeopath. Make sure that the homeopath practitioner you will be choosing will fit into these requirements.

It is not new that alternative medicine would often be criticized for its practices, nor its effectiveness questioned.  It is not different with homeopathy.  Homeopathy’s history dates back as early as its discovery in 1700s.  However, the questions raised by modern medicine and the production of chemical drugs and medicines lead to its decline in the United States.

Given this history,  there are a lot of myths surrounding this medical practice.  Homeopaths and followers of this kind of medical treatment would disapprove of these allegations and are slowly conducting research and studies to further backup their medical field.

Here are some common myths besieging homeopathy.

Myth1. Homeopathic remedies are as good as placebos.  They do not have any curing or medicinal properties.

Homeopathic medications may taste sweeter compared with conventional medicines, but it does not mean that they do not have medicinal properties.   These medications are meant to stimulate the body to do its self-healing.  Homeopathic medicines all undergo process called potentization through dilution and succusion.  In fact, all homeopathic medicines are approved by the FDA.  They are covered with the same regulations covering conventional medicines.

Homeopaths are continually contesting the accusation that remedies are similar to placebos.  Homeopathic treatment is most effective in resolving health and medical cases of babies, children and animals.  How could the placebo effect happen to these patients when they are not conscious of what is given to them at all for medication?

Myth2.  Homeopathic treatment is slow acting.

Homeopathy can be used in acute or fast progressing medical cases like fever, diarrhoea, cough or cold.  However, immediate treatment is important.  If not treated immediately the situation could result into a chronic condition, making it harder and longer to treat.

Myth3.  Homeopathic practitioners do not have to train nor get educated.

Homeopathic practitioners are required by the state to finish training programs and courses.  Actually, they are required to undergo four-year training before they qualify as homeopaths.   Aside from that, national law states that homeopaths should have medical licenses and are practicing in another medical field before they can practice homeopathy.  Some homeopaths would undergo almost 10 years of training before they would could be considered good in their field.

Myth4.  Homeopathic treatment can handle all kinds of disorder.

Everything, everybody has limitations.  So is alternative medicine.  Although, homeopathic treatment may offer cures for some “incurable” diseases, it does not mean that it could cure or treat all kinds of diseases.  Those condition which would entail surgery is something that homeopathic treatment cannot intervene.

Myth5.   There are completely no side-effects.

There are indeed no side-effects for those taking homeopathic medicine.  However, if the medicines are given with potecies of aroudn1X or 2X, then there may be side effects.  There are also sensitive patients who would have problems with dilutions.  Although homeopathy uses natural elements for their treatment, its potency may have an impact on its effect.  Just like any other medicine, homeopathic remedies should be taken safely.  Always consult a homeopath practitioner when taking medicines.  It is important to get consultation prior to medication.

Since its establishment, homeopathy has become one of the popular alternative medicines.  Homeopathy works on the principle “Law of Similars”, which simply means that what causes the sickness could also be the source of the cure.  Homeopathic patients are exposed to substances that creates or mimics illness symptoms.  Patients would usually undergo a temporary worsening of their condition.  This would eventually pass and would strengthen the patient’s immune and body system.

There are studies showing that there are patients who have responded well with homeopathy eventually reducing their risks of sicknesses.  For example, there was a survey conducted by MedScape Today showing that out of their respondents, 38.4% of adults and 41.8% of children are satisfied with their homeopathic treatments and were able to experience relief from their medical conditions.

However, homeopathy is not a “magic cure” which could cure everything.  Just like any other medical field, it has it limitations.

• There are medical conditions which do not respond well with homeopathic medication especially those that would need surgery. It is important to reiterate that homeopaths are not against surgical procedure.  Homeopathic practitioners are also doctors, they could understand the importance of surgery.

• Conditions which are caused because of nutritional deficiencies cannot be resolved by homeopathy.  Also, there are conditions that an individual may experience due to lifestyle, like exposure to harmful substances causing the disease.  Changing or having a nutritional/diet plan and a change of lifestyle are the solutions for such problem.

• There are some cases when the patient is not responding to treatment. Although the symptoms are evident, there are certain cases when a patient do not exhibit worsening or lessening of the symptoms. Identifying what kind of treatment would work for the patient would usually take a long time.

• Another disadvantage would be the lack of homeopaths and homeopathic facilities where treatments could be administered.  Some patients would find it difficult to look for a homeopathic practitioner.  There are even some patients who would getting homeopathic treatments just because their practitioner died or retired or they moved to another house.  This proves that some followers are unable to find good and reputable homeopaths.  Although, there are homeopathic practitioners broadcasting their resume on the internet, they can be “quack” homeopaths and caution should be practiced.

• On the technical aspect, insurance companies do not cover homeopathy treatments.  This is another reason why some individuals would go to conventional hospitals to get treated since it can be covered by the insurance

Given these limitations, the patient and his or her family should be prepared for whatever happens with the treatment.  If the patient is not responding to treatment or the symptoms are recurring, most homeopaths would recommend that the patient check with medical doctors.

In homeopathy, it is important to realize that there are boundaries.  Not all diseases could be cured by this alternative treatment.  The good thing is that homeopaths in the U.S. are also medical practitioners.  They are able to define when conventional medicine should replace alternative medication.

According to the World Health Organiztion (WHO), about 65 to 80% of the world’s population use traditional medicine when curing health problems.  Homeopathy is one of the alternative medicine followed by a number of people.  It is accepted as one of medical branches in Europe, Asia and United Kingdom.  However, insurance companies are not covering homeopathic treatments and therapies which is the primary hindrance on the widespread of homeopathy.

Homeopathy follows the “Law of Similars”  which  states that when a person is sick, he could get be cured by letting the body ingest substances that would produce the same symptoms.  Of course, the ingestion of these substances by the body is gradual.  The term homeopathy comes from the word “homeo” which means similar and “pathos” which means disease.

Homeopathic remedies come from natural herbs, plants and substances.  Remedies are diluted, shook with great force, and undergo the process of potentization.  In the process of potentization, the solution or the substances are vigorously shaken to increase its healing strength.  Continuous shaking can also lessen the toxicity but increase the substance’s potential.

In general, homeopathic treatments could improve the balance and mental outlook and perception of the individual.  There are numerous benefits for using this treatment:

• Remedies are natural, therefore, there are no chances that patients would get addicted nor fear any side-effects.

• Homeopathic therapies can be treated safe since they are tested or proven on humans and not on animals.

• Each treatment is individualized or particular for each patient.  It depends on the symptoms and not on the disease.

• Remedies and treatments are holistic, it does not only concern the body but the mind as well.

• Homeopathy treatments improve the immune system of the body.  By strengthening the immune system, infectious disease are less likely to happen.

• Treatment and remedies have both satisfactory effects in addressing issues acute and chronic health problems.  In fact, homeopathic treatments would offer treatments even to those diseases that cannot be cured by conventional medicines.

• It is easy to ask even the most hesitant patient to take homeopathic medicines.  Children easily agree on taking homeopathic medicines. Dilutions are often dispensed with cane sugar pills or pellets.

• Compared with other treatments, homeopathic remedies are more affordable.  However, the only problem would be that insurance does not cover homeopathic treatments.

• The medications do not disrupt other body processes like the digestive system or  trigger allergic reactions

• Since the remedies are natural, they are safe for pregnant women, babies, children, sensitive adults and even to the elderly.

• There are also some homeopathic patients that treatments also slows down the aging process.

• Those who have taken homeopathy remedies are likely to reduce risks of surgery for different conditions.

• It could also offer pain-relief, both immediate and long-term.

There are numerous benefits of homeopathy, its natural and holistic approach makes it ideal for those who are worried about the long term effects of drugs and medication.  Those who have undergone homeopathic treatment would often say that not only body pains were addressed but also mental health.

Pets are no longer just animals that you have in your house.  They have played a big role in family relationships, that they are treated as part of the whole family dynamics.  Pets getting sick is something that owners always fret about.  Nowadays, veterinarians are using mostly chemically-laden drugs to cure pets.  However, alternative medication for animals is slowly being recognized, such as homeopathy.

Homeopathy is not the only alternative medication that has found its way on animals.  Other holistic and alternative approaches that could help in improving your animal’s health is acupuncture, chiropractic, herbal medication and massage therapy.

Animals could be diagnosed with arthritis, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.  Oftentimes these sicknesses are dealt with expensive and highly toxic drugs and medication.  Even with the use of these powerful drugs, the animals being treated may develop problems like allergic reactions and other diseases as a side-effect of the medication.

Alternative medicine, homeopathic medication, in particular deals with a safer and alternative method of treating animal health problems. There are different reasons why pet owners would prefer their animal companions to be treated with homeopathy.

• There are no side effects.

• Since the medicines are natural, there is no need for any laboratory trials.

•Symptoms are not suppressed only to reappear later on the animal’s life  bringing more health risks.

• It can be considered as the most humane way of treatment, since the body is being reinforced to combat infections and health problems.

It can easily be administered to the animals since it could be in liquid form that could be mixed with small amount of fresh or warm water.   However, when administering or planning to provide homeopathic remedies to your animal companions, always make sure that there is a veterinarian supervising or present.

Not only are pet owners result into homeopathic treatments.  Veterinarians are also turning to this alternative medicine due to frustrations about recurring sicknesses among animals.  The goof news is that animals respond well to homeopathy.  Some of the common animal illnesses that could be treated with homeopathy are skin allergies, infection of the ear, diabetes, bowel problems, thyroid diseases and other kinds of sicknesses.

With this alternative treatment, veterinarians were able to see that animals do not only get cured of their diseases, they are fast to recover from their condition.  Gently and rapidly, animals were restored back to their healthy life.  For people, homeopathy was able to deal with the overall health of the individual.  It is not only the physical health, but the emotional and mental health also, thus relieving stress. This same effect is also evident among animals. Aside from administering medications, pets are also required to change their diet.  Animals are taught how to eat healthily, along with the pet owners.

If you are looking for a homeopathic veterinarian, then check with the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association.  They have a list of qualified and professional homeopathic veterinarians by the tate of their location and their field of expertise.