This page answers some of the questions I get asked over and over again. If you have a query that isn’t covered here please send me an email at chris@christinekavanagh.co.uk. I will answer as soon as I can.

Homeopathy is sometimes described as a complementary therapy.  Can I mix it with conventional treatments or is there a conflict between the approaches?

Non-medically qualified homeopaths are not trained to diagnose conditions and so we recommend that you maintain your relationship with your GP. A GP will be able to arrange any X-rays and investigations you may need. The approaches are different but where patients are undergoing medical treatment for a particular problem homeopathy generally works well in support at every stage and the two systems of health care can provide complementary services.

Many of my patients have been keen to avoid unnecessary use of antibiotics, corticosteroids, proton pump inhibitors and other medicines to which they have reacted adversely or which have proved ineffective. If you are taking prescribed drugs, we will never interfere with your treatment but you may find that, given time, you will be able to reduce or stop taking the medication you are taking from the doctor under his/her guidance. For example, we see many people who want to reduce their reliance on antidepressants and taper them off as the homeopathic remedy starts to produce a curative response. 

 

Are there any side effects I should know about?

There are no side effects in the conventional sense of additional unwanted physical symptoms. As homeopathy addresses the whole person, patients often report that their treatment has a positive impact on their lives that reaches far beyond the symptoms which brought them to me. 

How much will it cost?

I charge standard fees for a first appointment and follow ups. Overall costs will vary according to the length of treatment and the number of appointments required. I always give an indication of what to expect when doing a first appointment and there is no financial commitment beyond the current appointment.

Do you do home visits?

I do home visits for established patients only.

I am pregnant. Will homeopathic treatment affect my baby?

Pregnancy is often the trigger for seeking homeopathic treatment. Many mothers to be choose to live with the discomfort of minor complaints such as morning sickness, piles, thrush, varicose veins or heartburn because they are concerned about the possible side effects of conventional medicines on their unborn child. Homeopathy can safely ease you through the changes that pregnancy, childbirth and parenting bring. They can restore physical and emotional balance and are safe and easy to administer to babies. See Homeopathy in Pregnancy and Childbirth for more information.

What kinds of problems can be treated?

Most problems will respond to Homeopathic treatment. It is an approach to “wellness” that builds on a broad and detailed picture of each individual. The following is is a list to illustrate the wide-ranging applications of homeopathy:

allergies anxiety arthritis asthma ADHD autism breech presentation childbirth chronic fatigue cold sores colic colitis cystitis depression digestive problems

ear infections eczema fibroids food intolerance grief hayfever headaches/migraine heartburn hernia herpes hyper/hypothyroid hyper/hypotension hyperactivity injury insomnia

menopause molluscum panic attacks piles PMS psoriasis sinusitis stress stroke sub-fertility thrush tonsilitis ulcers warts

 

Can homeopathy be used preventively?

Absolutely! The whole approach of homeopathy is to treat the whole person and to avert the onset of deeper and chronic problems by addressing the early and occasional symptoms as they are experienced by the individual. We all experience problems from time to time and a homeopath can build a picture of our constitutional type which allows effective action to be taken early. This is especially true of children, whose various ailments so often form a pattern and one which is very amenable to treatment once the appropriate constitutional remedy is clear.

How long does treatment take?

This depends very much on what sort of illness you have and how long you have had it, as well as other individual characteristics of your case. It is difficult to assess until after your second appointment which is when we evaluate the treatment. A slowly developing complaint or one that has been lingering for some years may take longer to improve, although there are usually signs of improvement and of something shifting quite soon. I like to talk to my patients by phone or email about 10 to 14 days after starting treatment, to evaluate how things are progressing and ask for as much feedback as possible. Homeopathic treatment is very interactive!

Acute complaints can get better more quickly, sometimes in a matter of hours. There are many first aid remedies for common problems.