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Hannah Albert, Naturopathic Physician • Email • (206) 650-9197 |
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Homeopathy © 2001–2010 |
About Homeopathy
• What is homeopathy? What is homeopathy? What Is Treatment Like?
Homeopathic medicines work by stimulating your body’s natural ability to heal itself — acting as a catalyst for healing. Various theories abound with regards to it's scientific mechanism of action, much in the same way as the effects of acupuncture; simply put, it is it's own paradigm. Many patients are on some type of drug, and it typically doesn't prevent Homeopathic treatment from curing their condition; therefore I do not suggest throwing away your prescription medications. When and if that time comes I always recommend you follow the advice of the prescribing doctor. Both mainstream and alternative medicines have their use. In order to successfully prescribe a Homeopathic medicine, your Homeopath needs to gather many more details about your health complaints than an MD does. She wants to understand who you are as a person, not just about your disease or pain. To that end, your personal beliefs, health history and life challenges, and even your dreams are all considered important when choosing a prescription. Dreams represent the unconscious issues we attempt to resolve during sleep and often offer clues to the presentation of your physical symptoms. In coming to understand you, your Homeopath prescribes a medicine that is exactly right for you and only you. During your first homeopathic intake, your doctor will spend approximately one and a half hours gathering information. Follow-up visits are recommended every 4 - 6 weeks or more, lasting about 40-60 minutes. When the benefits of treatment have become established over time, most patients need to return less frequently for a period of one to three years. Adequate follow up is considered absolutely essential for you to achieve deep and long-lasting results, since treatment is prevention-focused as well as curative to current complaints. How long a curative response takes depends on the severity and length of your condition, accuracy of prescriptions, and your willingness to commit to the process. Though some results can begin quickly, if you want immediate results, homeopathy - and the holistic approach in general - is probably not for you. Homeopathic treatment can be thought of as the peeling away of dis-ease layers - like an onion, moving towards the center of ultimate well-being. History Homeopathic science and practice was developed more than 200 years ago by Samuel Hahnemann MD. Intrigued by the concept that "like cures like," he experimented with toxic substances to see how he could make medicine out of them without harming people. He discovered that by diluting and shaking repeatedly (a process he named potentization), many substances found in the natural world were able to profoundly cure diseases. Hahnemann discovered paradoxically, the less physical material was contained in his potentized medicines, the more powerful were their healing results. This was termed the minimum dose, and explains why homeopathy can not produce side effects nor interfere with the biochemical effects of pharmaceutical drugs. This is also the basis for controversy in the western medical paradigm which contends that medicine must be of physical substance in order to change a biological system. Safety In the last 200+ years since homeopathy was developed, there have been zero deaths as a result of having taken a homeopathic medicine. In fact, during the 1918 Flu about 80% of people treated with conventional medicine died, while > 60% of people treated with homeopathy survived. Homeopathic medicine has been extremely successful in treating conditions that are known to be "incurable" within the western medical paradigm. At the same time, approximately 120,000 people die each year from medical mistakes such as misuse or incorrect prescribing of pharmaceuticals. Pharmaceutical recalls and lawsuits are commonplace in the 21st century. Worldwide Practice Today More than 250,000 physicians practice homeopathy in India alone, and 10 million people are being treated with it. Millions in South America and Europe regularly use homeopathy. You probably didn't know either, that one out of every six American physicians at the turn of the century practiced homeopathy! Infants, animals, children, and even skeptical adults have been successfully treated for everything from allergies to flus to endocrine disorders to autoimmune disease. In fact cancer is treated with homeopathy in other countries where it is legal to do so. In the United States, MDs and holistic healthcare providers such as NDs as well as Psychotherapists practice Homeopathy. Overcoming uncomfortable life transitions, chronic illness, and emotional blocks requires being in the presence of a skilled and compassionate practitioner who recognizes the source of these feelings and understands how they have served you in your life. At Fertile Ground you will be seen and heard as a human being that happens to have a collection of health issues.
What can homeopathy help?
Homeopathic treatment has been successful in treating hormonal imbalances, PMS, infertility, post-partum symptoms, sexual dysfunction, and menopause; for low libido, chronic testicular or vaginal pain; and for other reproductive system complaints. Homeopathy can dramatically enhance results in therapy for codependence, addictions, eating disorders, PTSD, anxiety and depression. If you're a parent struggling with a child who has been diagnosed with ADD or an unusual illness untreatable with conventional medicine, you may be able to reduce the need for pharmaceutical intervention with treatment. Homeopathy is gentle, safe and effective for childhood behavioral, mood, and learning problems, as well as many chronic childhood illnesses such as earaches and digestive issues. Other conditions homeopathy has successfully addressed include allergies, asthma, upper respiratory illness, bladder infections, migraines and headaches, thyroid and adrenal disorders. Treatment does not cause side effects, and over time often reduces the need for prescription medications. However, it is always recommended that you consult your prescribing physician before reducing any medication.
What’s involved in homeopathic treatment?
Each prescription can require hours of research. To get a deep-acting cure, it is necessary to customize each prescription. Once a curative process begins, visits become less frequent. As your condition improves, the cost of treatment becomes less and less. The patient’s new-found health becomes self-sustaining, so future visits become much less frequent. There is a one-time research fee charged for time spent out of the office researching your first prescription. This fee is not part of insurance coverage, and is charged only once. The process of healing varies from person to person, depending on how ill you are, on your level of vitality, and on the accuracy of the prescription itself. In general, the longer you’ve had the condition, the longer the process takes. It is best to see Dr. Albert in person for your first consultation. Consultations can also be done by phone or video conference such as iChat or Skype for patients that can not be seen in person. The first visit is scheduled for 1 1/2 hours. Follow ups are every 4-6 weeks in the beginning and then every 3–6 months. Fees are structured per appointment rather than on a time basis. The fee includes the opportunity to call for a quick question or check-in. Longer conversations or off-hours calls in between appointments may be charged an additional fee. Many times, further study and research is required and this can take up to 1 or 2 hours of time. All this is included in the per-appointment consulation fee. If you have general questions, wish to set up an appointment, or would like to schedule a complimentary 20-minute consult, please call the office at 206-650-9197. |
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