Homeopathy offers relief for allergy sufferers
 

Homeopaths in south-west London are targeting people with  allergies this summer as more and more people turn to complementary and alternative medicine to help with  their symptoms.
This year’s Homeopathy Awareness Week (June 14 – 21) will highlight how homeopathic remedies can not only tackle the symptoms when they happen, but by triggering the body’s own system of healing, can help to stop the symptoms occurring in the first place.
Our resident registered homeopath, Tamlyn Martins, will be available for consultations and advice at Cure By Nature during the course of the week.
She said: “Homeopathy is patient-centred and a remedy is prescribed based on the patient’s symptoms and how they experience them. Remedies are mostly drawn from natural substances which are highly diluted and therefore non-toxic, making them suitable for all ages, including children and pregnant women.”
Research evidence backs up the use of homeopathy for people who suffer with allergic conditions.  Last year The Society was invited to give evidence at a House of Lords inquiry (1), which concluded that allergies were reaching epidemic proportions.
Results from a six-year study at Bristol Homeopathic Hospital showed the most marked improvements in children, with 89 per cent of under 16s with asthma, and 68 per cent with eczema, reporting improvement (2)
There are also a number of randomised controlled trials with positive results for the use of homeopathy in the treatment of hayfever and allergic rhinitis.
Symptoms of allergy are on the increase, affecting approximately one in four of the population in the UK at some time in their lives, with numbers  increasing by five per cent each year, and as many as half of all those affected being children (3).
Allergic symptoms occur when the body’s immune system over-reacts, interpreting a usually harmless substance as a threat.
This year’s awareness week is in collaboration with Nelsons, the UK’s leading manufacturer of natural medicines.
Homeopathy works on the principle of “like cures like” - that is, a substance that would cause symptoms in a healthy person is used to help those same symptoms in illness. Remedies are highly diluted and non-toxic.
Interest in homeopathy is growing – a Mintel report (July 2007) reported that the sale of homeopathic treatments, such as arnica cream had seen a 24 per cent growth since 2002.
The Society of Homeopaths is the largest body of professional homeopaths in Europe. Established in 1978, it has 1,500 registered members, who are fully insured and agree to practise in accordance with a strict Code of Ethics & Practice. A copy of The Society’s Code of Ethics & Practice plus the register is available on www.homeopathy-soh.org.

 
Homeopathy has been available on the NHS since its inception in 1948 and there are five NHS homeopathic hospitals.

In 2000, The House of Lords Select Committee on Science & Technology defined Homeopathy as a Group One therapy, commenting that “Under The Society of Homeopaths, the non-medical homeopaths have organised themselves well and their professional organisation should mean the transition to statutory regulation does not present too great an upheaval.” (House of Lords Select Committee on Science & Technology, Session 1999-2000, p52)
For further details about The Society of Homeopaths,  please contact Pamela Stevens on 0845 450 6611 or info@homeopathy-soh.org
 
References:

  1   House of Lords Science and Technology Committee – 6th Report of Session 2006-07: Allergy
 

    2 Spence DS, Thompson EA and Barron SJ. J. Homeopathic Treatment for Chronic Disease: A 6-Year, University-Hospital Outpatient Observational Study. Altern. Complement. Med. 2005; 11(5): 793-398: 89% of patients with asthma and 82% with eczema (under 16s) showed a positive outcome from homeopathic treatment.
3. Allergy UK (www.allergyuk.co.uk)