Consultation:

What is involved in a consultation?
In the initial consultation, I enquire mostly about presenting symptoms in depth. The successful homeopathic prescription relies on a complete understanding of people´s presenting complaints, their symptoms. Key to this understanding for me is the question – "how does this adult or child in front of me experience their disease or symptoms?". To take asthma for instance, there are common symptoms to all asthmatics – wheezing, dry cough at night, chest tightness worse on exertion, diminished peak flow. Deeper enquiry though reveals a more individual expression of the disease – for instance a band like constriction of the chest; waking at three am with the cough; feeling irritable and wanting to be alone; difficult expulsion of the phlegm and so on. For every condition, we all have our individual experience and expression of that condition.

I also enquire as to previous medical history, family history and any other relevant information. Initial consultations last up to two hours and follow-up consultations last up to an hour. During a consultation, I may also suggest changes that would be beneficial to a particular condition. For instance, in the management of asthma, regular exercise and fresh air alone can significantly improve lung function and help reduce drug dependency.

Where are the consultations?
I see people at their homes or at the Exeter Natural Health Centre. Reasons for home consultations vary - for some it is a question of transport and convenience, whilst for others it is a case of being more at ease in their home environment. Seeing children at home can work really well as many children find the constraints of an hour to an hour and a half in a clinic boring and frustrating. As much of my practice is based on home visits, I am happy to travel some distance. I regularly see patients from Sidmouth down to the South Hams.

The Exeter Natural Health Centre is a very attractive multidisciplinary clinic in Queens Walk that runs between Gandy Street and Queen Street in central Exeter.

Ψ