HOMEOPATHY is sometimes criticised by people who don’t believe it does any good but rarely, say homeopaths, from those who have experienced its benefits.

Winter may be the ideal time to sample some homeopathic remedies, especially with swine flu doing the rounds on top of ordinary seasonal flu as well as other colds and germs, although most homeopaths will describe it as complementary, not alternative, medicine because they want it to be used alongside conventional medicine supplied by a GP for example.

Winter is also a time when some of the UK’s more physical games are played, such as rugby and football, when it is easy to pick up bruises, cuts, aches, strains and general stiffness which can also benefit from homeopathic remedies.

Stephen Husbands is a registered homeopath with regular clinics in the West Midlands, including Healing Touch in Worcester.

Mr Husbands, who has been a qualified homeopath for the last 20 years, said: “For sports injuries there are a number of remedies to help with soft tissue injuries, joint problems and stiffness. There are remedies that make the stiffness go away that bit quicker.

“Homeopathic remedies can also help cuts heal more quickly. Most of the work homeopaths do is carried by word of mouth. Some people have rubbished homeopathy but it doesn’t seem to make any difference to the people who use it – they know it works.”

Mum and homeopath Liz Norman packs more than just a gumshield and some sticking plasters in her medicine bag when her sons are playing a football or rugby match.

Liz has three sporting sons and is always prepared for a wide range of medical maladies, whether it is a cold brought on in the wet and windy weather or a nasty bruise from a crunching tackle.

Mrs Norman, aged 44, of Sunnyside Close, Kempsey, near Worcester, says her son Max, nine, who plays hooker for the Worcester Warriors Mini Juniors, is already a tough customer but even he needs some TLC when he’s been soaked to the skin or has fallen on the frosty ground or taken more than his fair share of hard hits.

She said: “How many kids are off school when they could have had it nipped in the bud by a homeopathic remedy?

“We pack aconite 200c alongside my son’s gumshield, headgear and a flask of coffee. Either myself or my husband will go to every rugby match armed with a first aid kit with plasters, antiseptic wipes, ice packs and arnica 30c, arnica 200c, rhus toz 30c and aconite 30c. The arnica is for the inevitable bumps and bruises of a rugby match and I take the standard 30c for the everyday bumps and the 200c (this strength is only available from a practitioner or a specialist pharmacy) for the really nasty knocks like when Max had a suspected broken thumb which swelled up like a balloon.

“I gave him a few doses of arnica 200c along with ice packing the thumb and the swelling subsided really quickly and thankfully the X-ray showed no fracture or break.

“Some well timed doses of arnica can often see a bump that’s rising like an egg fade before your eyes.”

Mrs Norman, who trained for four years to become a homeopath, first sought homeopathic remedies 16 years ago when her oldest son Alex, who was six months old at the time, developed recurring ear infections which did not seem to go away with antibiotics.

HOMEOPATHY:ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

What is homeopathy?

Homeopathy has been practised for nearly 250 years and is based on the idea of ‘like cures like’. For example, if you chop an onion you might get a runny nose and smarting eyes – these symptoms are common to hayfever sufferers and can be treated with the remedy Allium Cepia (red onion).

What are homeopathic remedies and are they safe?

Homeopathic remedies usually come in the form of small, hard pills with a pleasant taste, although soft dissolvable pills and powders are available for babies.

Remedies are made from natural sources and are tested on healthy volunteers. They are non-addictive, non-toxic and, unlike conventional drugs, have no side effects.

Homeopathic remedies do not interfere with conventional medications and it is safe to take both at the same time. Since only a minute amount of the active ingredient is used in a specially prepared form, remedies are safe for everyone to use including babies, pregnant women and the elderly.

What does homeopathy treat?

Homeopathy treats the whole person and not just a symptom or disease. We all know that if a cold virus is ‘doing the rounds’ one person may still be up and about and only have a runny nose and eyes and the next person may feel tearful and have thick mucous discharges. A homeopath will treat both of these differently looking at the individual symptoms. For chronic or recurrent illnesses it is best to see a qualified homeopath, but for some first aid situations it is easy to use homeopathic remedies yourself at home.

Arnica

Give arnica after falls, accidents or any physical trauma to prevent bruising and speed up the healing process. You can also take this if you have been overdoing it in the garden or after any heavy physical activity. It is one of the main remedies to have just after giving birth to help with the pain and bruising (although this would normally be taken in a high dose).

Aconite

This is the main remedy for ‘nipping’ colds in the bud. Taking a dose of aconite often stops a sore throat or dry cough developing into a full blown cold.

Apis

A remedy made from honey bees and used to treat bee, wasp or even jelly fish stings.

Belladonna

This is used to treat high temperatures and fevers and where there is swelling, throbbing of the affected part (ie, tonsillitis where the tonsils are swollen and very red). Belladonna can be used alongside conventional medicines.

Chamomilla

This is the most common teething remedy and is characterised by one red cheek, the pain seems unbearable and the baby or child doesn’t know what to do with themselves, and often has diarrhoea.

Where to buy remedies

Most pharmacies and health food shops stock these remedies. For details of where to find a qualified homeopath or to get more information about homeopathy in general go to the Society of Homeopaths website homeopathysoh.

org.