The remedies can be given in liquid, tablet, or granule form, and are most commonly derived from plant, mineral, and animal sources. A process known as �Proving� determines the conditions which any remedy will treat effectively. The initiator of the remedy finds a group of people willing to serve as Provers. These must be people whose health patterns, lifestyle, behaviour, and diet are regular and stable. A supervisor will record all of these details before the new remedy � the name of which will be unknown to both Prover and supervisor � is given. Any changes on either a physical, mental, or emotional level, which could be described as out of the ordinary, will be recorded by the supervisor. At the end of the proving period the findings of all the supervisors will be collated. These collated findings will provide the �picture� of the remedy, and the symptoms it has induced in a healthy person are the symptoms it will be designed to treat.
In an acute, or first-aid type situation, only the primary symptoms will be considered. In chronic cases, the Homoeopath will look at the situation from a Constitutional perspective. This means taking full detail of not only the presenting problem, but of the overall health history, personality � including behaviour, emotional state, likes and dislikes � and family health patterns. The Homoeopath will then identify the core patterns which need treating, and prescribe the remedy which most closely fits that picture. The strength of the remedy � referred to as potency � will be determined by the overall vitality of the patient. The aim is to stimulate the inner healing capacity of the patient, so that the body/mind will restore itself to health � emphasising that we are treating people with ailments, rather than the ailments themselves. The remedy will only be taken until significant improvement occurs. Occasionally, people may feel worse before they feel better � often referred to as a healing crisis � but this should be brief, and followed quickly by a clear and lasting improvement.
How often treatment is required will be determined by the level of improvement. At each visit the Homoeopath will carefully record any changes before deciding which is the most appropriate remedy. The intention is always to stimulate healing � in the words of Samuel Hahnemann � �in the most rapid, gentle, and permanent way possible�.