How to and When

Opening of a Remedy Vial

Dosage and Administration of Remedies

How often you give the remedy (the dosage) is probably more important than potency in first aid situations. If the patient’s ailment is a fever, you don’t need a high potency just give the 6c often, even every 10 minutes. Once you get a marked improvement (usually after the first 3-4 doses) spread the doses out. In an acute situation you should see some improvement with the correct remedy regardless of the potency used, if after 3 doses every 10 minutes you see no improvement at all, look for another remedy. It is important to try to feel into the energy of the situation and to meet the intensity of the illness with the frequency of the dose. For example someone with a Gelsemium flu is only going to need a 6c four times a day to match the slowness of the remedy picture, whereas someone with an Aconite cold could take the remedy every 10 minutes initially and then maybe every hour.

Repetition of doses: As a general rule you should reduce the frequency of doses of a remedy as it starts to act and not continue once the situation has resolved.

If you cannot choose between two remedies and are anxious to get some relief quickly, alternate the two remedies 5 minutes apart for 3 doses each, or if you are really desperate give them together. Giving remedies to babies, pets or sick kids can often be difficult. How do you give a remedy to a chook for instance?

When giving pilules is difficult

Remedies can be crushed into a fine powder between two clean spoons and a small amount dabbed on the tongue. Quantity is not important, as long as you get a little in there! Alternatively drop the remedy (no need to crush it) in a glass of (preferably) filtered or bottled water. Tap water is fine if it’s all you have. Stir to disperse the energy through the water and either give the patient a sip or a teaspoon full. This glass of water can continue to be used for further doses and has the added benefit of saving on pilules. This is also a good way to give remedies in labour. Some women cannot bear the taste of the sugary pills, but will want to sip water anyway. You can give a combination of Rescue Remedy and Arnica throughout labour in this way. For pets, put the remedy in their drinking water.

Constitutional Homoeopathic Treatment

Although Homoeopathic remedies may assist the symptoms of acute problems like coughs/colds/tummy aches at home, you may well find that especially in the case of children, the same cough, cold or earache keeps recurring.

Should this be the case it could be time to consider a “constitutional” consultation.

Constitutional Homoeopathy differs from acute or complex prescribing in that we go deeply into all aspects of the person. Homoeopaths have always stressed the importance of assessing the totality of the person thereby stimulating the body’s own self healing potential or vital force to such a degree that the need for “acute” prescribing practically disappears.

Certain factors affect our state of health. Firstly, there may be an inherent weakness or predisposition to certain illnesses. We all know of families where migraine or chest problems seems to run in the family. Even a grandparent having had TB or lung cancer may be a contributor to your child’s asthma or bronchitis.

Family history is very important. Another factor can be “sudden change of health” such as never being well since vaccination, antibiotics, parental split up, accident etc. The same applies to adults for eg. “I was fine until I started the pill” or “my husband lost his job”.

It is usually only when a person’s defences are weakened that infections are able to take “hold”. Homoeopaths do not assume that bacteria are the primary cause of infections – we take into account the bacteria and the resistance of the person’s defence system. We all know that not everybody gets the flu – or that when we’re down or unhappy that we will get a cold.

We are also becoming more and more aware of the shortcomings of orthodox medical treatment. Not only do these treatments have side effects, they also can suppress the body’s attempts to heal itself, leading to even more serious health problems further down the line.

So – if any of this strikes a chord with you, maybe it’s time to see a homoeopath for a constitutional consult.

 Taking of Homoeopathic Remedies

  • The remedies are absorbed in the mouth, so are best held in the mouth for several minutes before swallowing. In the case of pilules, allow them to dissolve under the tongue.
  • Unless the dose is very frequent, half an hour before meals, or between meals, is the best time to take your dose. However, 10 minutes before or after a meal or taking a drink, is acceptable.
  • Do not use peppermint toothpaste, or drink strong peppermint tea, or ordinary coffee as these may antidote your remedies.
  • Do not smoke, brush your teeth or gargle, or drink alcohol, within half an hour of taking remedies.
  • Do not touch the remedies with your hands. Liquids may be administered on a teaspoon, diluted with water. Likewise, when administering pilules to infants or small children, a teaspoon is helpful. Pilules can be rolled into the lid of the vial, and then dropped under the tongue.
  • If any pilules are dropped, they should be discarded and not returned to the bottle.
  • Store your remedies away from direct light and heat, and away from all strong smelling substances, particularly camphor, as the potency of the medicine will be weakened.
  • When using Homoeopathic remedies, do not use products such as “Vicks” or “Deep Heat”, as these will antidote the remedy. There are very effective Homoeopathic creams which you can use instead when needed.
  • When taking more than one medicine, separate the doses by at least 10 minutes, preferably longer.
  • Store your medicines away from electrical appliances such as fridge, TV, microwave, clock radio and stereo.

Contact Us for more information or if you would like to learn more about home-prescribing come to our class. You will learn how to select the most appropriate remedy and potency to treat acute symptoms and first aid situations at home.