Homeopathy for Acute Issues

First things first: if there is any question of safety of the individual, stop what you are doing and call your local emergency services.

Below are general directions for taking water doses for acute care only. Occasionally I give more customized directions which should be followed instead. If you have any questions, please email me.

Please read the directions below very carefully and completely. I know this is a lot to take in at first, but it will all become second nature when you get the hang of it. Taking your remedy will eventually take just a few seconds, but it is essential that you understand the correct way to take the remedy as well as the general safety guidelines. You can always email me with questions.

Getting your Remedy

Select remedies and potencies might be available at a nearby health food store, apothecary, or grocery. These often aren’t my favorite brands, but they are useful in lower potencies, acutes, and/or any situation where you want to obtain a remedy quickly.

The highest quality remedies can be ordered online from one of many homeopathic pharmacies or apothecaries. Here are some of my favorites:

Hahnemann Labs
Helios Homeopathy (they are in the UK, but ship to US)
I & E Organics
Washington Homeopathic Products

You can order a ½ or 2 dram vial. If prompted, I usually recommend #3-size pellets.

Please make absolutely sure that you are ordering the correct remedy and potency. Remedy names and potency labels can look very similar (ex. natrum silicatum vs. natrum sulphuratum, or 30c vs. 30x), but I assure you that they are all very different.

Preparing your remedy

You will need:

remedy pellets
distilled or spring water (not tap water)
a small, very clean glass dropper or bottle with a cap or lid

How to prepare your remedy:

Pour 1 oz. spring water into your small glass bottle.
Shake out 2-3 remedy pellets into the cap.Don’t touch the pellets with your hand.
Without touching the pellets, drop the pellets into the water and let them dissolve.

I recommend that you keep the solution in the refrigerator. Otherwise, it is likely to lose its potency relatively quickly. If you have no issues with alcohol, you can use a small amount of vodka or grain alcohol (about 10% of the solution) to preserve it for a longer period.

Taking the remedy

“Succuss” the remedy solution. Place a thick book on a sturdy table or surface. Strike the bottle gently but firmly against the book 5-10 times. I know this sounds odd, but it is absolutely vital. You can view this video (starting at 10 seconds in) to see what this looks like.
Take a few drops or up to one teaspoon, swishing it around in your mouth for 5-10 seconds, especially letting some of the water solution under your tongue. Then ingest. Start with a small dose, and work your way up. This is highly individualized, and the best dose can vary day to day so it is up to you.

Managing the Case – When to Give the Remedy

A good analogy for dosing during an acute is taking care of an infant. When an infant is happy, he is a pleasure to be around. But at some point, the child becomes fussy… either he is hungry, or tired, or uncomfortable, etc. If you ignore this, the child becomes upset and demands attention. You feed the child until he is happy, and then you leave him be. If you feed the child too much, he spits up all over your favorite shirt.

Now pretend that the illness (or other acute issue) is the infant. When things are uncomfortable or flaring up, give a dose of the remedy. If the illness is becomes “happy” (ie fed, napped, etc), then you have done your job for now, let it be. If the illness is still unhappy, give it another “bite” (another dose). If you’ve give too much, other symptoms can appear.

So here are some guidelines:

Give the first dose, and watch for a reaction
1. If you see immediate improvement, stop and wait and watch
2. If they have a negative reaction, wait till it calms down and watch for improvement (which is very common)
  1. If the negative reaction is scary and strong, give them a tinysip from the same remedy solution… this surprisingly has the effect of antidoting the remedy.
3. if nothing, go to step 2
If nothing happens, wait 15-30 minutes and try another dose
1. If you see immediate improvement, stop and wait and watch
2. if not any better, try again with another dose
3. after 3 or 4 doses and no improvement, it is likely the remedy is an incorrect choice. Move on to the next choice remedy

The basic guidelines after a dose are as follows:

If someone feels better, no more remedy. If they then feel poorly with the same symptoms, give another dose.
If someone feels worse after a remedy, stop and wait. Most of the time they will feel better after the aggravation. If the aggravation is strong and severe, give a tiny sip of the same remedy solution to antidote the remedy
If the symptoms/state changes after the remedy, we need to make another remedy choice. This may make it necessary to have another appointment with me.
If at any time you have concerns for a person’s safety, call 911 immediately.

General Guidelines

The most important aspect of taking a homeopathic remedy: if you feel markedly or abruptly different at any point, either better or perhaps worse, stop taking the remedy and contact me. This is generally a good sign, but your reaction to the remedy needs to be managed correctly for optimum benefit and to avoid additional complications.

When beginning a new remedy or a new dosage, always start off with just one or two drops per dose, and slowly work your way up slowly to determine an optimal dose

Have a clean palate when you take the remedy. Avoid food, drink, toothpaste, gum, etc. for 15 to 30 minutes before and after the dose.

More Guidelines

Store your remedy bottle and any solution you’ve made away in a dark, temperate, dry place, with no strong smells. This means not in a bathroom, a laundry room, or anywhere else with light, humidity, heat, or strong smells.

Try and avoid the following as your remedy acts:

Skin medicines/topical steroids – believe it or not, skin symptoms can be a sign of improving health and must not be suppressed
Camphor – including deep-heat rubs, Ben Gay, Tiger Balm, Carmex, and products such as these
Any product, food, chemical, or smell to which you are particularly sensitive
Close contact with electric blankets or heating pads
Dental work: if you are having dental work done, please let me know
Hard partying – alcohol and/or drug binges

Next Steps

Please email me 7-10 days after taking the remedy and update me on how you feel. We will meet for a follow up appointment in 4-6 weeks or as needed. As always, please let me know if you have any questions or require any additional information.

Please keep in touch while taking water doses. Email me once every week or two with progress updates. If you are feeling good, feel free to skip several days or weeks between doses. Even if you take a short break, you are still healing; this is not an allopathic medication that needs to be taken every day.

Most importantly, if you feel worse at any time, or you experience any new symptoms, stop taking the remedy and email me. If for any reason you no longer maintain regular contact with me, stop taking the remedy.

Finally, while I am here to aid you in your healing journey to the best of my skill and ability, your health and healing is ultimately your responsibility. This is your health and well-being, and this responsibility cannot be outsourced; I am merely a skilled consultant. Please review the Client Responsibility page.