How Often Should I Take My Remedy?

The following instructions are suitable for acute (short-lived) problems rather than chronic complaints.

One dose equals one pill or pellet, or ¼ dropper (5-7 drops) of liquid taken by mouth. It’s not necessary for the remedy to be placed under the tongue or to be swallowed.

Minor Conditions (for which you would probably not seek professional help.)

Examples: A mildly sprained ankle, or a nuisance-value sore throat.

Dose: Every 4 hours until symptoms start to improve. With improvement, space the doses further apart, taking a dose only when symptoms start to return. If there is no improvement at all by 3 doses (after 12 hours) choose a more suitable remedy or contact your homeopath.

Troubling Conditions (for which you might seek professional help.)

Examples: A painful and swollen sprained ankle that can tolerate some weight, or a troublesome sore throat.

Dose: Every 2 hours until symptoms start to improve. With improvement, space the doses further apart, taking a dose only when symptoms return. If there is no improvement at all by 3 doses (after 6 hours) choose a more suitable remedy or contact your homeopath.

Serious Conditions (for which you would seek professional help.)

Examples: A painful and swollen ankle that you cannot place any weight on at all, or a sore and red throat that makes eating or drinking difficult.

Dose: Every ½ hour until symptoms start to improve. With improvement, space the doses further apart, taking a dose only when symptoms return. If there is no improvement at all by 3 doses (after 1 1/2 hours) choose a more suitable remedy or contact your homeopath.

Emergency Situations (Conditions for which you would phone urgently for an ambulance.)

Examples: An obviously broken ankle where the bone has pierced the skin and the person is in severe pain or shock, or a painful, swollen throat that is leading to suffocation.

Dose: Every 15 seconds to a minute while waiting for the ambulance. If the remedy is correct there should be a rapid improvement in symptoms. With improvement, space the doses further apart. If there is no improvement at all by 3 – 6 doses (after 1 – 2 minutes), change to another remedy.

Aggravations

An aggravation is a temporary intensification of symptoms after taking a dose of the remedy. Stop dosing at this point.

Once the aggravation settles, improvement should follow if the remedy was correct for the symptoms.

Once this happens, repeat the remedy only when this improvement stalls or symptoms start to return.

If the aggravation settles but without following improvement, the remedy choice was likely incorrect.

Review the symptoms and choose a better-matching remedy.