What is a Homeopathic Remedy and How Do I Use One?

What is a Homeopathic Remedy?

Homeopathic remedies are wonderful, natural ways to treat a wide variety of health issues. If they are prescribed and taken correctly, they can be very effective.

The system of homeopathy has been described as “likes cures likes”.  This means that a substance that would cause a certain condition can be utilized in a different form to resolve that same condition.

A homeopathic remedy is a dilution or energetic presence of a substance (sometimes as much as a 100x dilution).  For example, Apis Mellifica is made from a honeybee.  After the bee is crushed, it is diluted with alcohol until the offending aspect of the bee venom is removed.  The resulting substance has curative abilities that can be used to relieve the pain and inflammation caused by honeybee stings and other conditions that have similar symptoms.

 

Another example is the homeopathic remedy Phosphorus. If you took the substance phosphorus, it would cause pneumonia-like effects and would contribute to congestion in the body going to the lungs.  However, homeopathic phosphorus does just the opposite.  When a patient has congestion that is just beginning to go down into the lungs, taking homeopathic phosphorus can reverse this process and prompt the body to heal.   

What Conditions Can Homeopathic Remedies Be Helpful in Resolving?

Acute prescribing of homeopathic remedies can help with conditions that develop suddenly and can be cured quickly, such as ear aches, sore throats, bruises, nausea, insect bites, or colds and flus. 

Constitutional prescribing of homeopathic remedies can help with more chronic or recurring health issues, such as hormonal problems, digestive issues, skin disorders, lack or energy, or emotional issues, such as being angry, depressed or anxious..

Miasmatic prescribing of homeopathic remedies can address generational concerns that have been passed down through your family, conditions caused by environmental factors, and other issues.

Acute homeopathic remedies are simple to choose, such as Arnica Montana to prevent or resolve bruising or Apis Mellifica for bee stings.  Many of these remedies are available in local health food stores, as their application can be easily determined.

Properly prescribing remedies for constitutional or miasmatic issues is much more complicated and requires the assistance of a doctor who understands the body and has the training and experience to ask the proper questions and do the research to match the appropriate remedy to the unique characteristics of a patient and the specific qualities of their condition. 

Prescribing these remedies requires more detailed information about the patient’s constitution.  Your constitution includes the physical characteristics of your body, such as your build and body type, the activity of your metabolic processes, your reaction to stimuli, and your immune responses.  It may also require understanding aspects of your emotional constitution.

Many of these conditions require a series of remedies to resolve all of the issues involved, like peeling away the layers of an onion, until you are able to reveal the core.  Each of the layers must be resolved in its proper sequence to facilitate the exposure and resolution of the core issue.

 

What Are Some Examples of Patient’s Reactions to Homeopathic Remedies?

Homeopathic remedies have the amazing ability to help to activate the God-given innate healing abilities present in our own bodies.  While the result of taking such a remedy is not always curative, most conditions will respond positively and there are no permanent negative side effects.

I have been amazed by some of the effects of homeopathy in my practice.

For example, a parent brought in their toddler, whose ears were red and hot from an infection.  The child was crying in distress from pain while holding his ears.  Upon examination, I found that his eardrum was an angry red and he had a high fever.  I gave him a homeopathic remedy, Belladonna.  Within only one minute, he was calm and playing happily.

I saw this same reaction in my own 6-month-old son.  While just beginning to study homeopathy in naturopathic college, my 6-month-old son was crying in pain and pulling at his ear.  I determined that one of two remedies would be the proper one for him, but I was new at this and wasn’t sure which one to administer.  After I gave him the first one, he continued to scream in pain.  So I administered the second.  He almost immediately stopped crying and was calm and peaceful. If it was just a placebo effect my son would have been better from the first remedy.

 

Another example was a woman who came to the clinic complaining of extremely painful menstrual cramps.  She told me that the pain would get so bad that she felt like hurting her dog or striking out at anyone around her.  After some research, I prescribed her a homeopathic remedy that seemed suited to her constitution and complaints.  When she returned for her next appointment, she told me that during her next menstrual cycle she loved her dog and that now her husband loves me!

 

How long do I continue taking a homeopathic remedy?

This depends upon your condition and your reaction to the remedy. 

For acute remedies, a course of 3x day for one day, 2x day the second day, and once the third day may be sufficient. 

A constitutional or miasmic remedy may be taken just once until a change is affected.

However, when a constitutional or miasmatic remedy begins to have an effect, it is important to carefully evaluate whether or not to continue, and if so, how often and for how long. The potency of the remedy may be increased if indicated to have more profound healing effect.

A constitutional or miasmic remedy may be taken just once until a change is affected. 

What Should I Avoid Doing While Taking a Homeopathic Remedy?

1. Some things may nullify a homeopathic remedy or make it less effective.  Here are three things to avoid while taking a homeopathic remedy. Don’t eat or drink for 15-20 minutes before or after taking the remedy, it could nullify the remedy or prevent the remedy from working properly.

2. Don’t touch the pellets, as it could contaminate the remedy and alter its effect. You can let the pellets fall into the cap and toss them under your tongue.

3.  Don’t eat, drink, or touch anything aromatic while taking a homeopathic remedy, such as mint (no mint toothpaste), drinks high in caffeine (coffee, teas, or energy drinks), or eucalyptus.  Avoid using aromatic products such as Tiger Balm, Vicks VapoRub, Biofreeze, and Icy Hot.   These types of products can nullify the healing effect of homeopathic remedies.

Homeopathic remedies are diluted down in order to stimulate the body to heal.  If a strong substance competes with it, the body will not be able to recognize and assimilate the remedy.

Do Homeopathic Remedies Have Side Effects?

Homeopathic remedies do not have side effects in the way that pharmaceutical drugs or herbal remedies may have.  However, some remedies may have a proving effect, in which the very symptoms or qualities you are trying to change are presenting themselves instead of healing and eliminating them.  In this case, the remedy needs to be changed.

 

How Do I find a Doctor Who Has the Education and Experience to Help Me with a Constitutional Or Miasmatic Homeopathic Remedy?

If you are looking for a doctor to help you with a more complicated remedy, look for a licensed Naturopathic Physician.  A licensed ND has to graduate from an accredited Naturopathic College and pass national boards and state licensing examinations.  They are required to continue to receive continuing education each year to stay current on the most recent research.

In the United States and Canada, there are seven naturopathic schools:  National University of Natural Medicine (Portland), Bastyr College (Seattle and San Diego), Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (Vancouver and Toronto),  National University of Health Sciences (Chicago), National University of Natural Medicine (Portland), and Sonoran College (Phoenix).  There are also physicians who graduated with their degree from the University of Bridgeport, CT, but this school no longer provides naturopathic education.

Unlike online degrees, which are not accredited, graduates of these schools receive the same basic science education that MDs and DOs receive, but are educated in the use of holistic and natural approaches to therapy (including clinical nutrition, botanical medicine, homeopathy, physical medicine with a strong emphasis on disease prevention and optimizing wellness.
 

Dr. Hunter Greenwood DC ND is a licensed Naturopathic Physician, who specializes in homeopathy.   He graduated from National College of Naturopathic Medicine (now known as National University of Natural Medicine) in Portland, Oregon, the oldest and premier naturopathic college in the US. 

Because Missouri has no naturopathic licensing, he retains his license in Washington State.  He has helped thousands of patients find hope and healing with natural medicine in his over 40 years of practice.

Homeopathic remedies can relieve difficult symptoms and bring joy in our journey to better health.

If you are interested in learning more about how homeopathic remedies can help you, call Dr. Greenwood at 417-725-6655.

Isn’t it time YOU felt good again?