The Repetition of Dosing

Posology is the science of the dosage of medicines. It is very important in homeopathy. We are always very concerned about finding the correct homeopathic remedy, the simillimum. This is usually the greatest challenge for the homeopath. But after the remedy has been found, it is important to see that the case moves forward and healing is maintained.

Potency selection is the next step in the prescription and it is intimately tied to the repetition of the dose. Hahnemann stressed the minimum dose necessary to inspire the vital force. The potency needs to be slightly stronger than the expression of the vital force. This way it will inspire as the vital force will have a direction to move towards.

With most children and healthier adults that have not been suppressed by years of drug treatment, a single dose is always preferable. It requires more case management because we need to understand how the vital force responded to the dose and the duration of its response. Remember, homeopathy is not like drug therapies where a level of drug in the body is necessary to see the expected response.

Homeopathy works because of susceptibility and is energetic. The energy of the vital force produces the dis-ease and the response to the remedy energy will inspire the vital force to extinguish the dis-ease also.

The key to the repetition of dosing is to maintain the inspiration so the vital force can continue its response. After the single dose has been given, it is necessary to know the response and how long it has lasted. This does require more communication, especially after higher potencies have been administered and aggravations could be more severe.

I have found that most dis-eases yield best to a daily dose of a lower potency to start the case. There are many obstacles to cure that exist in our world today that did not exist in Hahnemann’s time. These tend to extract much of the energy of health on a daily basis. The stress of our economic situation, social obligations and interests, and general toxins in our environment, including suppressive drug treatments, lead to a very taxed immune system and depleted vital force.

With these conditions, it is necessary to remind the vital force more often to keep it maintained in the healing response. I use lower potencies often and have the person take the remedy one or two times per day. This is easier to monitor and when the remedy is accurately chosen, the chance for provings is nearly non-existent.

Cases are easier to manage since the possibility of aggravation is less with lower potencies and minor changes can be made to the dose to mitigate anything that comes up. Follow-ups can be scheduled a bit farther apart with the agreement that if anything comes up, I need to hear from my client.

In acute conditions where pathology is present, it is necessary to repeat the remedy far more often. It takes a lot of vital force energy to produce acute expressions so therefore it would require more doses to maintain the inspired healing response. Taking a low (6C-30C) to medium potency (30C-200C) may need to be repeated many times a day, even up to hourly. When an acute condition is present and the person has responded well, only then will I start to reduce the frequency of the dose. If the person has not responded well, it could be a potency issue or maybe a different remedy is needed.

Acute colds, flu, infections, etc, that have inflammation associated with them need to be treated long after the immediate symptoms have been resolved. The infection that was present during the acute is usually still present after the symptom has been removed. I often see the dis-ease returning if the remedy is stopped too soon. It is best to treat for between 4 and 10 days after the person is symptom-free. This length is usually determined by the length of the previous illness. The longer they have been sick, the longer the need to treat after the symptoms clear.

Protocol is not a good idea to embrace with homeopathy. Homeopathy is individualized medicine and the person always tells the homeopath what is the next step to take. This is client-driven medicine. There are so many variables in the person, their disease, the accuracy of the remedy and potency, etc. The dosage becomes critically important as well.

Let the client's response tell you what to do next. Having some experience in dosing and the use of lower potencies on a daily basis will help you have more successful cases as the person's vital force may be better inspired to continue the healing response.

Keep the conversation going! I would love to hear your questions and thoughts below!