Using remedies
Ways to take a remedy.
Drops, water, pillules and more. Find the way that suits you.
There is more than one way to take a homeopathic remedy. Some are everyday and simple, and some are special methods a practitioner might suggest. Whichever way you take it, the directions on your label or from your consultation always come first.
- Most common
- Drops under the tongue
- Gentlest
- Water dosing
- Alcohol-free
- Pillules
- Practitioner methods
- Plussing, olfaction, on the skin
Neat drops
Straight under the tongue.
The simplest way, and how most of my clients take their remedy. Bang the bottle firmly against your palm 3 times, then put three drops under your tongue, in a clean mouth, about 10 minutes away from food and drink.
- Dropper lid: Squeeze the bulb and count the drops
- Dripolator lid: Tip the bottle and the drops come out one at a time, no squeezing needed
- Hands off: Keep the dropper or bottle from touching your mouth
Water dosing
A few drops in a glass.
Add a few drops to a small glass of water and stir it firmly. Each teaspoon or sip is one dose. Stir again before every dose. Water dosing is gentle, and handy when you need to dose often.
- Use a clean glass: And fresh, plain water
- Cover it: And keep it away from strong smells
- Make it fresh: Each day
- Use a plastic or wooden spoon: If you can
Water bottle
Every sip is a dose.
On the go? Add a few drops to a water bottle and give it a shake. Each sip is now a dose, so sip to match the intensity: more often when symptoms are strong, less often as you feel better. Shake before each sip, and start a fresh bottle each day.
Plussing
A little different each time.
Hahnemann found that changing the remedy slightly between doses could make repeated doses gentler. With plussing, you stir or succuss the remedy before each dose, and sometimes top up the water. It's often used with LM potencies and ongoing care. I'll explain exactly how if it's right for you.
Split dose
One dose, spread out.
A split dose (also called a wet dose) is one dose dissolved in water and taken in parts, often over a day or a few days, stirring each time. Hahnemann described an early version of this in his later work.
Pillules and globules
Tiny sugar pills.
Pillules (also called globules) are small sugar pills that have been medicated with the remedy. They contain no alcohol, which some people prefer. Tip one or two into the lid, then straight under your tongue, and let them dissolve. Try not to touch them with your fingers.
- Pillules and globules: Small, round sugar pills
- Granules: Even tinier, easy for little ones
- Tablets: Pressed and flat, often in shop-bought remedies
Dry dose
One dose, then wait.
Sometimes a practitioner gives a single dose, often of a higher potency, and then asks you to wait and watch for weeks before repeating anything. It can feel like very little, but waiting is part of the method.
Sometimes the most important part of a dose is the waiting that comes after it.
Olfaction
Just a sniff.
In the early 1830s, Hahnemann introduced olfaction: breathing in the remedy from an open bottle, rather than swallowing it. It's rarely used today, but some practitioners still suggest it for very sensitive people.
On the skin
A drop on the wrist.
Hahnemann later added rubbing a remedy into healthy skin, such as the inner wrist or forearm, for people who can't take it by mouth. It's a practitioner method, so please ask me first.
Little ones
Easy for small people.
For children, a few drops in a little water on a spoon, in a small cup or in their drink bottle works well. Pillules and granules can be crushed between two clean spoons, or dissolved in a little water. For babies, please ask me first.
Whichever way you choose
A few golden rules.
Clean mouth
About 10 minutes away from food, drink and toothpaste.
Hands off
Don't touch pillules or the dropper with your fingers or mouth.
Wait and watch
No need to repeat while things are improving.
Store with care
Cool, dark, and away from strong smells.
Have a question? Let's chat.
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