Giving Multiple Remedies

The goal of every classical or Hahnemannian homeopath is to give the simillimum remedy. This is the most perfect single remedy that covers the case and will inspire the healing response. In a perfect world, this would always be the case and a single remedy would always work. In Hahnemann's time, there was a much more simple expression of dis-ease. Now we have so many influences and suppression's that disease in our modern world is far more complex.

My experience is that about half of all cases do very well with a single remedy. Others that have many drug influences and years of suppression often need another remedy to help the healing process. Finding the simillimum can be difficult in these cases because a single remedy just does not cover the entire energy of the case. Many times, a simillimum is given and the person does moderately well but there are some symptoms that are just not yielding. It is a fine line to determine if the vital force has not responded yet or another remedy is needed.

The degree of suffering that the client is having should not be the determining factor alone. Every homeopath wants his/her client to not suffer but sometimes it is this very suffering that is the aggravation and a second or multiple remedies is not necessary. It would be the worst thing to interfere with the reorganization of dis-ease as the vital force responds to the remedy.

During the initial prescription, there are times that a single remedy is just not enough. It takes great understanding of our Materia Medica and the persons dis-ease to prescribe accurately with the complex cases. There needs to be a very clear understanding of the remedies that combine best to cover the case. This is not a shotgun approach like with complex remedies as you might find in the local health food store. These are two or more specifically selected remedies that have very clear indications as applied to the case.

There should be little overlap of the remedy indications. The closer the remedies are, the more chance there is of one remedy interfering with another and diminishing the total singular vital force response. Indications should be clear within each of the remedies offered and the homeopath should have a very clear understanding of why multiple remedies should be given. This is an advanced method of treatment and should not be casually prescribed.

As with every prescription, there needs to be clarity of what is asking to be healed. Without this clarity, we will never find the best remedy. But when a single remedy only covers a part of the case and another remedy covers another part of the case, and each is essential to the totality of the case, multiple remedies can be selected. The totality of the remedies will then best cover the entire case. These remedies should be considered separate but can be given together.

When given together, the vital force recognizes them each at a similar period of time and can respond as if the separate energies are a single point of inspiration. Great care must be given in the administration of the remedies. Never have two or more bottles of the remedies open at the same time. Give one remedy and securely tighten the lid before opening another remedy. The remedies can combine in the mouth but should never cross-contaminate each other in the bottle.

Sometimes, in a person's healing, there will be an acute disease that needs the help of a second remedy during the time of chronic treatment. During this time, NEVER stop the chronic remedy. Always continue treatment with the remedy the person has been taking. Simply add an acute remedy that is best selected and have the person take the remedies separately. This is the time that there should not be a singular vital force response to the remedy. By taking the remedy at different times, the vital force will not lose the thread of the chronic remedy as it responds to the acute remedy.

Sometimes the acute remedy may need to be given many times during the day. Whatever is appropriate for treating the acute must be given. If the acute has many indications as in the event of trauma or injury, then give multiple remedies that have their acute indications. Staggering the times that these are given will help the vital force recognize them easier and help promote a clearer healing response. Multiple remedies could be given together for the sake of ease, only when the situation is of such intensity that the remedies should be given very frequently.

All prescribing is individual and each person should be handled in the most appropriate manner. No two cases are ever the same, so no two prescriptions will be either. Let the vital force tell you what to do. Multiple remedies can be the best solution to complex cases and acute disease or trauma when a single remedy would never quite do the trick. If you are very sure about your prescription, you may find much better results.