The difference between homeopathic combination remedy and single remedy
What are they?
There are many homeopathic combination remedies out there on sale. You can find them online. They are even sold by big online companies such as Amazon.
They are sold in formulas and may be called by the names of the complaints: Insomnia formula, Cold formula, Flu formula and so on.
Combination remedies are a mixture of several low-potency single homeopathic remedies. Sometimes five or six single remedies or even more.
They are often used to treat a complaint when a lay person is trying to get some relief as they don’t want to use conventional drugs. Or the conventional drugs which they have been prescribed are not helping them. I have seen some people taking combination remedies along to their conventional medicine treatment. Combination remedies can work for many people and may work for you too.
They don’t damage you if the instructions in the packaging are in accordance with the rules of the homeopathic prescribing principles.
Unfortunately, in most cases, the instructions given are not in accordance with homeopathic principles on how to take a homeopathic remedy.
The instructions in packages of combination remedies are written as if they are conventional medicines, i.e., take regular many doses over 24 hours.
The user may end up taking too many doses and start proving* every single remedy that make up the combination remedy.
A homeopathic proving is a temporary increase of the intensity of the symptoms. They tend to resolve themselves on their own or after a prescription of a well-indicated remedy.
A proving should be avoided. Someone with diarrhoea, would’t want to have more diarrhoea!
Homeopathic combinations remedies can also cause suppression when used by lay persons. That is the symptoms are pushed into more vital layers, more vital organs.
Some homeopaths even state that combination remedies can cause weakness of, or even damage, the vital force. In fact, many homeopaths also argue against patients being prescribed or choosing from their own accord to take various single homeopathic remedies at the same time and daily because that also harms the vital force and the body by suppression.
Do combination remedies formulas work for the relief of complaints such as hay fever, anxiety, stomach flu, insomnia? Will they work for that awful headache I have?
Yes, indeed they can help, they can provide relief.
They can also work for a while then stop working especially if your condition is chronic.
They can also make the complaint worse as mentioned previously when the user start proving the combination remedy after taking it or repeating it too often as if the user is taking conventional medicines and goes into a state of proving*.
Some individuals can take only two doses of a combination remedy and start proving* every remedy of that combination. These are sensitive people who are very sensitive to remedies.
Others can take the whole bottle over a few days and nothing happens.
Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing beforehand which kind of person you are.
The general consensus is that younger, healthier people can take multiple doses and experience no problems. People with skin conditions such as eczema, with allergies and other chronic health issues need to be very careful and not follow combination remedies packaging instructions.
As mentioned at the beginning combination of remedies are in low potencies.
In Homeopathy low potency means the remedy is not highly diluted. Also, in homeopathy, greater dilution means greater strength.
So in theory, if you take low potencies over a long period of time there will be no intensification of symptoms.
However in practice, aggravations can happen and they do occur with low potencies even after only a few doses. There is no way to know beforehand if you are a sensitive person or not, how you will react after taking a remedy.
Combination Remedy and Individuality
Homeopathy is highly individualised system of medicine and no two cases of migraine, for instance, will be prescribed the same remedy since the selection of a remedy prescription is based on eight principles which are based on natural laws observed by Hahnemann.
A combination remedy may work, however not as well as a well-selected, well-indicated single remedy which has gone through a homeopathic “proving” (another principle of homeopathy).
A single remedy that works for one person, won’t provide any relief to another person. The same applies in relation to remedy dose and potency.
One of the eight principles of homeopathy is The Law of Similars or “like cures like” and is a natural law (just as the other seven principles of homeopathy).
“Like cures Like” states that in order for any remedy to give relief of the symptoms, the symptoms it can produce in healthy volunteers (proving*) must match those seen in the patient being treated.
A single remedy prescription will be based on the individuals likes, dislikes, mental & emotional characteristics, their story, their genetic inheritance and how the migraine presents itself in each person.
For people who have training in homeopathy or just know more about homeopathy through access to self-help books, the best course of action is to work with single remedies.
The reasons are firstly because the option of remedy is greater and secondly, because there is a wider range of potencies to use in single remedies.
However if you have no choice, a combination remedy may give you good relief.
The best treatment is always to use single remedies for constitutional treatment prescribed by a professional homeopath.
Combination remedies can be safe, easy and a quick way for lay person to try homeopathy for various complaints. They may work for some people but may be harmful to others.
Besides if you suffer from a chronic health complaint then it is best to seek a the help of a professional homeopath for chronic treatment and safe, gentle and permanent healing.
However if you still want to take a combination remedy, pay attention to the following recommendations:
1. A Combination Remedy is only a temporary measure – working with a professional homeopath is a much wiser choice. A professional homeopath studied for four years and knows all the principles of homeopathy and how to apply them during treatment of chronic conditions.
2. Take One dose only. If it helps, then do not repeat the dose. Only repeat it again when symptoms return. However, if your conditions is chronic, then the combination remedy will eventually stop working for good.
3. Consider a combination remedy as a short-term course of action. Seek professional care.
Homeopathy is an amazing system of healing. It is the safest, gentlest, non-addictive and by far the greenest system of medicine with no side effects.
It is used by over five hundred million people worldwide to keep themselves and their families well.
* a homeopathically prepared substance is administered to healthy volunteers in order to produce the symptoms specific to that substance and thereby reveal its inherent curative powers.