Ever wondered why sometimes you need a quick fix for a sniffle, while other times it feels like your health just can’t catch a break?

Well, it turns out in homeopathy we have got two main approaches: acute and chronic prescribing. Each method serves distinct purposes and requires a nuanced understanding of the patient’s condition and individual characteristics.

Let’s take a closer look at each one.

Acute Prescribing

In homeopathy, acute prescribing focuses on addressing short-term health issues or sudden aggravations of ongoing conditions. These could include ailments like a cold, flu, fever, or injury – the kind of things that pop up suddenly and require prompt attention.

When prescribing for an acute concern, all the current symptoms need to be assessed – where it hurts, what makes it better or worse, and any other sensations you’re experiencing that may have appeared at the same time. This information allows to select a remedy that closely matches your symptoms.

These remedies are typically administered in low to moderate potencies and may need to be taken frequently, depending on the duration and intensity of your symptoms. It is also common that with the evolution of your acute condition, different remedies may be required in sequence.

The aim of acute prescribing is to provide rapid relief and help you feel better quickly. It’s like giving your health a quick reboot. Whether it’s a cold or a sprained ankle, acute prescribing is there to give a nudge to your body’s own healing powers to engage quickly into restoration mode and return to health.

Chronic Prescribing

Chronic prescribing is like the detective work of homeopathy. It’s for those long-term health puzzles that need a bit more digging, like chronic fatigue, recurring headaches, or digestive issues.

When you’re dealing with a chronic problem, a homeopath goes beyond just your symptoms. They want to understand what’s been going on in your life – from your past illnesses to how you’ve been feeling emotionally. It’s like peeling back the layers to uncover the root causes of your health issues.

Based on this big picture, the homeopath chooses a remedy that matches not just your symptoms, but you as a whole person. This remedy isn’t just about masking your symptoms – it’s about getting to the heart of what’s really going on inside your body. It’s aimed at kickstarting your body’s natural healing process and addressing those underlying imbalances.

And here’s the kicker: chronic prescribing isn’t just about fixing what’s wrong now – it’s also about preventing future health issues. By getting to the root of your health concerns and supporting your body’s natural healing abilities, chronic prescribing sets you up for long- term wellness and resilience.

Unlike acute remedies, chronic remedies are deeper acting and usually taken less often. It’s like giving your body a gentle nudge in the right direction and helping it find its way back to balance and well-being.

So, whether it’s a quick fix for a cold or a deeper journey to better health, homeopathy has got you covered – from symptom relief to prevention and beyond!

Can I do it myself?

Well, it depends.

Acute prescribing for common ailments is quite straightforward and millions of people use homeopathic remedies this way for themselves and their families. Like with any other activity, you become efficient in home-prescribing by practicing it. Once you start knowing the basic remedies, it will become easier for you to recognise an Aconite fever from a Belladonna or a Gelsemium fever, or Chamomilla teething pains from those of Phytolacca for example.

As a home-prescriber you  ZOOM-IN on the acute condition and by seeing the magnified picture of it, you search for the matching remedy.

 

 

But if it is your third tonsillitis this winter or if those warts keep gaining territory on your feet (and elsewhere!) in spite of all the cures you have tried, or if your child has become extremely sensitive to the slightest noise since his friend moved abroad, it is a whole different story. It may mean that there is a deeper underlying imbalance in your or your child’s body which calls for a global review of the picture.

In other words a ZOOM-OUT approach is necessary, which will take into consideration the symptoms which are now bothering you the most but will do so in the overall context of your health and even in the context of your family health history. The homeopath may also inquire about your stress levels, emotional triggers, and any significant life events or traumas. Lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, sleep patterns, and environmental exposures may also be discussed. To understand how to put all these pieces of the puzzle together takes a thourough knowledge of homeopathy and a good dose of experience.

 

It also requires objectivity which we lack when looking at ourselves or at our close family. Attempting on prescribing for oneself or your husband or child in chronic conditions is like being a fish in a tank and at at the same time trying to observe oneself from the outside.

This is why a great majority of homeopaths consult homeopaths !