The Homeopathic Consultation: What to Expect

myra meeting client

The Homeopathic Consultation

Essential to effective homeopathic treatment is the information that you, the client, provide to the homeopath. The homeopathic interview involves extensive questioning and listening by the homeopath, not just a few quick questions. To prepare yourself for the consultation, please review the information below.

Preparing For Your Visit: What To Bring
  • Completed client questionnaire which will be provided in advance. (Downloadable form, emailed, faxed or it can be mailed to you.)
  • Any test results from your physician or other health care providers.
  • A list of medications and supplements you are currently taking including the dosage.
Reason For Visit

I want you to state in your own words the conditions that brought you to seek treatment. Describe them as fully as possible. Your description should include everything that is truly characteristic of your problems. Precise details are best, but only if you can be definite about them. Your account should include the following:

Onset Of Symptoms

What seems to bring on your troubles? Do you associate the onset of your condition with exertion, change of diet, time of year, an emotional upset, prolonged or pronounced stress, lack of sleep, exposure to the weather, an injury, medication use, surgery, or any other factors? Think back to when it all began.

Location Of Symptoms

Be precise. “Pain in the left temple” is more helpful than simply “a headache.”

Character Of The Sensation Or Pain

Describe the nature of the sensation in your own words. Is it tingling, burning, numb, crawling or itching? Is the pain cutting, dull, aching, sharp, cramping, like a knife or needle, etc?

Discharges Or Bleeding From Any Part Of The Body

Give color, consistency, quantity, and odor of the discharge.

Complaints Are Worse Or Better?

Does your condition vary with the time of day or night – or season of the year? Is it affected by your position (sitting, standing, lying, etc.) or activity (motion of any body part, walking, vigorous exercise, rest, etc.)? How do temperature, weather, eating, sleeping affect your condition? Anything that clearly influences the intensity or pattern of your symptoms should be reported.

Associations

Anything that regularly occurs in association with your symptoms should be mentioned. Are you always nauseated when you have a headache? Does your skin clear up when you get your menstrual period?

Mental/Emotional Sphere

What are the most characteristic emotional patterns you experience? How do you express your emotion? When do you feel happy? What emotion most limits your ability to fully express yourself or to reach your full potential? What about your memory, clarity of thought, and so on?

Nutrition

Be ready to describe the kinds of and approximate amounts of food you usually eat. In addition, you’ll be asked to list the foods that you crave or have strong preferences for (even if you think these foods are not good for you), and foods that you strongly dislike.

Sexuality

I will ask you to describe your level of sexual energy and any problems with sexual expression.

Sleep

The quality and quantity of sleep that you require, recurrent dreams and the nature of your dreams are important.

General Information

In addition to information about your local symptoms, the homeopath needs to know a lot about you in general. This is very important, and may be decisive when choosing the remedy. I want to know how vital and energetic you feel, and how your sense of well-being changes as a result of environmental or emotional factors and how you are affected, in general, by temperature, weather, time of day, activity level,

Eating And Sleeping

What makes you feel better, what worse? Remember, this may be very different from what makes a particular symptom better or worse.

Family History

I will ask about the family history. It is an opportunity to discuss any family illnesses or circumstances in the family lineage are sometimes seen in homeopathy as influencing the causation of illnesses or symptoms.

Treatment

Based mainly on the information you provide, a main remedy will be found that fits you best in a total way, You will be given this one remedy to stimulate the healing process. Sometimes one or more adjunct remedies are given in addition to the main remedy to support an organ, sleep or some other situation. Adjuncts can be a homeopathic remedy, herbal tincture, flower essence, gemmotherapy tincture, supplement, etc. Again each situation is individual to the person’s situation. No adjunct will be given that will interfere with the action of the main remedy.

Taking The Remedy

Remedies may be given dry or as a liquid. A dry dose consists of 10-20 of the tiny granules or 2-4 of the larger pea-sized globules or tablets. Take the remedy dry under the tongue arid allow it to dissolve before swallowing. Instructions for taking liquid remedies can also vary, they are usually packaged in 1-ounce of half-ounce dropper bottles, but you may also be asked to mix a liquid remedy from your dry remedy. Be sure to avoid strong odors or direct sunlight when you pour out your dose. Do not take water with the remedy. There should be no strong taste in the mouth. Take the remedy at least twenty minutes before or after meals.  Instructions will be given with each remedy. Be certain to ask questions if you don’t understand the instructions given with a remedy.

Action Of The Remedy

Each individual experiences the reaction to the remedy in a different way. Usually, the effects are gentle and gradual, though at times more rapid or dramatic changes occur. Since the remedies work to better your general health, do not be concerned if local symptoms do not change right away.

Changing Symptoms

Most changes in illness symptoms are good signs. Sometimes new symptoms begin. Often there are not side effects of the remedy but an indication that the body is responding to the remedy’s stimulus. For any dramatic change, new discomfort or lack of progress stop the remedy and call and report what is happening.

Repetition Of The Dose

The strength, frequency and duration of the homeopathic dose recommended are quite individual. Factors such as diagnosis, sensitivity to the remedy, the need for other medications and severity of illness determine the dosage selection and schedule. Follow-up visits are usually scheduled at about one-month intervals (4-6 weeks, in some instances sooner) in order to make decisions about repetition or change of the remedy. It is necessary to give me a full review of any changes that have happened.

Acute Illness

An acute illness may require more frequent repetition of the remedy, sometimes 2-4 times a day or perhaps more frequently, since the response is often brief. Chronic illness may require a daily or weekly dose or even longer intervals. But the interval and frequency of repetition can vary based on many circumstances.

Duration Of The Treatment

The length of homeopathic treatment is also completely individual. During acute illness, you should notice improvement within the first 24 hours, though you will still require a normal, gradual convalescence. People with chronic problems improve over widely varying periods of time. Even though general health is improving, particular symptoms may linger while diminishing. I usually recommend clients continue care for at least 6 months.

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Note: Myra Nissen is not a physician and may practice in CA under sections 2053.5 & 2053.6 of California Business and Professions Code.

Myra Nissen Homeopath Metabolic Balance Coach

Myra Nissen, CCH

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This article was brought to you by Myra Nissen, CCH, RSHom(NA), Board Certified Classical Homeopath. Myra teaches women how to recognize their body’s unique needs and cues and uses Homeopathy to help empower women to take control of their bodies, health and well-being. Find out more, visit her blog www.myranissen.com/blog.