There are now 10,000 homeopathic remedies.

New remedies are added continually.

But there here’s no way to remember them all.

That’s why we have books and software.

However, even with sophisticated tools, it’s not always easy finding the best match.

Especially when we’re just starting out.

Homeopathy is amazingly effective.

It’s very safe and it’s used by millions of people around the world.

Incredible, miraculous things can happen.

But there’s one catch.

You have to match the remedy well.

Otherwise you won’t see good results.

You also have to match the potency.

Then there’s the issue of frequency.

How many doses do you need?

Dosing is where countless cases are lost.

Because many people don’t follow the basic homeopathic principle of The Minimum Dose.

How To Find The Right Homeopathic Remedy

(This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase anything I receive a referral fee at no extra cost to you.)

In order to use homeopathy you need remedies.

For beginners it’s infinitely more cost effective to buy a 36-remedy family kit. This should see you through first aid, accidents and most acute illnesses.

These family remedy kits are available on Amazon.

You’ll also need a few resources to help you find the right remedy.

Here’s an earlier post about some of the best books for beginners. (As well as more advanced home prescribers.)

There are tens of thousands of possible choices.

The good news is you only need to focus on the top remedies.

The ones most commonly used for colds, flu or earaches.

So you’re usually only looking at a handful of possibilities.

How Can I Find The Right Homeopathic Remedy

I’m not going to do a primer right now on how to use a homeopathic Repertory.

Because that’s a subject worthy of an entire article.

If you aren’t familiar with a homeopathic Repertory, it’s a good idea to invest in a basic beginner’s book.

You can read more about good books for beginners here.

Anyway, below are a few tips on choosing the right remedy.

1. Pay Attention To The Etiology. What caused the complaint? This can be just as important as the symptoms. Really? Yes, trust me. I was taught that in some cases etiology can OVERRULE symptomatology. I know this sounds strange. It’s even a point of contention among homeopaths. But think about it. If someone has a head injury we give them Arnica. Without thinking about the symptoms. If someone is burned they get a burn remedy. We don’t ask about peculiar symptoms. Or what makes it better or worse. So always look at the cause. If you can find one. Choose a remedy that covers the etiology.
2. Focus On The Chief Complaint. This is the one thing causing the most distress. Say, for example, someone has a bad earache. They’re in a lot of pain. The ear needs to be treated. Ignore the little paper cut on their finger. Don’t worry about the itchy rash that crops up from time to time. Find an ear pain remedy.
3. Don’t Mix Chronic With Acute. With acutes limit your case taking to what’s happening now. Don’t include symptoms always present. Even if they’re pathological. For instance, you’re looking for a remedy for your grandmother. She has a cold. She also has dementia. Right now, focus on the cold. The dementia, unfortunately, will still be there when she recovers. Then you can work on that, hopefully with the help of a homeopath. (Chronic conditions are difficult to treat, compared with short self-limiting accidents and illnesses. That’s why you need professional guidance.)
4. Look at Thirst. During a flu, someone’s thirst level can point you in the right direction. This is the one clue that can quickly set one remedy apart from another. Bryonia and Gelsemium are two top flu remedies. If you give someone who needs Bryonia a glass of water they’ll gulp it down. Gelsemium, on the other hand, is generally thirstless. Arsenicum is another top flu remedy. Someone who needs it is thirsty. But only for sips of water at a time. Back when my children were little (before I became a homeopath) I usually could tell which remedy they needed based on their thirst. (This is just a partial list of flu remedies.)
5. Limit Your Symptom Search. Focus on the Chief Complaint. Find three or four top symptoms and match them to a remedy. As an home prescriber one of my biggest mistakes was trying to repertorize EVERY symptom. If I found the right remedy it was pure luck. With an acute it’s much better to zero in on just a fewer symptoms.
6. Look At Modalities. This means what makes the symptoms better or worse. If someone has a left-sided sore throat aggravated by warm drinks and ameliorated by cold drinks find a remedy that matches. (Probably Lachesis.) If you can’t decide between remedies look at the modalities.
7. Do Minimum Dosing. Stop dosing once you see significant improvement. No more doses unless the case stalls. I cringe when I see advice to take four doses every hour during a acute. Sometimes this is needed, especially in an intense situation. Usually it’s not. Too many doses confuses the case. Leading to a frantic search for another remedy, which won’t work. Because the first remedy was the right one. Learn about Minimum Dosing here.
8. Watch For Signs Of Health. Someone has abdominal pain. They’re very irritable. You give a well-matched remedy. Almost immediately the mood lifts. The person is now much happier. Less sarcastic. Less demanding. Guess what? You probably picked the right remedy. Next you should see gradual pain relief. (If homeopathy doesn’t work make sure to get medical help to rule out anything serious.) Here’s an article on how to tell if a homeopathic remedy is working.
9. Call A Homeopath. Home prescribing comes with a steep learning curve. If your first choices don’t work please consider reaching out to a professional. Here is some advice on when you need to call a homeopath. Booking a consult is not a failure. It’s a learning experience.
10. Seek Medical Help. If at any point you feel the person needs to be seen by a doctor by all means get them checked out. Visiting a doctor because homeopathy didn’t work isn’t a failure. It’s a learning experience.