Homeopathic Terms | Resources

Homeopathic Terms
Acute Illness: A condition which is self-limiting and short-lived.

Aggravation: A temporary worsening of already existing symptoms during the process of cure.

Antidote: A substance or influence, which counteracts the effect of a homeopathic remedy; may hamper or prevent a remedy from working.

Chronic Illness: A condition which usually develops slowly, lasts indefinitely, results in deterioration of health, and does not resolve without some sort of healing intervention.

Classical Homeopathy: A method of homeopathic prescribing derived from teachings of Samuel Hahnemann, in which only one remedy, based on the totality of the patient’s symptoms, is given at a time followed by a period of waiting to evaluate the action of the remedy.

Combination Remedy: A mixture containing more than one homeopathic remedy, which differs from classical homeopathic treatment. (See Classical Homeopathy)

Constitutional Treatment: Homeopathic treatment based on the whole person, involving an interview and careful follow-up.

Potency: The specific strength of a homeopathic medicine determined by the number of serial dilutions and succussions.

Proving: The testing of a substance on healthy volunteers to discover the symptoms it is capable of producing, and therefore able to cure.

Simillimum: The “most similar” remedy corresponding to a case: the remedy that most closely matches the totality of the symptoms of the patient, and therefore, is curative according to homeopathic principles.

Suppression: The driving inward of disease by treating and thereby eliminating symptoms without consideration of the persons total state of health (i.e. holistic treatment). This may result in more serious conditions over time.

Vital Force: Term used to describe the energy that animates all living beings. The vital force is stimulated by the homeopathic remedy to enable us to heal.