Homeopathy: No side effects?

Yesterday, grumbling to myself in the car, I thought that anyone who says homeopathy has no side effects could come and have the intense pain in my neck that started less than 10 minutes after taking a remedy. Now, 17 hours on, it's there but less intense and it's definitely fading. It's similar to a pain I've had in the past and I'm quite excited that it could be a good sign of a great remedy reaction. A return of old symptoms can get us homeopaths quite excited. I know - perhaps I need to get out more ;)

But as to side effects. Surely, or at least my understanding, is that a side effect is anything that is an undesirable effect of the medicine, an unwanted result that occurs, or even perhaps just an unexpected result? I can't imagine my lovely new practitioner (not that she's new, she's been in practice over 30 years, but new to me) plotting to give me this as a primary goal. Which surely makes it - at least in conventional terms - a side effect.

I've long thought we shouldn't say that homeopathy has no side effects to our patients. Sometimes I see them, often I don't. And generally they're short limited - frequently a great sign you're on track with a well matched remedy. An aggravation, though perhaps unwanted by both client and practitioner, isn't necessarily a bad thing. I would say though to always get in touch with your homeopath if you're struggling - there can be ways to help you through it.

Sometimes I explain aggravations as if you're pushing on a spring: you push it a little further (aggravation) then the spring bounces back into it's freer shape and remains there for longer (amelioration). That said, plenty of times there may be no aggravation, or an unnoticed one and great improvement. So I'd say side effects are less frequent as the medicine is subtler in general, but they certainly exist - and can be a real pain in the neck.

All things pass.

With love, 

Em x

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