Understanding a Homeopathic Aggravation: What it means and what to do
Very occasionally, after taking a homeopathic remedy, a patient may notice that their symptoms momentarily worsen. This is known in homeopathy as an aggravation - a temporary intensification of existing symptoms.
Why This Can Be a Positive Sign
An aggravation indicates sensitivity to the remedy, and this can be a good sign as it means the body is recognising and responding to the remedy accordingly. However, it is important to communicate any aggravation to your homeopath as they may wish to adjust the ongoing dosage accordingly.
What to Observe and Communicate
Here’s what to do if an aggravation occurs:
Stop taking the remedy for now. Pause further dosing, get in touch with your homeopath and observe closely what happens next. Please observe and communicate the following:
How long does the aggravation take to subside?
Once the aggravation subsides, is there an improvement in any of the symptoms or in the patient’s wellbeing? Or do they just return to the same symptoms they had prior to taking the dose of the remedy. This information is very important to your homeopath as it will serve as a guide for future dosing or any changes that are made.
Note that old symptoms returning can also be a good sign that the body is trying to heal, so any return of old symptoms from the past that return during your treatment should also be communicated to your homeopath immediately.
When It’s Not an Aggravation
Not all worsening of symptoms qualifies as a homeopathic aggravation. Consider the following distinctions:
A homeopathic aggravation tends to be short-lived (a few hours to a couple of days), involves the same symptoms intensifying (rather than completely new, unrelated ones), and is followed by a noticeable improvement.
New, unrelated symptoms, or no improvement afterwards, may signal that the remedy or potency needs adjusting.
When to intervene
If symptoms become too uncomfortable or unmanageable during an aggravation, it is important to communicate this to your homeopath as they may explain how to antidote a remedy.
Final Thoughts
A homeopathic aggravation doesn’t mean the remedy is incorrect or that you’ve done something wrong. In many cases, it shows that your body is responding to the remedy - treat the aggravation as a signal to pause, observe, and engage with your practitioner rather than rush the process.