Antidote - a substance, or a remedy, that counteracts the effect of a homeopathic remedy. High temperatures are thought to antidote remedies. Mint is said to be an antidote of Natrum muriaticum. Many feel that coffee antidotes homeopathic remedies. When a person is reacting incorrectly to a homeopathic remedy, an antidote may be given to neutralize the effects.

Cell salts (biochemic remedies, tissue salts) - a homeopathic physician, W.H. Schuessler, developed the Biochemic system using 12 different 'cell salts'. Schuessler felt these were fundamental to the proper function of the human body. Prepared in low potency(3x or 6x) and used based on homeopathic indications.

Centesimal - one of three potency scales used in homeopathic pharmacy. It was the first potency developed by Hahnemann. 1 part medicinal substance (dry or tincture), mixed with 99 parts diluent (lactose or alcohol), and then succussed (shaken), yields the 1c potency. Taking 1 part of that potency mixed with 99 parts diluent, then succussed, yields the 2c potency. This is continued until the desired potency is reached. A 200c has gone through this process 200 times. A 1M potency has gone through this process 1,000 times. The higher the potency, the stronger the stimulation of the vital force.

Characteristic symptom - a symptom that is 'striking, strange, unusual, peculiar' in the case. Close attention is paid to characteristic symptoms as they must correspond to symptoms of the remedy if it is to cure. For example, burning pain better heat, or better lying on the painful side. See aphorism #153 of the Organon.

Common symptoms - symptoms that are common to a specific disease, for example, stiff joints in arthritis, or yellow skin in jaundice.

Complete symptom - etiology, location (including radiation or extension of sensation), sensation, modalities, and concomitants all together give a complete symptom.

Concomitant - occurring simultaneously. Refers to symptoms that happen at the same time as the chief complaint. One of the parts of a complete symptom.

Decimal - the first experiments with the decimal scale were performed by Constantine Hering in 1833. 1 part medicinal substance (dry or tincture), mixed with 9 parts diluent (lactose or alcohol), and then succussed (shaken), yields the 1X(D) potency. Taking 1 part of that potency mixed with 9 parts diluent, then succussed, yields the 2X(D) potency. This is continued until the desired potency is reached. dynamis-life energy, vital force

Etiology - the cause of disease. One of the aspects of a complete symptom.

Homeopath - a professional that observes and interviews an individual to derive the symptom picture, and then selects the homeopathic remedy and potency that most closely matches the presenting picture. 

Homeopathy - a system of health care that uses extreme dilutions of substances from nature to facilitate the body's natural healing process. Based on the Law of Similars.

Homeopathic Proving - the method used by homeopathic researchers to define the symptom profile of a particular substance. Most provings were done and recorded in the late 1800's, although in the last ten years many homeopathic researchers have begun proving new substances (e.g. chocolate). Provings are a very specific type of research and usually follow a standard protocol.

Homeopathic State - the term many homeopaths use to describe an individual that matches a particular remedy profile. We say the individual is "in a Silica state." This verbiage implies that the symptoms are part of an overall energy state - and that once the individual shifts out of the state, the current set of symptoms will dissipate and a new set of symptoms will emerge.

Isopathy - the treatment of a disease with the identical disease agent. See Aphorism 56a of the Organon.

Keynote - a unique feature or fundamental aspect of a remedy.

Keynote Symptoms - the most prominent and characteristic symptoms of a remedy. For example, the keynote symptoms of Silica are: craves milk, constipation with "bashful" stool, distorted nails, cold extremities, mental fatigue, indecision, child-like timidity, anxiety, ritualistic behaviors, and stubbornness. 

Law of Similars - also called the law of "Like Cures Like" - The principle that if a substance can cause symptoms in a healthy person, then it can stimulate self-healing of similar symptoms in a sick person when prepared homeopathically.

Suppose a person has hay fever, with watery eyes and a burning nasal discharge. Instead of giving an antihistamine to dry up the discharge, a homeopath might prescribe Allium cepa - a tiny dose of onion, specially prepared by a homeopathic pharmacy in accordance with FDA approved guidelines - because onion is known to cause watery eyes and a burning nasal discharge. 

Suppose a person can't sleep because of agitation or an overactive mind. Instead of giving a conventional sleeping pill, a homeopath might give Coffea - a homeopathic preparation of coffee. 

LM (50 millesimal, Q) - the second potency scale developed by Hahnemann, introduced in the sixth edition of the Organon. Start with a 3c triturate of a remedy. One part is placed into 500 drops liquid (400 drops water, 100 drops alcohol). One drop is placed into 100 drops of alcohol. This is succussed by hand 100 times. One drop of this mixture is used to medicate 500 #10 pellets. This is the Q1 potency (sometimes written 0/1). The Q2 is made by taking 1 of these medicated pellets, putting it into 1 drop of water, and then mixing into 100 drops of alcohol. This mixture is succussed 100 times by hand. 

Today, this standard differs from Hahnemann's. The following excerpt is taken from HPUS Abstracts - General Pharmacy: 

"LM (50 millesimal, Q) - the second potency scale developed by Hahnemann, introduced in the sixth edition of the Organon. Start with a 3c triturate of a remedy. One part is placed into 500 drops liquid (4 parts water, 1 part alcohol 95% v/v). One drop is placed into 2 ml alcohol 95% v/v. This is succussed by hand 100 times. One drop of this mixture is used to medicate 500 #10 pellets. This is the Q1 potency (sometimes written 0/1). The Q2 is made by taking 1 of these medicated pellet and placing it into 2 ml alcohol 95% v/v. This mixture is succussed 100 times by hand." 

Location - where the symptom is experienced. Location is one of the parts of a complete symptom.

Materia Medica - "materials of medicine" in Latin. A reference that lists the curative indications and therapeutic actions of homeopathic medicines. This information is derived from proving and clinical experience.

Materia Medica - a book that contains a compilation of proving symptoms for homeopathic remedies. Materia medicas are primary tools for homeopathic professionals, as well as consumers using homeopathy for family care. 

Modality - a condition that makes a person or their symptom better or worse. For example, better in a hot bath, abdominal pain better bending over, worse rainy weather, etc. Modalities are one of the parts of a complete symptom.

NCH ( National Council for Homeopathy) - the primary organization in Pakistan dedicated to educating consumers and medical professionals through providing support to recognised homoepathy colleges, inviting conferences, publishing monthly magazine, and homeopathic study groups. The NCH exam serves as a way to standardize education and competency amongst homeopathic professionals. 

Nosode - a homeopathic remedy prepared from diseased tissue or the product of disease.

Organon - The Organon of Medicine, by Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy. This book describes the principles and practice of homeopathy. Hahnemann wrote 6 editions of the Organon from 1810-1842. The sixth edition, though finished in 1842, was not published until 1921.

Path of Healing - the idea that people heal according to the plan of their innate wisdom. This is the path which provides optimal progress in their healing while maintaining sufficient homeostasis. In other words, healing follows the path that is most optimal to the individual - and limits itself to what the individual can handle energetically, emotionally, and physically while still maintaining a core state of homeostasis.

Potency - the degree of dilution for a homeopathic remedy. 
Lower potencies (6X, 6C, 12X, 12C) are usually prescribed for mildly acute physical symptoms (i.e. cold or flu). These typically apply to people who for some reason (age, pathology, life phase) are not ready to undergo a healing process that involves deep restructuring.

Medium potencies (30X, 30C, 200X, 200C) are usually prescribed for chronic physical and emotional symptoms. These typically apply to people that are ready for moderate restructuring. 

High potencies (1M, 10M) are usually prescribed in single dose for chronic mental and emotional states or strongly acute physical symptoms. These potencies typically apply to people that are ready to undergo deep physical and emotional restructuring. 

Potency - the strength of a homeopathic remedy. Determined by how many times the remedy has been succussed and diluted during preparation. A number and a letter are associated with the remedy name to indicate which potency scale has been used. An example of the decimal scale would be Arnica 6x. An example of the centesimal scale would be Arnica 30c. An example of the 50 millesimal scale(LM) would be Arnica LM1. These are the 3 potency scales currently in use.

Potentized - usually refers to a substance prepared according to homeopathic pharmaceutical standards. This means that it has gone through serial dilution and succussion.

Proving - the most accurate method of ascertaining the action of medicines on human health. Medicines(usually potentized) are administered to healthy people to discover the symptoms they are capable of producing and thereby able to cure. See aphorisms 20, 21, 108, 121, 136, 141, 145 of the Organon.

Remedy - medicine, as in homeopathic remedy. T

Repertorize - to repertorize a case one looks up symptoms in a repertory.

Repertory - an index of the homeopathic materia medica by symptom. A list of remedies is indicated for each symptom. All modern day repertories use Kent's Repertory as their starting point.

Retracing - sometimes when an individual takes a remedy, some of the physical and emotional symptoms become temporarily heightened.

Sometimes the amplification is so strong that the individual may have strong memories of a previous stress in their life that was somehow related to the origin of their condition. This memory can come in the form of old familiar feelings, thoughts, dreams, or images of the original occurrence.

Often times this retrace experience correlates with some new insight or understanding by the individual. For example, the individual may come to realize that a fear-based belief that they adopted in childhood is no longer valid. When this type of shift occurs (that is, a shift of a fundamental belief) , the individual relaxes on a deep level - and this is really what brings about the permanent resolution of the physical symptoms.

Rubric - a symptom as written in a homeopathic repertory.

Samuel Hahnneman - a German physician and medical transcriber who rediscovered homeopathic principles from medical writings and founded the development of our current form of homeopathy. (For more details, please click here)

Sarcode - a tissue or glandular extract made into a homeopathic remedy.

Sensation - the experience of a symptom, what it feels like. One of the parts of a complete symptom.

Simillimum - the most similar remedy corresponding to a case. As such, the remedy most likely to cure.

State Progression - the process of an individual shifting from on e state to another in their healing process. When the energy that underlies the existing state dissipates, the homeopath pays close attention to the new symptom picture that emerges - and selects the next remedy accordingly.

Succussion - the process of forcefully striking a homeopathic remedy against a firm surface.

Symptom Picture - the profile of symptom( s) that a substance elicits in a healthy person. Based on the Law of Similars, this is also the profile of symptoms that the homeopathic preparation of that same substance stimulates self-healing of. For example, the symptom picture of the homeopathic re medy Coffee includes the symptom " can't sleep because of an overactive mind."
Symptom pictures for remedies include both physical symptoms and mental/emotional symptoms and can be very lengthy and detailed. For example, in one homeopathic reference book , the symptom picture of homeopathic Silica (Silicea) is 58 pages long. Most homeopathic handbooks scale this list down to two-three pages.

Vital force - the energy that maintains life in the individual. See aphorisms 9-12 of the Organon.

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