Aggravations

Aggravations

Alternative Veterinary Medicine Centre

The Therapeutic Aggravation

In all natural medicine, there is a saying ‘worse before better’. This phenomenon can be clearly seen in a few patients, following homeopathic or other natural medicine treatment. It is rarely severe but it is very important. It is neither a function of the medicine nor of the methodology or medical discipline but it is a result of the body's own healing process. It is called a 'therapeutic aggravation'.

What the term implies is that the external symptoms of a disease (e.g. in the skin or ears) may appear to become worse, as the body commences its healing process. Along with this, however, is a concomitant improvement in internal well-being, as evinced by increased ‘joie de vivre’, playfulness, alertness, reversion to old (perhaps long-forgotten) activities etc.

On the other hand, if a worsening of external symptoms occurs without internal improvement, then it is possible that this is a worsening despite the remedy, rather than because of it. Such a development can be a sign of an incorrect or ineffective remedy.

In either case, alert your veterinary surgeon, so that the signs can be properly interpreted.

If a genuine 'homeopathic aggravation' occurs:

a) Stop the remedy - it will nonetheless continue working its beneficial effects for some time after this.
b) Alert your homeopathic veterinary surgeon in a timely fashion.
c) It usually heralds a beneficial phase or, in some cases, a full curative process.
d) It is rarely severe, but may need ‘management’ of any potentially distressing or uncomfortable signs.
e) It is a sign of 'externalisation' of the disease, as part of the curative process.
f) Resist 'suppressing' it with steroids or anti-inflammatory drugs, if possible and if compatible with welfare, as these could well drive the disease 'inwards' again, setting a store of trouble for later recrudescence.