Frequently Asked Questions

Homeopathy was discovered by Dr. Samuel Hahnemann in 1790. He first caught a glimpse of the principles of homeopathy when he tested the prevailing (and to his mind, suspicious) theory as to why Peruvian bark (the natural source of quinine) cured malaria. After taking Peruvian bark repeatedly to see what exactly it did to the human body, he came down with malarial symptoms. He repeated the experiment and came up with the same results. This experiment showed that natural substances can change the state of people’s health just as diseases do: Peruvian bark changed Hahnemann’s state of health in the same way that malaria would. From this, Hahnemann discovered that treating a disease with a substance that produces symptoms similar to that disease, will cure that disease, just as Peruvian bark (also known as China or Cinchona) could cure certain cases of malaria because of its similarity of action.

The principle behind Hahnemann’s discovery is known as the Law of Similars: a substance which causes a certain set of symptoms will be able to treat a state of illness that has a similar set of symptoms. The name “Homeopathy” expresses the Law of Similars, as it stems from the Greek words “homoios,” meaning “like or similar,” and “pathos,” meaning “suffering.” Hahnemann coined the word “homeopathy” because the Law of Similars is the central principle of homeopathy. While the Law of Similars was first discovered by the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, it was Hahnemann who successfully developed a full practicable medical system using the Law of Similars. Subsequent experiments with other substances further verified his discovery, equipping him with a pharmacy capable of curing most illnesses.

Through his homeopathic experiments, Hahnemann concluded that a person’s illness is a change in their overall state of health rather than an isolated disease that afflicts just a single part or physiological system. A person falls ill when his or her overall state of health is compromised, expressing itself through a unique set of mental, emotional and physical symptoms. Hahnemann discovered the best way to treat disease was to treat the whole, complete state of health with a single remedy, rather than each individual symptom separately. As a holistic medicine, homeopathy abides by laws of Nature, such as the Law of Similars, in its understanding of how health, disease and cure take place.

Homeopathy takes a holistic approach, treating the whole person. It does so by giving the one remedy that acts most similarly to the person’s overall state of illness as expressed by the totality of mental, emotional and physical symptoms (not in accordance with any specific diseases or diagnoses). No two people are alike, thus each person is treated as a unique case and gets a remedy that is most suited for their unique symptom picture. For example, people who come down with a cold will experience it differently from one another; they will each have their own unique set of symptoms, and so will need to be given a remedy that best matches their unique cold symptom picture. Even if they were to get the same remedy, the choice of that remedy would be made for different reasons, as each person would have some differentiation in their symptom picture.

Conventional medicine is the exact opposite of the homeopathic method. Conventional medicine approaches disease as an alteration in an organ or physiological system rather than as a change of state of the whole person. It uses drugs specifically intended for the symptoms and diseases found in these organs and systems rather than for the peculiar totality of symptoms that affect the whole person. Even if someone were sickened by a bacterial infection which affects the whole person, the antibiotic used is given to target the bacteria rather than treat the person based on their unique symptom totality. The important difference is that homeopathy works to get the body to heal itself, while the antibiotic acts to kill the bacteria. But we have seen that bacteria can become resistant, whereas the body will always respond curatively to the correct homeopathic remedy. In addition, conventional medicines can cause side effects due to their toxicity, whereas homeopathic remedies are nontoxic and do not cause side effects. The number of reported cases of harm caused by homeopathic remedies is a tiny fraction compared to those about conventional medicine.

Homeopathic remedies are highly dilute, nontoxic yet powerful medicines typically made from substances of the various natural kingdoms (plants, animals, chemicals, fungi, etc.). They are made by taking a small amount of the substance and diluting it in a larger amount of water, alcohol, or powdered milk sugar (depending on whether the medicinal substance is soluble or not). Friction is then applied to this mixture of the medicinal substance diluted in water, alcohol, or milk sugar. The friction is applied by succussion (vigorous shaking of the liquid) when the remedy is diluted in water or alcohol, or by trituration (grinding with a mortar and pestle) when in milk sugar. If a substance is not soluble and needs to be triturated, it is taken through three steps of dilution and trituration, after which it becomes soluble and is then switched over to liquid dilution and succussion. This process of dilution and succussion (or trituration) creates the particular strengths or “potencies” of the homeopathic preparation.

Through this process, substances are changed into subtle yet strong medicines. Every substance has within it an inherent medicinal quality; for example, substances that have little or no effect on a person in their raw form, such as charcoal, become deep and powerful medicines through dilution and succussion. Likewise, toxic substances such as arsenic and mercury are rendered nontoxic while becoming profoundly medicinal. Since dilution and succussion brings out the medicinal quality of a substance, the more the substance is diluted and succussed, the greater the medicinal quality is developed, and the more powerful it becomes. Nano particles and their electromagnetic charges, which are visible through extremely sophisticated scientific instruments, play a part in the efficacy of homeopathic remedies.

There are three potency scales available in homeopathy: C, X, and LM.

The C potency (also known as the centesimal potency) uses a dilution ratio of one part medicinal substance to ninety-nine parts water, alcohol, or milk sugar. “C” is the Roman numeral for 100, as in a dilution ratio of 1:100. For example, one part of salt is put into 99 parts of water to make a 1:100 dilution ratio of salt in water; this solution is then succussed. Having just diluted the salt at a 1:100 dilution ratio, with the requisite succussions, we have made the 1C potency. The number in front of the “C” tells us how many times it has been diluted and succussed. A 1C has gone through a single step of being diluted at the ratio of 1:100 and then succussed. A 30C has gone through thirty steps of being diluted and succussed.

The X potency (also known as the decimal or “D” potency) uses a dilution ratio of one part medicinal substance to nine parts water, alcohol, or milk sugar. “X” is the Roman numeral for 10, as in a dilution ratio of 1:10. For example, a 1X has gone through one step of being diluted at a ratio of 1:10 and then succussed. A 30X has gone through thirty steps of being diluted and succussed.

To compare the decimal and centesimal scales, we divide the decimal potency number in half to get a comparable centesimal potency, or multiply the centesimal by two to find the comparable decimal. For example, a 30X is similar to a 15C, while a 30C is similar to a 60X. This is easily explained by the fact that a 1C has a 1:100 dilution ratio, just as a 2X does, since a dilution of 1:10 done twice becomes a dilution of 1:100 (10 x 10 = 100).

The LM potency uses one part medicinal substance in fifty thousand parts of the diluting substance. “LM” stands for 50,000, as in a dilution ratio of 1:50,000. (The LM is also called the Q potency, stemming from the word “quinquagintamillesimal,” which is a combination of the Latin words for “50” (quinquaginta) and for “1,000” (millesimal), forming a word for 50,000.) An example of the LM potency is, one part of the starting material is put into 50,000 parts of water and succussed 100 times. This makes the LM1. The LM5 has been taken through the steps of diluting at a 1:50,000 dilution ratio with 100 succussions, 5 times.

There is no actual M potency. M is the Roman numeral for 1,000. Remedies identified as an M potency are really part of the C potency scale, with the “M” being shorthand for 1,000C (not for a dilution ratio of 1:1,000). Therefore, the 1M is a 1,000C, meaning that a remedy has been diluted at the ratio of 1:100 and taken through the dilution and succussion process one thousand times. A 10M potency is a 10,000C and a 50M potency is 50,000C. CM is the 100,000C, DM is the 500,000C, and MM is the 1,000,000C.

Hahnemann Laboratories sells C and LM potencies. The lowest C potency we sell is the 6C, and we proceed from there to the 12C, 30C, 200C, 1M and 10M, with intermediate potencies available as well. Many remedies are available up to 50M or even CM.

Hahnemann Laboratories provides 2 basic vial sizes (½ dram and 2 dram) and 3 different pellet sizes (#30, #20, and #10). The ½ dram vial contains 1g of pellets, and the 2 dram contains 5g of pellets. The size of the pellets used is determined by the potency of the remedy. Particular potencies are only available on specific pellet sizes.

Potencies from 6C up to 99C are medicated on #30 pellets (3mm diameter)

• ½ Dram vials contain about 80 pellets
• 2 Dram vials contain about 240 pellets
• Potencies below 30C are available in 2 dram size only

Potencies 100C and up are medicated on #20 pellets (2mm diameter)

• ½ Dram vials contain 240 pellets
• 2 Dram vials contain about 730 pellets

The LM remedies are medicated on the #10 pellets (less than 1 mm). ½ dram vials contain thousands of these tiny pellets. The 2 dram vial is available for LM potencies, but please note that they are filled only ⅓ full due to the large number of pellets supplied with this pellet size.

Remedies are sold in two forms: dry pellets and liquid solution. Centesimal potencies are sold in pellets only. LM potencies are sold in liquid and pellets both, with the pellets intended to be diluted into solution.

Pellets are the basic way centesimal preparations are distributed, because the sugar harbors the remedy safely and securely, and they are very easy to take, needing only to be dissolved in one's mouth.

Liquid preparations aid in making remedies even gentler for those who need it. Liquid preparations make remedies more gentle because the patient takes only a portion of the solution at a time, thus taking only a portion of the remedy dissolved therein. LM potencies are always administered in liquid solution. With C potencies, there is the option of taking them in water or as dry pellets, but again, Hahnemann Laboratories only sells the centesimal potencies in pellet form.

Centesimal potencies, when taken in pellet form, are dissolved in one’s mouth. The number of pellets taken and the frequency at which they are taken must be determined by your practitioner. Every person is different, hence the dosing regime must reflect your individuality, just as the choice of remedy does.

The exact way a liquid preparation is taken must be determined by your practitioner, because there are a number of variations on the theme of taking a remedy in liquid form. Typically, LMs start with a stock bottle filled with a medicated solution. A portion of this medicated solution is put it into four ounces of water and stirred a certain number of times. A spoonful from this compound is taken as a dose. The LMs are typically taken every day. However, the exact instructions about how to use the LMs – what size stock bottle to use, the amount to be taken from the stock bottle, how often the remedy should be taken – must come from your practitioner.

Homeopathy is capable of treating any type of illness which can be cured, since it works by stimulating the body’s natural ability to heal itself. However, serious illnesses do require greater attention and skill for treatment. Experienced doctors should always be consulted when faced with severe or chronic illness.

Because we give remedies in accordance with the unique state of the individual with his or her unique totality of mental, emotional and physical symptoms, remedies are not given for specific diseases or pathological conditions. For example, two people who each suffer from headaches, depression and indigestion will each likely need a different remedy, because the ways their headaches, depression and indigestion express themselves are different. No two people are the same, hence they each need their own individualized treatment – their own homeopathic remedy that suits their unique state of illness.

Yes. Anything that is alive can benefit from homeopathy. An animal’s case would be approached in the same way as a human’s, collecting the unique totality of symptoms presented and giving the remedy that best suits that totality.

People seeking treatment may turn to self-help literature, but they are best served by consulting with a trained practitioner. Homeopathy is a complex and precise science, requiring expertise to do it well and safely.

Most homeopathic remedies are not prescription items. Many are sold in health food stores and sometimes in pharmacies. Hahnemann Laboratories has a policy requiring that potencies above 30C, such as 200C, 1M, 10M, etc., are sold only to customers who are consulting a homeopathic practitioner. If you are seeing a medical doctor, osteopath, or any other practitioner who is licensed to write prescriptions, their written or verbal order will be honored in accordance with the rules of the FDA and the California Board of Pharmacy.

There are thousands of homeopathic practitioners as well as many schools and organizations dedicated to homeopathy throughout the United States. To find a practitioner or school, you can search the internet for one in your area, or visit the web site of the National Center for Homeopathy at www.homeopathic.org for a listing of homeopaths.

Homeopathy recognizes the fact that everyone is different. Just as each person needs a remedy specific to his or her unique symptom totality, he or she should also expect a unique response to his or her remedy. No two people respond to a remedy in the same way, in that relief will come quickly or slowly depending on their health and life circumstances. No matter what the situation, the goal of homeopathy is the restoration of the health of the person as a whole, not simply the eradication of a specific symptom or condition.

Thanks to the experience of the great homeopaths, we can say that relief from illness – not matter what kind it is – begins in the person’s mental and emotional state, as well as in their level of energy and general sense of well-being. Recovery always begins from the innermost of the person, and progresses outward.

The unique, individual state of the person will determine how quickly a remedy begins to give relief. In chronic illnesses, relief typically begins anywhere from within a few days to within three or four weeks. In acute illnesses, relief ought to appear within minutes to a few hours. The extent of the relief after the initial dose or doses is dependent upon the person’s state of health. Some people have profound changes in a short period of time, while others see only subtle changes at first. The degree of the improvement is significant, and recovery should not be rushed. If recovery is slow, have patience, because that may be the pace your body needs to put itself back into balance.

The length of time the benefits of a remedy lasts is dependent upon the state of the person. Some people can go for weeks or months with a single dose, while others may need more frequent doses. As treatment continues, the length of time between doses ought to lengthen, indicating your body is getting stronger and is maintaining your health more successfully. The goal of homeopathy is the restoration of health, thus we want to see the benefits of a remedy last for longer periods of time.

Since everyone is different, the length of time a remedy is needed differs from person to person. Many people respond very well with only one dose of the correct medicine; others need a series of doses, or different potencies of the same remedy, or even a succession of remedies for their treatment. In acute conditions, the improvement can be very rapid. With chronic illnesses, some people find complete relief within a few months or a year or two, while others need treatment for years after that. No matter what the situation, the pace of the treatment ought to suit the needs of your health.

Practitioners have different ideas about what may interfere with the action of a homeopathic remedy. Some believe strongly that things such as coffee, mint, menthol, camphor, ultrasonic dental work, and air travel will antidote remedies. Other practitioners feel remedies aren’t necessarily affected by any of these. The best advice is to follow your practitioner’s instructions.

Since homeopathic remedies are diluted to minute levels and are therefore rendered nontoxic, they do not have any side effects.

As part of the curative response from taking your remedy, some of your symptoms may be aggravated or exacerbated for a brief period of time (this is also sometimes referred to as the “healing crisis”). But there ought not be any worry about the aggravation, because the remedy is a subtle, nontoxic substance, so its impact soon passes and the body proceeds to gently heal itself. Of course, all questions regarding your aggravation should be brought to your practitioner.

Homeopathic remedies are safe if they are used correctly. As with any substance, medicinal or not, if they are used incorrectly they may cause harm. It is important to consult with an experienced practitioner who has been trained to understand what the correct remedy, potency and dosage are for your unique state. As a point of fact, there is no record of death due to homeopathic medicines in the United States in the major medical online databases.

In most cases, there is nothing to worry about. Since substances become nontoxic as they advance through the process of dilution and succussion, homeopathic remedies in the potency range sold at Hahnemann Labs, Inc. do not pose a threat of poisoning. However, if the remedy consumed is in a potency of 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X or 6X, you should contact poison control – their phone number is 1-800-222-1222. These potencies are very low and still contain enough raw material to potentially cause harm if the original substance was poisonous and too much of the remedy was taken.

As with any other kind of medicine, homeopathic remedies should be taken with caution and in conjunction with an experienced practitioner’s instructions, so that you receive the safest, most beneficial treatment possible.

Yes, homeopathic remedies are classified as drugs by the FDA and are therefore regulated as pharmaceutical products under current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP).

Homeopathic remedies last indefinitely if stored properly. The FDA has given homeopathic medicine an explicit waiver from the requirements of expiration dating. See Code of Federal Regulations 21CFR211, Sec. 211.137 about Expiration Dating; part (e) states, “Homeopathic drug products shall be exempt from the requirements of this section.”

To best ensure the integrity of homeopathic remedies, keep the vials tightly sealed in a dry place, away from strong odors and moisture, out of direct sunlight, away from heat sources such as stoves, heaters and furnaces, and from electronic waves emitted by microwaves, cell phones, computers, etc. Typical summertime heat is not a problem, nor is traveling with your remedies in hot regions of the world. After all, homeopathy was practiced across the world before the invention of the air conditioner! Leaving your remedies in a hot car during the summertime when the temperature can get up to 150 degrees F may affect the quality of your remedies.

Many of our remedies are not vegan for these reasons:

The first and obvious reason a remedy would not be vegan is it has been made from an animal. For example, we have remedies made from insects, venom, milk, and oyster shell. Most homeopathic remedies are extremely diluted, but regardless of this high dilution, the fact remains that animals were used in the process of making these remedies. The animal product is the active ingredient of the remedy.

Second, a remedy would not be vegan if the raw material it was made from was insoluble and had to be triturated. To triturate, we grind up the raw material in milk sugar. So, even if the active ingredient of the remedy is not an animal product, such as gold or silver, the fact that milk sugar was used in the process would mean that the remedy is not vegan.

Third, a remedy would not be vegan if it came on pellets that have lactose in them. We no longer make remedies using pellets with lactose (we have switched to 100% sucrose), but we still do have stock that consists of pellets containing lactose.

We know it is crucially important for vegans to have this information, as being vegan carries deep ethical values. But we would like to offer a certain viewpoint about taking a non-vegan homeopathic remedy. When we make a homeopathic remedy, we use the animal product once, and out of that we gain an indefinite supply of remedy, rarely needing to make the remedy again. I know the amount of animal used is not the issue, but this is in comparison to conventional medicine which continually uses animals for experimentation. While most conventional drugs themselves are vegan in that they are chemicals, the fact that animals are experimented on during the process of their development is a much greater use of animals than found in homeopathy.

In addition, there are many other aspects of our daily lives that affect animals, whether we are talking about conventional agriculture, driving, or flying. We are always confronted with the effects our activities have on animals and the environment. One way that we can lessen our impact is to be healthy. The healthier we are, the fewer medical products we use and therefore the fewer resources we use. Using fewer resources means having a lighter impact on the world. In this sense, using a non-vegan homeopathic remedy may have a greater overall vegan effect, taking everything into consideration.

On average, we send out orders of stock items by the following business day, if not the same day they were ordered. Business days are Monday through Friday. Orders of 10 items or more may take more time to prepare. Hahnemann Laboratories, Inc. will contact you if there are any unusual delays.

We have a variety of shipping services available that will suit your needs. The range of time it takes to receive your order will be anywhere from the next day to over a week, depending on where you live and which service you choose. The cost for shipping depends on which service you choose.

With a $6 Rush Charge, your order will be given priority, ensuring that your remedies will go out that day. We do have some restrictions to rush orders: orders must be limited to five items or fewer, and the order must be placed by 3p.m. PST. If there is any reason your order cannot be shipped that day, we will immediately let you know.

No. Hahnemann Laboratories is a mail-order business and not equipped or licensed for walk-in service.

No. According to FDA regulations, we are prohibited from taking back and reselling previously sold medications. All sales are final.

Unfortunately, no. We are strictly a pharmacy and manufacturing laboratory and are without a clinical facility. We are not staffed to conduct consultations or able to suggest remedies for you to take. The National Center for Homeopathy can help you find a homeopath in your area; please go to their web site at www.homeopathycenter.org/find-homeopath

Generally, homeopathic remedies do not have any contraindications with other types of medicine. However, it is always important to consult with an experienced, trained practitioner who understands how to administer homeopathic remedies.

It is important for all practitioners consulted to have a clear understanding of what you are doing and how you are meeting your health needs. The more your practitioners know, the better they will be able to serve you and the safer you will be.

The number of pellets taken is determined by your practitioner. This number will determine how many doses are in each vial.

Based on experience, there hasn’t been a problem sending homeopathic remedies through the United States Postal Service, UPS or Federal Express. Even with the introduction of radiation used to protect against any biological contamination being sent through the mail, customer and practitioner feedback indicates the remedies are undamaged.

Yes. Hahnemann Laboratories accepts personal checks, but we must receive your check before sending out the order. Call our customer service representatives at 888-427-6422 to determine the cost of your order and shipping charges prior to sending your check. As soon as your check arrives, the order will be prepared. Mail all information to:

Hahnemann Laboratories, 1940 Fourth Street, San Rafael, CA 94901

Include the name of the remedy, the potency of the remedy, the size of the vial, your name, address, phone number and the method of shipping you wish to use.

No, you may order a single remedy.

We do make custom remedies, though we are not equipped to handle biological material like viruses, bacteria, and tissue samples. Please call us for remedy and cost details.

Depending on what the raw material is, what potency you need, and how busy our production departments are at the time of your order, it can take us anywhere from two days to a month to make your remedy.

Custom remedy charges depend on the nature of the material and the desired potency. The total preparation fee may run from $60 to $950.

A combination remedy is a mixture of several remedies that have a history of treating one condition. The combination may be of the same or of various potencies of different remedies all in one pellet or tablet. Combination remedies are used to treat specific conditions rather than the whole person. For certain common acute conditions, these combination remedies may be useful. For treatment of more serious health conditions or long term illness, a homeopath should be consulted. Hahnemann Labs follow classical homeopathic principles and does not sell combination remedies.

A tincture is a liquid alcoholic extract of a substance, such as an herb. Tinctures are made by steeping material in an alcohol/water solution which extracts the properties of that substance into the solution. Tinctures are herbal dilutions and have not been potentized through dilution and succussion. Hahnemann Labs does not sell tinctures.

No, we do not. Many organic grocery stores and health food stores do. Check with your local store. You may also find distributors or retailers on the internet.

No, we do not. Most health food stores have cell salts in stock.