Intercurrent Remedies

Intercurrent remedies are remedies used with a particular intention to help open up or clear a confusing case. Sometimes in the course of treatment, a case may stall even with the best-selected remedies. At times like this, intercurrent remedies can be helpful.

I find that the most common application for giving an intercurrent remedy is for when a case has become confused, either by giving too many remedies or there has been too much suppression from allopathic drugs. At times like this, giving an intercurrent remedy can be helpful. The case can then be better defined. New expressions of old symptoms can appear and it becomes easier to "see the case."

When a case has had good movement and then seemingly stalls, most often it is an issue of potency. But sometimes it is that the remedy has stopped working and any potency does not seem to help. At a time when the movement has stopped, giving an intercurrent remedy can be helpful.

At other times, an intercurrent remedy may be given to open the case up. When a well-indicated remedy has worked but the underlying symptoms have not revealed themselves yet, an intercurrent remedy can be given that, when timed properly, will open the case so the previous remedy can now work again. More often than not, a case will not go to cure with a single remedy. Hahnemann and Boenninghausen knew this and wrote about it.

Most often, intercurrent remedies will be nosodes and have miasmatic influences. If this can be perceived clearly in a case, then they can be used with great benefit. But not all intercurrent remedies are nosodes. In fact, any remedy could be an intercurrent remedy when applied for the case.

There are common remedies that have indications that are useful as intercurrent remedies. Here is a partial list and their most common uses:

• Carcinosin – When the case is very confused and symptoms are not expressed well. Confused growth. Chronic growth of tissues.
• Medorrhinum – When there is a sycotic miasm stopping the case from moving forward. Organized over-growth. In the realm of sexuality and urinary tract. Affects the joints. Catarrhal discharges.
• Psorinum – When the case is affected by the psoric miasm. Skin and itch are the most common expressions. Great fear. Hypersensitivity. Eruptions.
• Syphilinum – For the syphilitic miasm. Affects the bones. Ulcerations. Destruction. A dishonest man.
• Sulphur – Often a good remedy to reveal what is hidden. Will bring to the surface what has not been expressed yet.
• Tuberculinum – For the tubercular nature. Affects the lungs. Waste and loss. A keen sense of dissatisfaction. Symptoms always changing. Wandering symptoms. Colds and coughs.
• Thuja – Another remedy when the case is confused. Often after too many drugs or vaccination. After too many remedies.

This, by no means, is a complete list of remedies that can be used intercurrently. In fact, any indicated remedy can be used. As always, it is important to take the case. When symptoms are clear, a compatible remedy can be useful as an intercurrent remedy. When reading Materia Medica, most authors offer those compatible remedies at the end of the case and remedy descriptions. When giving a remedy, always study the compatibles. They are very useful.

Keep the conversation going! I would love to hear your questions and thoughts below!