TISSUE SALTS from DR SCHEUSSLER
NUTRITIONAL micro supplementation, occasionally homeopathic

One of Hahnemann's early disciples, Dr Wilhem Schüessler, was an early adapter of this new system of medicine. At first, he used the full range of homeopathic medicines in his practice, but gradually he narrowed them down to the use of inorganic substances and developed a range of homeopathic medicines based upon twelve of the most common mineral tissue salts found in the human body and critical for health maintenance.

Dr Scheussler devised the tissue salts as nutritional therapy. He noted that when there was a deficiency of certain 'tissue salts' then sypmtoms would be produced. He concluded therefore that that fastest way to resolve these symptoms was to reintroduce these substances into the body by taking them in the 6x dilution where they could be absorbed directly in the mouth. So tissue salts are used as a nutritional supplementation, according to symptoms.

Tissue salts are not prescribed homeopathically but nutritionally. For the homeopathic prescribing picture of the same substances see the A-Z links at the top of the normal materia medica. Instead of the dilution having the ratio of 1:99 as in homeopathic remedies, the Tissue salts are prepared to the ratio of 1:9, which means that they still contain physical quantities, although minute, of the original substances. Rather than treating "like with like" though these tissue salt remedies treat ailments by correcting imbalances or deficiencies in the body's cell nutrition.

Different combinations of these tissue salts were put together and found to be helpful for different complaints. Currently New Era™ produce a range of tissue salts is available from A to S. Many people who use these simple products have found them to be extremely helpful in alleviating a wide range of conditions. They are suitable for children and the elderly or frail.There is not an instant cure using mineral tissue salts, because they work by gradually returning the body to its natural balance by replacing deficient nutrients. A well chosen homeopathic remedy will often act faster.

Dosage

There is not one, simple correct dosage for mineral tissue salts, as the amount you take will reflect the type and severity of your symptoms. In adults, an average intake will be 4 tablets, 3 times a day before meals. If symptoms are severe, the frequency of the dosage may be increased to 4 tablets every half hour or so, and then gradually reduced as the symptoms subside. As a general rule, the recommended dosage for children is 1-2 tablets.

Go to the Matera Medica of the Tissue Salts - (in the REMEDIES section)

A shortage of a specific tissue salt might produce symptoms that also require the same substance homeopathically. Hence it would be a worthwhile exercise to compare the homeopathic MM with the nutritional indications of any tissue salt. If symptoms match you may consider when prescribing homepathically that using the 6x potency might have an additional benefit nutritionally.

Using the Tissue Salts is a good inroad into homeopathy as they are diluted in much the same way as the preparation of homepathic remedies but in this case the dilution (tritruration) is to facilitate absorbtion: it works by replacing deficient minerals in a microscopic dosage which are absorbed directly in the mouth. However their use also introduces people to homeopathy because it presents the concept of potentisation of specific substances and the effect minute quantities can have on the system, i.e. symptom matching.

An excess of a tissue salt, e.g silica, may instead produce symptoms that require a homeopathic remedy that is listed as an 'antidote' to that very mineral (in its homeopathic symptomology). e.g. I have seen a case where an excess of silica (accidental chronic poisoning) produced a picture of the remedy 'Fluor-ac', which also happens to be listed as an 'antidote' to silica. Interesting non?

What about the idea of giving silica in potency to the above case of silica poisoning (whether or not in 6x potency like the tissue salts)? Would that be homeopathic? That would be called 'tautopathic' prescribing, and might or might not be 'homeopathic' depending on whether the symptoms matched, or not. I.e. if the symptoms were those of Silica in the homeopathic materia medica then it would be homepathic, if they weren't, it wouldn't be. Obviously in such a case it would not be a good idea to give as a tissue salt in as this could further increase the toxic load.

Note: some homeopaths don't appreciate the value of Tissue salts and don't use them or other nutritional supplements or herbs. This excludes valuable therapeutic tools which have been proven time and time again to be of real clinical value if the practitioner understands when they're indicated. e.g. it might be very well to give an anaemic patient their indicated homeopathic remedy but it makes no sense not to also supplement with an easy to digest form of iron which will obviously speed up the cure enormously. Each case must be individualised and the needs of each case must be established.