Direction of Cure

Direction of Cure

– What is it?

In the early days of homeopathy, practitioners collected a group of observations that identified when true healing was taking place and when symptoms were merely being palliated or suppressed, leading to worsening health.

These observations were compiled in a statement called “The Direction of Cure” that homeopaths have referred to ever since.

It says that cure takes place:

• from above down,

• from within out,

• from a more important organ to a less important organ,

• with symptoms disappearing in the reverse order of their appearance.

When symptoms progress according to these directions, cure is taking place.

If they move opposite to these directions, the homeopath and their patient should be aware that suppression is taking place and that health is worsening.

These concepts explained below apply not only to humans, but also to dogs.

From Above Down

Healing is heading in the right direction if symptoms such as skin rashes or joint pains move down the body as they improve during the course of treatment. Symptoms improving upwards through the body indicate that suppression is probably taking place.

From Within Out

When symptoms move from deeper to more surface organs during treatment, such as a liver infection changing to muscle pains, then changing to itchiness of the skin, the patient and practitioner can be confident that healing is underway. Symptoms moving inwards however, indicate the reverse is happening – the person is becoming sicker.

From a More Important Organ to a Less Important Organ

The person whose high blood pressure and chest pains are replaced by sinus problems during treatment is heading towards health – the symptoms have moved from a more important organ to a less important organ. With further treatment, the sinus problem will also improve. The person whose sinus symptoms are exchanged for heart problems following continual suppression by antibiotics and antihistamines, is becoming sicker – symptoms are moving in the wrong direction.

Symptoms Disappearing in the Reverse Order of Their Appearance

Skin problems, for example, can become respiratory problems that can then lead to heart problems, and so on. If the unwell person is treated according to the Law of Similars with medicines that match their symptoms rather than suppress them, their vitality can be strengthened and the imbalance corrected, their symptoms will disappear in the reverse order of their appearance, the heart complaint being the first to go and the skin problem the last.

Do All the Observations Have Equal Value?

While Direction of Cure observations provide guidelines of when health is improving and when it is worsening, they do not all have equal value. The first three are seen less frequently and the fourth, more frequently. In reality, it is possible for a person’s symptoms to just gradually improve overall during the course of homeopathic treatment without following the strict progression of any of the above observations. Perhaps their real value is that they accurately identify worsening health when symptoms move in the reverse of what they state. When this happens, alarm bells should ring.

Here is an example of Homeopathy Direction of Cure for a dog:

• Case

A 7-year-old Golden Retriever named Max is suffering from chronic skin issues (itchiness, hot spots, and patches of hair loss) and has been lethargic for several months. Max’s owner consults a homeopath who prescribes a remedy based on his overall symptoms, including his emotional state, not just the physical ones.

• Direction of Cure

1. Initial Phase: After a few doses of the remedy, Max’s owner notices that he is more energetic and playful, but his skin condition does not seem to improve right away. He starts wagging his tail more and interacting with his family, something he had not done in a while.

2. Improvement: Over the next few weeks, Max’s coat becomes shinier, and the itching lessens. However, his skin still flares up periodically, and the hot spots are slower to heal.

3. Crisis: Max goes through a phase where he seems unusually nervous and anxious, especially during thunderstorms, which had never bothered him before. This emotional reaction is linked to a past trauma when he was caught in a bad storm as a puppy.

4. Final Healing: After a few emotional releases (appearing anxious and then calming down), Max’s skin begins to clear up completely. The hair on his bald patches starts to grow back, and he stops itching altogether. His overall mood stabilizes, and his energy levels return to normal.

Direction of Cure in Animals:

In homeopathy, the direction of cure in animals follows a similar pattern as in humans: it starts with mental or emotional shifts (in Max’s case, his anxiety linked to past trauma), followed by improvements in the outer symptoms (his skin issues).

This process happens from the inside out, with emotional healing preceding physical healing.

The newer symptoms (anxiety and lethargy) improved before the chronic skin problems, and the skin healing followed, showing a typical reverse order of healing.

Through this process, Max not only healed physically, but also emotionally, which allowed his body to recover more completely.

Homeopathic remedies can be highly effective in addressing various issues.

However, it is always recommended to consult with a qualified homeopathic veterinarian to ensure the best treatment plan for your dog’s specific condition.