RETURN of OLD SYMPTOMS - ROS - in homeopathy

What is 'Return of Old Symptoms'?

When a patient undergoes homeopathic treatment, a phenomenon called 'return of old symptoms' is often observed. This occurs when the patient's symptoms change in nature and location as part of the overall healing process, being replaced by symptoms that they had at a previous time.

Symptoms may change considerably so that it seems that there is a separate disease process going on, but that is rarely the case. It is simply that the patient's system is clearing the disease out through natural channels, reversing the accumulated disease processes, unsuppressing, and so producing different symptoms on the way. It is a healthy sign that the patient's self healing mechanisms are back in action, and therefore is much more likely to result in complete cure if not interfered with.

Patients will usually not be familiar with this holistic perspective as it is outside of the allopathic model they're used to, however it is important not to treat these shifting symptoms as a separate illness because that would be to revert to allopathic principles which are innapropriate and nearly always counter-productive in homeopathy. Homeopathy does not cure by suppressing the condition but by eradicating it in the direction of cure.

If symptoms that preceded the most recent condition return whilst the current symptoms improve after a remedy then this is direction of cure, moving in reverse order of appearance of symptoms (return of old symptoms). The newly returned symptoms usually then go on to resolve of their own accord, (even though they may not have done so before) or may require a new homeopathic prescription. Then still older preceding symptoms may also return and so on until full health is regained. This does not mean every ailment ever experienced is revisited, only those conditions not fully resolved and which have contributed, usually through suppression, to the condition currently under treatment.

There are many examples of this direction of cure in homeopathic literature, the important thing is that the patient is questioned to determine that the previous deeper seated condition has improved. If it hasn't then it isn't direction of cure

It is very important therefore that the patient understands and has confidence in this process: its importance cannot be overstated.

E.g.,
Overactive thyroid improves but chest condition that was known to have preceded it returns. As the chest condition improves the patient remembers a deep grief that had preceeded it. This is the Return of Old Symptoms, and in the direction of cure.