DIRECTION OF CURE - A HOMEOPATHIC PHENOMENON

What is 'Direction Of Cure'?

When a patient undergoes homeopathic treatment, a phenomenon called 'direction of cure' (abbr.DOC) is often observed. This occurs when symptoms that the patient suffers from change in nature and location as part of the overall healing process. (i.e.a natural response of the immune system)

How can you tell is it is DOC or not?
You can be sure that the changing symptoms are in the direction of cure if one or more of the following criterion are met:

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 left uninterrupted.

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.

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.

To the above I would add the following -

Also by evaluating THE ENERGY of the patient - whether their energy quality has improved or not - gives us a clear indication of how things are going, the energy of the patient has a direct relation to DOC.

An improvement in mood or sense of well being, relaxation, deeper sleep, increased elimination (when appropriate), even a cold, are all good indicators that the remedy is working, i.e. anything that shows that the energy is rebalancing and the 'immune system' is reactivating. This is an especially useful indicator where there may be few or no physical symptoms, or if there are, when the symptoms simply go away without the DOC being obvious.

The DOC is a guide not a law, you don't have to see it in action to know remedy is working but when symptoms shift in nature or location you have to have some yardstick by which to measure progress, and for this DOC is indispensable