All diseases in the medical history, both acute and chronic, form links in the chain of a person. Recuperating health results in symptom patterns which enable precise evaluation of remedy effect, knowledge of which is immensely beneficial to homeopaths desiring clinical efficacy. Direction of cure theory observes symptomatologic development from Medial to Peripheral, in the Reverse order, and Superiorly moving Distally, progression of disease from inside out.
Homeopathy marks an important distinction in medicine as it combines an individuals disposition with their pathology.1 Disposition is that which shapes each person’s individual way of responding to events including those consistent attributes, positive and negative, which form attitudes and actions.2
It is this, the individual picture, that, when matched to the one homeopathic medicine producing these specific peculiarities in its homoeopathic pathogenetic trial data and subsequently administered, augments the efforts of the defence system to facilitate gradual return to health. The effort of the defense system to overcome diseased states is highly individualized and comprised of idiosyncrasies in the disposition of the person and modalities of the symptoms. This is the basic understanding in homeopathy, the principle upon which the treatment is understood and designed.34
In the “continuum” of a unified theory of diseases, Vithoulkas and Carlino5 posit all human beings are affected by acute and chronic diseases which are inter-dependent, during a lifetime, in a continuum of a unified substratum of diseases, preceding that final disease condition which ends the life.
Disease is multifactorial, metamorphosing with time.6 Cognizant of this ever evolving process homeopathy interprets symptoms as reflective of inner imbalance7 which is why, typically, the totality of symptoms - evaluated apart from the pathological picture of the disease common to all sufferers - is paramount.8
A chronic disease under classical homeopathic treatment which, on improvement of the presenting symptoms, brings back previously suppressed acute inflammatory states, indicates a return of the ability to produce and mount efficient defense,9 is in accordance with Direction of Cure theory10 - also termed Hering’s Law of Cure - and, is evidence of deep, positive changes occurring within the immune system.11121314
Hahnemann, S. 2005. Organon of Medicine. Sixth edition. Translated from German by W. Boericke. New Delhi. Indian Books and Periodicals Publishers. (Originally published in 1842.)
Klein, L. 2003. Clinical Focus Guide to homeopathic remedies, volume 1. Canada. Luminos Homeopathic Courses Ltd.
Mahesh et al., Individualized homeopathic therapy in ANCA negative rapidly progressive necrotising crescentic glomerulonephritis with severe renal insufficiency – a case repot. J M Life. [Internet]. 2019. [cited 2023 Feb 08] Jan-Mar;12(1):49-55. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31123525/
Vithoulkas, G. Levels of Health, The second volume of the Science of Homoeopathy, revised edition. Alonissos: International Academy of Classical Homoeopathy; 2017.
Vithoulkas, G and Carlino, S. 2010. The “continuum” of a unified theory of diseases. Medical Science Monitor [online]. 16(2): SR7-15. Available from: https://medscimonit.com/abstract/index/idArt/878341
Klein, L. 2003. Clinical Focus Guide to homeopathic remedies, volume 1. Canada. Luminos Homeopathic Courses Ltd.
Sankaran, R. 1991. Homeopathy, the science of healing. Reprint edition. New Delhi: B. Jain Publishers. (Originally published in 1983).
Chatterjee, T.P. 1982. Fundamentals of Homoeopathy and Valuable Hints for Practice. New Delhi. World Homeopathic Links.
Mahesh et al., 2020. Multimorbidity After Surgical Menopause Treated with Individualized Classical Homeopathy: A Case Report. Clinical Medicine Insights: Case Reports. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33149716/
Vithoulkas, G. Levels of Health, The second volume of the Science of Homoeopathy, revised edition. Alonissos: International Academy of Classical Homoeopathy; 2017.
Vithoulkas, G and Carlino, S. 2010. The “continuum” of a unified theory of diseases. Medical Science Monitor [online]. 16(2): SR7-15. Available from: https://medscimonit.com/abstract/index/idArt/878341
Mahesh S, Jaggi L, Jaggi A, Tsintzas D, Vithoulkas G. 2019. Individualised Homeopathic Therapy in ANCA Negative Rapidly Progressive Necrotising Crescentic Glomerulonephritis with Severe Renal Insufficiency – A Case Report. Journal of Medicine and Life [online]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6527409/
Chabanov D, Tsintzas D, Vithoulkas G. 2018. Levels of Health Theory With the Example of a Case of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. J Evid Based Integr Med. Jan-Dec;23:2515690X18777995. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29896977/
Brien SB, Harrison H, Daniels J, Lewith G. 2012. Monitoring improvement in health during homeopathic intervention. Development of an assessment tool based on Hering's Law of Cure: the Hering's Law Assessment Tool (HELAT). Homeopathy. Jan;101(1):28-37. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22226312/