Direction of Cure - What is it?
The Direction of Cure is based on Hering’s Law of Cure which is an observable healing process that we look for to tell if there is genuine healing taking place, and not merely palliation or suppression of symptoms. In other words, we homeopaths look at the direction of your symptoms to tell us whether you are getting better, or if things are being driven deeper into the organism.
The 5 directions of cure Dr. Hering observed are:
from above, downwards
within, outwards
center to the periphery
from more important to less important organs
in chronologically reverse order of disease development
An example of this is after taking a homeopathic remedy your anxiety begins to improve, but a current skin complaint on your shoulders has temporarily worsened. This represents the body’s attempt to push the underlying disturbance out from within to the periphery organ of the skin. In homeopathy, we recognize this direction to be positive and we celebrate this, as your body is designed to follow this curative process!
Sometimes after taking a homeopathic remedy, the body responds with a fever and we understand this as a positive sign of healing. This reflects healing from the inside to out.
What is another sign of the Direction of Cure? As you begin homeopathic treatment you notice that your most recent symptom of sinus pain has improved, while your long-standing symptom of IBS is still present. This reflects the chronological reverse order of disease development. Issues that we’ve had for years will naturally take time to improve, especially if there has been the use of medications to suppress these symptoms.
Understanding, monitoring, and working with the body’s Direction of Cure is vital in homeopathic treatment and is an integral part of genuine healing.