Suppression and Palliation in Homeopathy

Dr Jenita  R Fernandes 

Black’s medical dictionary defines suppression as: The stopping of any physiological activity

A psychological defence mechanism by which an individual intentionally refuses to acknowledge an idea or memory that s/he find distasteful or unpleasant.
A treatment that stops the visible signs of an illness, or holds back its usual progress.

There are various types of suppression:

• Emotional suppression i.e. grief, anger, jealousy. The suppression of strong emotions
• Physical suppression i.e. menstrual flow is stopped by physical shocks
• The suppression by one disease by another e.g. – a patient with digestive symptoms found these went with the onset the M.E.
• The most frequent form of suppression is through drug medication, either locally or internally
• Disease is often suppressed by surgery i.e. the removal of growths, benign or malignant tumors, polyps, tonsils etc. Surgery is often the removal of pathology rather than dealing with the cause
• Vaccinations e.g. suppression of acute diseases such as measles can lead to the development of Crohn’s  Disease in adulthood.

We need to keep in mind the goal of cure – as Hahnemann in the first paragraph of the Organon says:  “Our highest and only mission is a gentle rapid, permanent cure”.

If a client comes with digestive problems (hyperacidity on the stomach, heart burn, gas, bloating) and the practical homeopath believe that it is psychologically related to stress, or suppressed anger, they may treat them as follows:

• First you may be put on some enzymes, limit your junk food and caffeine.
• Next visit you are a lot better you may be encourage to do counselling
• Then they give a Homeopathic remedy e.g. nux-vom or lycpodium related to the psychological underlying cause of their problem
• Then if you stop the diet and the symptoms don’t return then you have a cure

Palliation happens when you give a treatment, the clinical symptoms go, and the patient generally feels much better. (Remember if symptoms are being masked the patient does not feel better in themselves although the symptoms may have disappeared or changed).

If the patient feels better, but when you withdraw the treatment the symptoms return, then you are only palliating. The underlying problem has not been addressed.

From a homeopathic viewpoint, treatment can mask or palliate the symptoms, and not treat the cause.

Maintenance treatment – This is an approach that treats the whole person e.g. changing diets, avoidance of certain foods, exercise regime, yoga, psychotherapy, a holiday. They can support the client in their journey to health, but they may not necessarily be dealing with root causes.

Curative homeopathic treatment deals with the cause of the problem. The end result is an increase in the patient’s general health and disappearance of all the signs and symptoms of the disease. It deals with the susceptibility to certain illnesses (miasms) and the causes that lead to the disease. The patient has a higher state of health than they had before they came to see the practical homeopath minus, their disease.  

With suppression, one or more symptoms disappear permanently, either quickly or slowly. The medicine need not be continued or repeated. The patient may continue to have other symptoms (which may not have been considered to be part of the original disease), or generally does not feel better. There is no evidence of a curative process. The patient may become immune to common infectious diseases, but may be increasingly susceptible to parasites. Often, although the patient seems physically improved, mental and emotional symptoms worsen. Eventually, after a period of seemingly good health, the patient becomes worse in some other function, experiences a crisis, and other, deeper and more serious symptoms appear.

In palliation, there is a temporary, sometimes dramatic, relief of symptoms without actually curing the disease from which they originated. If the remedy is discontinued, the symptoms quickly return. Other symptoms continue unchanged or worsen, new symptoms may appear, and there are no signs of cure. Over time, if the remedy is continued, the patient will deteriorate.

Cure is a profound overall improvement in health and enhanced well-being. The disease is removed in its entirety, with all its signs and symptoms. The effect is permanent and no further treatment is required. The patient’s mental and emotional well-being is increased, and behavior returns to normal. Symptoms of the disease decrease and disappear. The patient is more physiologically resistant to disease.

There are certain signs of the curative process by which we know we are on the right track with our prescription:

1. Three to five days after the remedy is given, there is a homeopathic aggravation. This is a short-lived worsening of one or a related group of symptoms. While some symptoms may be increased, the patient still feels better overall; there is no depression, lethargy, loss of appetite, or other signs of illness.

2. Return of old symptoms. These are symptoms previously suppressed by drugs (or remedies!). The symptoms appear in a milder form than originally, and disappear rapidly. If the patient experienced multiple episodes of illness during its life, these symptoms will reappear in reverse order.

3. Return of original symptoms. These are the symptoms for which the curative remedy was prescribed. They may reappear for one or two days, often about a month after the remedy is given.

If symptoms have gone away, but none of these curative reactions has taken place, you should very carefully assess the case to be sure you have not palliated or suppressed with your prescription. 

In the ‘Organon’ Hahnemann says that the first dose of any homeopathic remedy should be a single dose. This is done so that the homeopath can observe the reactions of the remedy more carefully and assess the correctness of the remedy, size of the dose, number of succussions of the medicinal  solution.

The single dose is also a safety precaution to prevent any idiosyncratic reaction to a potentized remedy from producing troublesome symptoms.

In aphorisms 63 to 67 of the ‘Organon’, Hahnemann explains that the efficacy of the homeopathic medicines depend upon the difference between the primary action that takes place under the influence of every medicine, and the secondary action ( which he also calls counteraction) subsequently affected by the living organism (the vital force).

The primary action is the first reaction of the vital force to an event and it causes an alteration in the health of the individual. To its action the vital force opposes its own energy developing a response (secondary action).

The secondary action of the vital force shows itself in the restoration of health merely from the smallest homeopathic dose of medicine employed in the treatment.

For example: – a person heats up while doing some physical exercise (primary action) and will have chills and shivers when stopping (secondary action);

– a person who uses drugs or stimulants will experience an excess of vitality by the use of those (primary action) but will be sluggish and drowse afterwards (secondary action)

If the secondary reaction is not imbibed, palliation happens.

Suppression or palliation of disease, is the removal of the external symptoms of disease by external, mechanical, chemical, or topical treatment, or by many means of powerful drugs, given internally in massive doses, this having a toxic effect but no true, curative action. Any suppressed disease gets worse after this treatment. Temporary relief of the organism brings on damage to vital organs leading to death.

The orifices in our body are meant to release toxins: the nose has discharges, eyes water, throat coughing, anus bowel movements, and the bladder urination. And the largest elimination organ, our skin, releases sweat and impurities. If all of these are blocked, toxins stay in the body.

Allopathy encourages this by its suppressive medications. It’s normal to see a cough suppressant or anti-perspirant or sinus medication to stop a runny nose in this modern world.

Suppression
An inhibition of a physiological phenomena, or removal of a diseased manifestation before the disease itself is cured, is call suppression.

Vital organs are effected from use of suppressive medication. Removal of a skin symptom will not cure by means of surgery or topical ointment. After the skin symptom has been suppressed, its new symptom will appear in another form.

Two types of suppression:
1) Natural – Examples: inhibited suppressed fear, anger, shock, disappointment, and exposure to excess heat and cold.

2) Artificial – Examples: by use of allopathic treatments, skin topical ointment use, suppression of natural secretions, removal of organs.

The reason for this is due to the energy transforming itself to another area; energy cannot be destroyed, only transformed.

Skin symptoms are dispelled with relief by means of some topical solution. Yet years later, a vital organ has trauma: the virus has turned within itself and waited until the right moment to weaken a favourite organ deep in the body.

In the following cases, suppression of the first symptom could lead to the second symptom

Secondary reaction:

• Eczema = asthma
• Foot sweat = headaches
• Ear discharge = facial neuralgia
• Leucorrhoeal discharge = abdominal pain

Emotional suppressions will lead to physical problems. When it’s treated with homeopathic medicine, the focus is on the “cure” and origin of cause, the return of all suppressed manifestations appear. This is a must. It is a sign that the law of cure is taking place.

The relation between physical and mental states have been recorded as such:

• Asthma = schizophrenia
• Ulcerative colitis = psychotic depression
• Cardiac neurosis = acute anxiety state

The constitutional remedy is needed to reach deep into the vital force even with local skin symptoms any other form of local therapy acts suppressive.

1) Natural suppression
Functions of the body inhibited. Examples:

Amenorrhoea from fear; pyrexia from suppression of sweat; and insanity from suppression of grief.

2) Artificial suppression

Removal of surface manifestations continues treatments of suppressions. Examples:

• Baby – suppr. itch eruptions or rashes
• Child – eczema suppr.
• Teen – psoriasis suppr.
• Adult – suppr. of skin cancer

If persisted and continued, it keeps causing problems in deeper vital organs.

A) Use of opium to get rid of cough – leads to chronic cough, fever, night sweats.

B) Diarrhea suppressed – leads to constipation, fever, and delirium.

C) Use of aspirin to rid pain – exaggerated manifestations in vital organs.

D) Supp. of secretions – waste and toxins go to organs.

E) Surgical removal like tonsils does not cure but weakens the vital energy.

Treatment to cure : Symptomatic totality. Take history of patient before suppression even if it is 30 – 40 years ago.

Palliation :  We can make a patient more comfortable by the art of palliation by use of a well – selected

Homeopathic remedy. Possible and permissible sometimes.
There is a right way and a wrong way to palliate. The wrong way can lead to metastasis to more important organs. This can lead to further complications.

The right kind of palliation is curative as far as it goes, cure is impossible because cure has passed beyond the curable stage.

When death is near and something quick has to be done, a gradual stimulation of the vital organs is possible no disease will be removed on cured in this matter. In exceptional cases palliation is used as an anaesthetic. Palliation is a temporary relief of a symptom before the disease is cured.

A. Palliation by homeopathy- the use of the laws of similia are also used in palliation of incurable diseases. This holds a permanent “hope” for the patient. Patient can be made comfortable. Will relieve the agony of death.

B. Palliation by other means- Allowed only in time of danger of death where homeopathy does not have time to work. In accidents, in poisonings, and with euthanasia.

In incurable diseases, too much palliation makes the disease more incurable due to it becoming suppressive in manner.

The bad effects of a disease are not removed with palliation.

Susceptibility
The general capability of the organism to receive impressions, the power to react. The cure of disease depends upon the power of the organism to react to impression of the curative remedy.

The degree of susceptibility depends on the physician, how he can modify susceptibility is the basis of the art of the physician.

The organism is more susceptible to similar stimuli than to dissimilar stimuli, the “simillimum” or equal. A sick organism is more susceptible to similar medicine than the healthy organism. It follows the states of increase, diminish or destroy.

Morbid susceptibility can be regarded negative or a state of lowered resistance. Example: Two people can contact the same disease, but due to different susceptibility of each person, one will be effected and get sick, the other may not be affected.

Nothing should be done to weaken our susceptibility because it’s our most valuable asset. Habit andthe environment modify susceptibility. People who work outside and sleep little eat fatty food are less susceptible. People who work in perfume factories are under the influence of drugs. Druggists,and chemical workers posses little susceptibility to medicine and require low potencies.

The deaf and dumb have a low degree of susceptibility. And those that are used to taking many prescriptions of allopathic medicine, herbs, vitamins, etc. require a high potency due to theirsusceptibility.

In Aphorism 161 Hahnemann says that an homeopathic aggravation is caused by too strong of a primary effect of the remedy, and therefore, it is not a healing crisis. Each set of symptoms which arises after the ingestion of a homeopathic remedy must be evaluated for their peculiar nature.

There is a great difference between a similar aggravation, a dis-similar aggravation and accessory symptoms brought out under treatment. Each manifestation has a different meaning and affects the future case management.

In the case of a similar aggravation there is an increase of the symptoms already present. This is a sign of the correct remedy given in the wrong dose and potency or repeated

Dis-similar aggravations are those in which there is the production of new and troublesome symptoms not appertaining to the disease being treated. This is the sign of a wrong remedy.

Accessory symptoms are side-effects produced by the remedy which are un-homeopathic to the individual, and that are caused by partial simillimums. All of these signs must be carefully analyzed, as they call for different courses of action by the homeopath.

Each constitution has its own unique sensitivity, which needs careful individualization of both the remedy and the treatment schedule. In Hahnemann’s methodology, remedies are given exclusively in medicinal solutions rather then in a dry dose of the pills. In this way the administration of the remedy is adjusted through succussions and controlled dosages to fit the exact sensitivity of the constitution.

Review of suppression, palliation, and cure
In modern medicine, symptoms are seen as the enemy, as the disease itself. Homeopathy, in contrast, recognizes that symptoms are merely the evidence, the manifestations or signposts, of the disease. While medicine seeks to destroy the symptoms, homeopathy challenges the underlying disease.

It is easy to see that modern medical treatment is generally limited to suppression and palliation. Sometimes, though, we forget that homeopathy can also be used in such a way that palliation or suppression, rather than our ultimate goal of cure, is the result. The differences between these outcomes may sometimes even be difficult to discern, but there are specific ways to distinguish among them.

With suppression, one or more symptoms disappear permanently, either quickly or slowly. The medicine need not be continued or repeated. The patient may continue to have other symptoms (which may not have been considered to be part of the original disease), or generally does not feel better. There is no evidence of a curative process. The patient may become immune to common infectious diseases, but may be increasingly susceptible to parasites. Often, although the patient seems physically improved, mental and emotional symptoms worsen. Eventually, after a period of seemingly good health, the patient becomes worse in some other function, experiences a crisis, and other, deeper and more serious symptoms appear.

In palliation, there is a temporary, sometimes dramatic, relief of symptoms without actually curing the disease from which they originated. If the remedy is discontinued, the symptoms quickly return. Other symptoms continue unchanged or worsen, new symptoms may appear, and there are no signs of cure. Over time, if the remedy is continued, the patient will deteriorate.

Cure is a profound overall improvement in health and enhanced well-being. The disease is removed in its entirety, with all its signs and symptoms. The effect is permanent and no further treatment is required. The patient’s mental and emotional well-being is increased, and behavior returns to normal. Symptoms of the disease decrease and disappear. The patient is more physiologically resistant to disease.

There are certain signs of the curative process by which we know we are on the right track with our prescription:

1. Three to five days after the remedy is given, there is a homeopathic aggravation. This is a short-lived worsening of one or a related group of symptoms. While some symptoms may be increased, the patient still feels better overall; there is no depression, lethargy, loss of appetite, or other signs of illness.

2. Return of old symptoms. These are symptoms previously suppressed by drugs (or remedies!). The symptoms appear in a milder form than originally, and disappear rapidly. If the patient experienced multiple episodes of illness during its life, these symptoms will reappear in reverse order.

3. Return of original symptoms. These are the symptoms for which the curative remedy was prescribed. They may reappear for one or two days, often about a month after the remedy is given.

If symptoms have gone away, but none of these curative reactions has taken place, you should very carefully assess the case to be sure you have not palliated or suppressed with your prescription.

Dr.Jenita. R.Fernandes MD(Hom)
Assistant Professor  &  HOD Department of Organon
A.M.Shaikh Homooepathic medical college Belgaum