7 CONSIDERATIONS THAT

CONSTITUTE
CHARACTERSTIC SYMPTOMS.

BY-ANUSHKA KAMAT
3RD YEAR BHMS
UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF- Dr SWAROOPA PATIL
 WHAT ARE CHARACTERSTIC
SYMPTOMS?
• Symptoms that are striking, singular, uncommon and
peculiar in the diseased individual are called as
characteristic symptoms.
• The following 7 considerations that constitute them was
introduced by Boenninghausen.
• Hahnemann also refers about it in foot note 109 (Aph- 153)
in 6th edition of organon of medicine.
1.Changes of personality and temperament are particularly
to be noted, especially when striking alterations
occur( even rare)
• The individuality of human beings is best manifested
through his personality reactions and these are best
expressed through mentality, temperament, likes and
dislikes.
• So the finest shades of individuals personality can be
studied through mental symptoms
• And hence for selection of similimum mental symptoms
of individual patient must be matched with that of the
drug
2.Disease individualization and not merely disease
determination is more relevant for therapeutic purposes

• The nature and peculiarities of disease have to be determined properly

for therapeutic purpose.
• Disease determination is enough for diagnostic purpose but for
treatment purpose, disease individualization is must.
3. The seat of the disease provides an important
individualizing factor

• Though in homoeopathy, the diseased individual is ill as a

whole. But still all the organs or tissues of the individual
are not affected equally.
• Similarly every drug has its own affinity for certain parts of
the body though it affects the body as a whole.
• Therefore the seat of disease is to be known to match the
drug and disease.
4.In finding the similimum of the whole case the concomitants
provide individualising features in many cases
• Concomitants – a group of related symptoms manifesting themselves
simultaneously or in succession in same individual who suffers.
• Therefore it is the totality of symptom- the whole picture of individual that
must be considered; and this includes not only the disease labelled
nosologically but also those in other parts of the suffering individual ie
typically unrelated symptoms which an alert physician may observe or elicit.
• Eg:- C/O Lobar pneumonia with symptoms of fever, cough, chest pain,
breathlessness may be of little importance. but if they are accompanied by
extreme thirst, aversion to uncover but liking for cold in head complaints.
Aggravation from motion. Pain in right hypochondria nausea vomiting. etc.
• This gives a clear indication for selection of similimum.
• We must therefore examine carefully all those accessory symptoms which
are:-
1. Rarely found combined with main affection
2. All those that belong to another sphere of action
3. Those that bear distinctive mark of some drug.
*Lesser accessory symptoms:- to be considered in chronic case very carefully as these are
most characteristic. The patients become so used to these that they pay little or no
attention to. But these help in choice of remedy as they can have connection with their
principle malady. (aph- 95)
• We might almost term them unreasonable, yet they have an actual
relationship as they exist at the same time in he same diseased individual.
These must not be overlooked as they are characteristic of that individual.
5. Prima causa morbi is almost impossible to find and is not
indispensable for homoeopathic cure.it is only some manifest or
maintaining cause that intelligent physician would 1 st remove
and associations of those with dynamic changes that occur in the
organism
• Eg:- the history of sprains, bruises, burns, exposure to cold, rains previous
continued administration of unhomoeopathic drugs in large doses. so much
depends on detailed knowledge of these factors that proper choice of
remedy cannot be made without considering these.
6. The modalities are the proper and most decisive
modifiers of the characteristics, not one of which is
worthless not even the negative ones.
• Modality:- circumstances under which the symptoms are
modified leading to either aggravation or amelioration.
• An superficial examination will reveal common
symptoms ,deep inspection helps for differentiating in
manner of their appearance , sensations and the
modality.
• Cravings and aversions give most important points in
selecting remedies
7. The time factor i.e. the exact time for appearance or
aggravation of a symptom is a great individualizing
feature and can be taken into account for selection of
similimum
• The homoeopathic objective concerns 2 points for the
above
1. The periodical return of symptom after a shorter or
longer period.
Eg:- in cases of menstrual disturbances, seasonal influences .
2. The hour of the day when they are better or worse.
Eg:- Cough only during night time. Worsens at 3am.
Diarrhea early morning .
THANK
YOU!!