What is palliation, suppression, and cure?
PALLIATION is the temporary relief of one or more symptoms as long as the medicine is continued. The response may be dramatic at first use, but the outward effects cannot be sustained without the medication. If the medicine is stopped the symptoms return and often are more severe than prior to beginning the treatment. **An example of palliation would be the use of a thyroid medication. SUPPRESSION is the long term or permanent disappearance of one or more symptoms without improvement of the patient as a whole. Suppression may lead to a decline of the patient in some other part of body, often the mental and/or emotional level. CURE occurs when the symptoms are removed or reduced in intensity with an increase in the well-being of the patient as a whole.
