对症下药

lit. to prescribe the right medicine for an illness (idiom); fig. to study a problem to find the right way to solve it; to take appropriate steps

correct diagnosis; to prescribe the right cure for an illness

to treat the symptoms; reactive (rather than proactive)

diagnosis and treatment based on an overall analysis of the illness and the patient's condition

lit. the disease is cured the moment the medicine is taken (idiom); fig. (of a medical treatment) to give instant results

to treat the symptoms rather than getting to the root of the problem (proverb); reactive (rather than proactive)