During the development of pathology of the disease (samprapti) signs and symptoms develops on the body which can identify the disease are called Poorvaroop. These are classified into two types:

1)Samanya Poorvaroop (General Preindicating Signs And Symbols)

By these signs and symptoms only the basic disease can be identified but not the subtype. Example: Shrama (tiredness), aarati (uneasy feeling) is one of the sign of pyrexia (jwara).

2) Visheshpoorvroop (special preindicating sign and symptoms)

These not only help in identifying the disease but also the sub type of the ailment. Example: Burning sensation in the eye along with shrama (tiredness) is pre indicative sign of pittaj jwar (fever, developed due to pittadosh).

Importance of Poorvaroop

Treatment
In Ayurveda some treatment can be given in poorvaroop stage to prevent the disease. Example: In pittaja fever ghrithpan (taking ghee) is the treatment at its poorvaroop stage.

Severity of disease
In ayurveda it is said if developed disease show all its poorvaroop (pre indicating sign and symptoms) and roopa (indicating sign and symptoms ) then the disease is said to be asadhay (impossible to treat) or krichhasadhaya (dificult to treat).

Diffrential diagnosis
In ayurveda there is same roop (indicative sign and symptoms) mentioned for two different diseases but different poorvaroop (pre indicating sign and symptoms). This type of disease could be identified with the help of poorvaroop (pre indicating sign and symptoms) only.