The use of natural treatments, such as homeopathic remedies, is on the rise among people with arthritis looking for a break from chronic, painful persistent symptoms. A professional homoeopath can guide you to choose a remedy to treat your arthritis as well as address any underlying causes that may be exacerbating the symptoms. Read on to find out more.
What is Arthritis?
Arthritis is an inflammatory disease that affects one or more joints that leads to pain, stiffness, and swelling. It can affect any joint (where two or more bones meet) in your body, including your knees, hands, ankles, feet and hips, and it may be caused by an injury or hereditary condition.
The most common forms of Arthritis include:
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Gout
- Juvenile arthritis
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus)
- Scleroderma
Conventional medicine offers different types of treatments for arthritis. Those treatments include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), salicylates, corticosteroids, antimalarials, analgesics and TNF blockers, among others.
Unfortunately, most if not all of these conventional drugs come with a range of adverse effects, including:
- Heartburn
- Bleeding
- High blood pressure
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Liver and kidney damage
- Cardiovascular disease
Symptoms of Arthritis
Whilst symptoms vary between the different types of arthritis, common symptoms include:
- Joint pain
- Morning stiffness
- Swollen joints
- Joint cartilage damage
- Joint weakness
- Joint instabilities
- Deformities
Homoeopathy for Arthritis
A homoeopathic treatment for arthritis contains ingredients that act therapeutically on the whole person, taking into consideration all their physical and emotional symptoms. Unlike conventional drugs that just mask or suppress the pain, homoeopathic medicines actually get at the root of the problem through highly individualised treatment plans based upon your specific set of symptoms.
Whilst science is yet to provide the evidence, homoeopathic remedies have been anecdotally reported in effectively relieving arthritis symptoms when used in conjunction with traditional medical care.
Homoeopathy is a system of remedies that are based on the belief that tiny amounts of natural substances can be used to stimulate the body's own defenses against a disease, in this case, arthritis.
A professional homoeopath will always consider the arthritis patient's constitutional type, physiological make-up, emotional state and level of wellbeing before going ahead and prescribing a remedy. They will always assess the patient as a whole to determine the most appropriate, tailored healing approach for the individual.
Homoeopathic Remedies for Arthritis
Homoeopathy benefits the treatment of osteoarthritis, which is the most common type of arthritis, as well as other forms of inflammatory arthritis. It provides fast relief from symptoms as it works on the underlying cause of the problem. Homoeopathy is one of the safest natural remedies that does not cause any side effects.
Commonly prescribed homoeopathic remedies for Arthritis may include:
- Aconitum – Helpful in treating a rheumatoid arthritis patient with anxiety, fever and restlessness.
- Actea spic – Effective in reducing pain and swelling caused by arthritis centered in the hands and feet.
- Apis mellifica – Useful in reducing arthritic swelling and pain.
- Arctium – Effectively treats and relieves joint pain, colalgia and neuralgia.
- Arnica montana – Assists arthritis patients who are in denial about their condition. Also effectively treats rheumatoid arthritis related to damp, cold conditions.
- Belladonna – Effectively relieves arthritic pain that strikes suddenly. Also helpful in relieving red and swollen joints, and sharp pain that is related to getting cold and wet.
- Berberis vulgaris – Effective in the treatment of chronic synovitis of the knee.
- Bryonia alba – Useful for Arthritis pain that is made worse with movement, with the affected area potentially sensitive to touch.
- Calcarea carlionica-ostrearum – Useful to those who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis affecting the shoulders and upper back, which is particularly made worse with damp or wet conditions.
- Chamomilla – Useful in the treatment of severe Arthritis pain, especially in restless or angry patients.
- Cimicifuga racemosa – Useful to patients who experience pain more in the muscles than bones.
- Dulcamarta – Effective in the treatment of cold or wetness-induced subacute rheumatism.
- Kalmia latifolia – Effective in the treatment of acute non-febrile rheumatism with migratory pains.
- Mercurius – May help reduce pain and swelling of joints, night-time symptoms, profuse sweat and pericardial complications.
- Mercurius sulphuricus – Especially effective when used to treat rheumatic synovitis.
- Pulsatilla nigricans – Useful for Arthritis patients who experience pain worse with heat (and improvement in the cold).
- Rhus toxicodendron – Useful in treating depression, apprehension, a lack of movement, pain and stiffness in patients.
- Sulphuricum – Useful for nighttime Arthritic pain.
If you are interested in more information on how homoeopathy may help arthritis, you may consult a professional homeopath in your local area through the Natural Therapy Pages. Or you can check out other effective natural treatments for arthritis.
Originally published on Sep 30, 2010
