Pain

For serious conditions such as fibromyalgia homeopathic medicines are only prescribed after thorough case taking and careful analysis of all the symptoms. Since every case of fibromyalgia is unique it goes without saying that each patient will receive a different set of medicines based on their individual symptoms. Here are very concise descriptions of eight homeopathic medicines that are regularly used for pain.

Rhus tox is the rheumatism remedy par excellence. It is effective for pain and stiffness, which is worse when having been still and gets better for getting moving. The pain is particularly bad after overdo­ing things or in cold damp weather and is eased by warmth and moderate exercise. It helps for fibromyalgia that start after a strain or sprain of muscles.

Ruta is sim­ilar to Rhus tox except that the stiffness is, if anything, more marked and less susceptible to improvement with gentle movement. Pains are worse for cold damp weather but without the definite benefit from warmth which is seen in Rhus tox. The tendons are usually painful. There is often a bruised feeling.

Rhododendron is very similar to Rhus tox except that the pains are very much worse for changes in the weather, especially if there is an impend­ing storm or thunderstorm.

The pain of Bryonia is much worse for the slightest movement (the opposite of Rhus tox). Patients prefer to sit or sleep quietly without moving. Pains are stitching or stabbing in nature. Heat and waking up in the morning aggravate the pain while hard pressure, lying on painful side and cold applications alle­viate the pain.

Kalmia helps for severe shooting pains in muscles, and there is often an accompanying numbness or a cold sen­sation. The most peculiar presentation will be the joints of upper part of the body getting involved first and then the pain travelling downwards to the lower limbs. The affected joints are red and swollen.

Causticum is indicated in patients who have long-lasting grief or sorrow leading to fibromyalgia. The pains appear suddenly due to fear, fright or anger. There is a marked restlessness where the patient feels like moving constantly but motion does not relieve. The unusual thing about Causticum is that the symptoms are worse in dry weather and better when it rains.

Arnica helps whenever the body feels bruised and sore, especially if markedly worse after exertion. A characteristic feeling des­cribed is of “the bed feeling too hard”, in other words, soreness and bruised feeling is worse if the part is lain upon. There is a heat of the upper body with coldness in the lower part. Pains are aggravated by lying down and relived with motion.

Cimicifuga is used where the pains, soreness and stiffness are mostly in the neck and upper back muscles. These may have been preceded by an injury and are generally worse for cold or drafts. Symptoms are often accompanied by headaches.