Arthritis affects over 37 million Americans. The broad spectrum of arthritis includes osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and related conditions such as ankylosing spondylitis, fibromyalgia, gout, juvenile arthritis, lupus, Lyme disease, psoriatic arthritis, and Reiter's syndrome.
Homeopathy equips the chiropractor to not only help the multiple symptoms of arthritis; in many cases it works deep within the body to correct the underlining causes. This powerful ability of homeopathy corrects the genetic predispositions we have acquired through a thousand years of our family tree. This remarkably in-depth correction comes through an incredible discovery in homeopathy called miasms. Dr. Samuel Hahnemann originally developed the concept of miasms as the "obstacle to the cure of disease." Homeopathy can clear these miasms from our body - thus correcting the genetic predispositions we have to disease.
This phenomenal therapy can not only correct the individual's predisposition to a disease, such as arthritis, but also helps offspring of that individual born after the deeper correction has been made!
Homeopathy uses minute doses of pure extracts from all realms of nature and activates the body to heal itself, by correcting underlying causes of diseases, rather than suppressing symptoms. There are many homeopathic ingredients that have stood the test of time - as they have been researched, tested and proven to relieve some of the many painful associations of arthritis. Abridged summaries including some of the most beneficial ingredients (as researched by William Boericke, MD, Pocket Manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica and Repertory, 9th edition, Boericke & Tafel, Inc., 1927) are as follows:
Actaea Spicata (Baneberry): A rheumatic remedy, especially for small joints, e.g. ,wrist, fingers, knees, ankles and toes. Relieves spasmodic and throbbing pains in head, face, stomach, abdomen and extremities.
Arnica Montana (Mountain Arnica): Muscular tonic for limbs, body aches, and strained joints, with a tendency to tissue degeneration; gout.
Bellis Perennis (Daisy): Excellent remedy for sprains, bruises, rheumatic symptoms, sore joints and muscles, and varicose veins.
Bryonia Alba (White Bryony): Relieves soreness, weakness, stiffness, dizziness, rheumatic pains, swellings, irritability, physical weakness, and apathy.
Calcarea Carbonia (Carbonate of Lime): Great remedy for impaired nutrition of glands, skin and bones. Relieves rheumatoid pains, rheumatism in lumbar region, swelling of joints (especially knees), and cramps in calves.
Calcarea Fluorica (Fluoride of Lime): Powerful tissue remedy for hard, stony glands, varicose and enlarged veins, and malnutrition of bones. For chronic lumbago, gouty enlargement of finger joints, depression and groundless fears.
Causticum (Tinctura acris sine Kali): Action mainly in chronic rheumatic, arthritic and paralytic affections, indicated by pains in the muscular and fibrous tissues with deformities about the joints. Useful for the progressive loss of muscular strength, relief of heaviness, weakness and unsteadiness of muscles.
Cimicifuga Racemosa (Black Snake-Root): Especially useful in rheumatic, nervous subjects. For restless feeling, aching or jerking in limbs, and muscular soreness. Can also be used for depression, and for nausea and vomiting caused by pressure on the spine and cervical region.
Formicum Acidum (Formic Acid): For arthritis, articular rheumatism, chronic gout, and stiffness in joints. Also for weakness of lower extremities, pain in hips, nodes around joints, and complaints of associated with overlifting.
Hypericum Perforatum (St. John's Wort): Great remedy for nerve injuries. Relieves pain after operations, cramps in calves, pain in toes and fingers (especially in tips), joints that feel bruised, and jerking and twitching of muscles. Useful for puncture wounds.
Ledum Palustre (Wild Rosemary): Relieves throbbing in shoulders, cracking in joints, swollen ankles, rheumatism, gouty pains shooting through feet, limbs and joints.
Magnesia Phosphorica (Magnesium Phosphate): Anti-spasmodic remedy for neuralgic pains, cramps in calves and sciatica, weakness in arms and hands, and general muscular weakness. Especially suited for languid, exhausted subjects.
Phytolacca Decandra (Poke-root): For aching, soreness, restlessness and prostration, rheumatic pains, pain in underside of thighs, pain in legs, ankles and feet. Relieves stiff back.
Pulsatilla (Wind Flower): For intense pain in thighs, hips, knees and legs with restlessness, sleeplessness and chilliness. Relieves numbness around elbows.
Rhododendron Chrysanthum (Snow Rose): Relieves rheumatic and gouty symptoms associated with swollen joints, rheumatic tearing in limbs, stiffness of neck, pain in shoulders, arms, wrists, toe joints, and pain involving dental nerves.
Rhus Toxicodendron (Poison Ivy): For rheumatic pains spread over a large surface area. Relieves swelling of joints, tingling in feet, pain in tendons and ligaments, pain and stiffness in small of back, loss of power in forearms and fingers, and state of being listless and sad.
Ruta Graveolens (Rue): Relieves pain in small of back and loins, bones of feet and ankles, pain and stiffness in wrists and hands, contraction of fingers, and great restlessness.
Salicylicum Acidum (Salicylic Acid): Useful for swollen, painful knees and acute rheumatism, sciatica and vertigo.
Symphytum Officinale (Comfrey Root): For injuries to sinews, tendons and the periosteum. Acts on joints, neuralgia of knee, perineum and bones.
Needless to say, arthritis is a painful and often debilitating disease. However, with the application of appropriate homeopathic remedies, many patients can find relief that allows them to live their lives with more happiness and contentment than ever imagined.
Although the above list represents some of the more common remedies for arthritis, there are more than 100 others to consider when uncovering the various underlining causes associated with the condition. I recommend using homeopathic formulas designed to address the many possible causes and predispositions to arthritis. These formulas will range from direct arthritis formulas to formulas addressing the following:
- general joint problems
- various immune system issues
- calcium utilization
- sports enhancement
- anti-aging
- Lyme disease
- food allergies
- toxicity
- underlying miasmatic predispositions to arthritis and joint disease
Practitioners can address these conditions using any homeopathic company's product line, while maintaining a high-volume, broad-scope practice.
Enjoy the journey!
Frank King, DC, ND
Asheville, North Carolina
www.kingbio.com
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