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The Perfect Solution to an Achy Joint

Rheumatic Pain #14

Aconite, Bryonia, Cinchona,
Mag phos, Rhus tox

Whether it’s just a case of stiffness after a chilling walk or stiff swollen joints, this remedy offers worry free relief and the TLC your joints deserve.
As with all Aconite symptoms, the neck, facial and inflamed joint pains begin after a cold wind or draft. Bryonia can ease that grumpy bear attitude so often stimulated by its red, swollen, hot joints that feel worse sitting still and even worse when moving. Cinchona’s weak, swollen joints are equally unbearable and hate being touched, but may feel better with firm pressure. Mag phos helps cramping spasmodic pain that will not let you or your joints relax. Rhus tox, the ‘rusty gate remedy’ is the champion of stiff painful joints that feel worse in cold wet weather and after exertion, but feel better with gentle movement.  Safe to take alongside any other medication!

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Piecing it together...

A few single remedies are taken as generally as you might take an aspirin for a headache, but the essence of homeopathy lies in matching a set of symptoms with a single remedy’s specific pattern. It’s like finding a puzzle piece with the right characteristics to mend the gap in the picture. Does it have the right size, shape and slant? Does the remedy share the same type of pain, target area, aggravants and ameliorators?

Robin Murphy’s extensive text, Lotus Materia Medica lists these joint symptoms for Aconite:

Limbs - Numbness and tingling, shooting pains, ... Hot hands and cold feet. Rheumatic inflammation of joints, worse at night, red shining swelling, very sensitive. Legs powerless, feel tired during repose.  Hip-joint and thigh feel lame, especially after lying down. Knees unsteady, disposition of foot to turn. Weak and lax ligaments of all joints. Painless cracking of all joints. ... Sensation as if drops of water trickled down the thigh.

Back - Chilliness down back. Numb, stiff, painful. Crawling and tingling, as if bruised. Stiffness in nape of neck. Pain in the back, prevents taking deep inspiration. Bruised pain between shoulders and sacrum.

It also lists:
Joint rheumatism, much fever, restlessness and anxiety, swellings are red and hot or pale, shifting from one point to another, especially if caused by suddenly checked sweat or by dry cold air or winds. Complaints in joints are shooting, cramp, cracking, loss of power, drawing in joints...

Under Modalities (things that make symptoms feel better or worse) it lists:
Worse from being chilled by cold winds, dry weather, while sweating.
Worse from pressure...

Turning to Robin Murphy’s Lotus Materia Medica for Bryonia’s joint details:

Limbs - Severe pain from broken bones. Joints red, swollen, hot with stitches and tearing [pain], worse on least movement. Swelling of elbow.
Every spot is painful on pressure. ... Sciatica better lying quietly on painful side. Knees stiff and painful. Knees totter and bend under him when walking. Hot swelling of feet. Pins and needles in soles, preventing walking.

Back - Scapular numbness or pain going to epigastrium or from left scapula to heart. Painful stiffness of neck. Lumbago worse stooping.  Stitches and stiffness in small of back. From ... sudden changes of weather. Pain in the small of back worse walking or turning.

It also lists:
In most complaints, the aggravation from motion, movement of all kinds is a leading characteristic. ... Allied to this is better from pressure from lying on painful side.   Often indicated in injury of the joints when Arnica fails... The Bryonia patient is irritable.

Modalities - Better from lying on painful side, pressure, rest, cold things. Better from bandaging, cool open air, being quiet, cloudy damp days... Worse from least motion, raising up, stooping, coughing, exertion, deep breathing. Worse from dry cold or heat, becoming hot in room, hot weather.

Robin Murphy’s, Lotus Materia Medica lists these joint symptoms for
Cinchona:

Limbs - Pains in limbs and joints, as if sprained, worse slight touch, hard pressure relieves. Averse to exercise, sensitive to touch.

Weariness of joints, worse mornings and when sitting. Joints swollen, very sensitive.

Back - Pressure as of a stone between scapulae... Sharp pains across kidneys worse movement, at night. Knife like pains around the back.
Heavy pressure on sacrum. Backache as from sitting bent for long time.
Lumbago worse slight motion.

It also lists:
Modalities - Better from hard pressure, loose clothes. Better from bending double in room, open air, warmth. Worse from jarring, slightest touch, at night,... cold winds, drafts.

Robin Murphy’s Lotus Materia Medica says of Mag phos:

Limbs - Cramps in calves. General muscular weakness. Twitchings... Pains in lower limbs, alternating sides. Involuntary shaking of hands. Cramps from prolonged exertion from prolonged use of tools. Crampy contraction of fingers. Sciatica with tender feet. Writer’s and player’s cramp.

Back - Stiffness of neck and back. Cramps. ... Sore pain in neck and lower part of back. Aching in small of back. Dorsal spine, very painful and sensitive to touch.
 

It also lists:
Mag phos is a great anti-spasmodic remedy. Cramping of muscles with radiating pains. Neuralgic pains relieved by warmth.

Modalities - Better by heat warmth, pressure, bending double. Better from hot bathing , pressure, rubbing. Worse from cold, air, drafts, periodicity, night, uncovering, water.

Robin Murphy’s Lotus Materia Medica defines the joint applications for Rhus tox as:

Limbs - Hot, painful swelling of joints. Pains tearing in tendons, ligaments and tissues. Rheumatic pains spread over a large surface at nape of neck, loins and limbs, better motion... Limbs stiff, paralyzed, the cold fresh air is not tolerated, it makes the skin painful. Numbness and prickling in limbs after overwork and exposure. Paralysis, trembling after exertion. ... Tearing down thighs. Sciatica, worse cold, damp weather, at night. Legs feel wooden. Tenderness about knee-joint. Cramps in calves. Tingling in feet. Ankles swollen, stiff after sprain or injury.

Back - Stiff neck with painful tension, when moving. Back strain or injury. Pains from overlifting or overuse. Pain between shoulders on swallowing. Pain and stiffness in small of back, better motion or lying on something hard, worse while sitting.

It also lists:
Rheumatism in the cold season.
Modalities - Better from continued motion, heat, hot bath, if heated, warm wrapping, rubbing, warm applications, warm dry, weather. ... Worse from cold, wet rainy weather and after rain, at night, exposure to wet, cold, air, draught. Worse being chilled, when hot or sweaty. Worse from beginning of motion, rest, before storms, sprains, prolonged sitting after exertion.

Bibliography for this issue:

Murphy, Robin, ND. Lotus Materia Medica. Pagosa Springs, CO: Lotus Star Academy, 1995.

Please note that the language in Materia Medica texts like this tends to be rather stark due to the need to condense many many symptoms and many many remedies into a large but usable text - 1876 pages designed primarily for professionals.