Role of homeopathy as a palliative treatment in chronic arthritis with deformities

Introduction:

All forms of chronic arthritis give rise to destruction in parts of joints and bones, which, if not treated properly in time, ultimately leads to joint deformities. Homeopathy has a great role to play in acute as well as in chronic phases in all types of arthritis. Antirheumatic treatment helps to decrease pace of arthritis progress. In cases with severe deformities and destruction of cartilage with great reduction in joint space and other destructive changes, it is not possible to cure them. But homeopathy, to some extent, can give symptomatic relief to patients.

Methodology:

• area – Delhi, India

• inclusion criteria – Male and female with chronic arthritis and severe deformities, patients in whom joint replacement is advised

• exclusion criteria – Patients with chronic and uncontrolled problems like diabetes mellitus, COPD, heart diseases, psychiatric problems

• research technique – Placebo control trial

Findings:

Selected cases were divided randomly into two groups with equal number of patients. Patients of one group were given placebo and those in the other group were given acute homeopathic remedies, such as rhus toxicodendron, bryonia, ledum, ruta, calcarea fluorica, actaea spicata, colchicum etc. An improvement of pain, stiffness, swelling and movement of joint/joints was observed. Significant improvement was seen in patients given homeopathic remedies compaired with the patients in the placebo group.

Conclusion:

Homeopathy has a definite role to play as a palliative treatment in chronic arthritis with severe deformities.