A middle aged or elderly patient complains of progressive pain in one of the several joints; there is limitation of movement and loss of function. Stiffness and grating are felt on movement when the joint is used or immediately after use, and is relieved by rest. There are no constitutional symptoms. The disease is likely to be OSTEOARTHROSIS.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease. No predisposing factors are apparent.

Pain is typically felt in the knees, hips or hands. They are worse in the evenings and aggravated by movement; relieved by rest. Initially, the pains are intermittent but they become consistence in a particular joints. Morning stiffness lasts up to half an hour or so and stiffness after sitting for a long period.

Characteristic swelling is present with hard and bony joints, sometimes associated with effusion. There is a crepitus on movement, sign of inflammation; the joint, especially the knee, is warm to touch and there is erythema in small joints of the hands. Limitation of movements followed with wasting of muscles around the affected joint is common.

Management and Treatment

Bryonia alba joints are painful, red, swollen and hot, with stitches and tearing, worse on least movement. Every spot is painful on pressure. Pains are better by lying down on the same side of the pain. Knee is stiff and painful. Muscles are sore and painful. Mucous membrane are dry and serous membranes are inflamed.

The modalities are characteristic- better lying on the painful side, by pressure, rest and cold things. Better from bandaging, by drawing knees up. Irritability of mind and tissues runs through the remedy. Joints are stiff, red and swollen, with stitching pains on the slightest touch.

Kalium carbonicum is for weakness which is caused by all the salts of potassium, but kalium carbonicum has these symptoms pronounced. There is weakness of the muscles of the heart, back of the limbs, including weakness of intellect. Sharp stitching pains, stabbing or catching pains felt in various parts of the body, joints, chest, muscles, head; worse lying on the affected side. Back is stiff and has a paralytic feeling. With burning in the spine. Lower back feels weak. Pain in the buttocks extends to the thighs and the knees.

Rhus toxicodendron affects the fibrous tissues, joints, tendons, sheaths, etc, producing pain and stiffness. It cause stiffness of muscles and joints. Aliments are from over straining, over lifting and getting wet while perspiring. The pains are tearing shooting and stitching, worse at night; patient cannot rest in any one position and is therefore restless.

Ruta graveolens has bursitis and cracking in joints, worse walking in open air. Pains are stiffness in fingers and wrists. Knee give way while ascending and while going down. Tendons are sore. Aching pain in tendo Achilles.

Kalmia latifolia pains are neuralgic and it is a rheumatic remedy. Pains shift rapidly, shooting outwards along the nerve. Deltoid rheumatism, especially at night. Pains from hip to knees. Kalmia latifolia pains travel from above downwards. Pains are worse from motion (Bryonia alba)

Ledum palustre affects the fibrous tissue of small joints, ankles, tendons, heels and skin rheumatism begins in the lower limbs and spreads upward. Cramps over the hip joint, cracking of joints, worse warmth of bed, heels are sore, can hardly step on them. Ankles are swollen and tender after an injury.

Manganum aceticum has a special affinity for the periosteum of shin bones, joints, ankles and lower limbs . inflammation of bones with nocturnal digging pains, growing pains and weak ankles. General soreness and aching, every part of the body feels sore when touched. It has chronic arthritis with infiltrared glistening joints. Suppuration of the skin around the joint. Shiny and red swelling of the joints; knee pain and itching, burning spots about the joint.

Osteoarthritic nosode is made from the synovial liquid of arthritic joints. Pains are aggravated by first movement, at night and are ameliorated by prolonged movement. Complaints are worse on the right side. Pains are more marked in Achilles tendon.

RL35