Most of us know what aching joints feel like. It may be a sore knee after gardening, stiff fingers first thing in the morning, or a hip that seems to complain every time the weather changes. Joint pain becomes more common as we get older, but it can affect people at almost any age.

While there are many causes of joint pain, symptoms often include pain, stiffness, and sometimes swelling around the affected joint.

Homeopathy has long been used to help with these kinds of complaints. The important thing to remember is that homeopathy is individualized medicine. Two people may have pain in the very same joint and yet require completely different remedies because the symptoms are different.

Here are a few remedies that are commonly considered when the symptoms fit.

Arsenicum album

Arsenicum album is often thought of when the pain is accompanied by marked restlessness. The person cannot seem to get comfortable. They move about because of the pain, even though they feel tired and worn out.

The pains are frequently burning in nature and are often much worse after midnight, especially between one and two o'clock in the morning. Warmth usually brings relief, while cold tends to make the symptoms worse. Anxiety often accompanies the physical discomfort.

Bryonia alba

Bryonia is one of the easiest remedies to recognize because movement makes nearly everything worse. Even the smallest motion may increase the pain, so the person prefers to keep perfectly still. Pressure makes the pain better, as it braces the area from movement.

The joints may be swollen, warm, and painful, with stitching or tearing pains. Cold, dry weather often aggravates the symptoms. There is often a characteristic high thirst, along with a tendency toward dry constipation. The person can easily be grumpy with the pain.

Pulsatilla

Pulsatilla pains rarely stay in one place for very long. They tend to wander from joint to joint, and the pain's intensity may change from hour to hour.

The joints can be red and swollen. The pains can be of a tearing or drawing nature that are a bit better from motion. The pain is typically worse in a warm room and better with cold applications. The person generally feels better in cool, fresh air. Warm rooms and getting overheated usually make the symptoms worse. Another well-known feature of Pulsatilla is thirstlessness, even when the person is not feeling well. Emotionally, they may become tearful while describing their symptoms and feel better from sympathy and consolation.

Rhus toxicodendron

Anyone who has needed Rhus tox usually remembers one thing: the first movement hurts.

Getting out of a chair, taking those first few steps in the morning, or moving after sitting still for a while can be quite painful. Once the joints loosen up, however, the discomfort often improves. If the person rests again, the stiffness and aching pain returns.

Cold, damp weather commonly aggravates the symptoms, while warmth and continued motion bring relief. The pains are often described as drawing, tearing, or as though the joint had been strained or sprained. Pain is often worse at night. Restlessness and difficulty finding a comfortable position can make sleep difficult.

The Remedy Must Fit the Person

One of the most common mistakes beginners make is choosing a remedy without considering the characteristics of the pain or the patient. Homeopathy doesn't work that way.

The remedy is chosen because it matches the person's symptoms, not because it matches the name of the disease. The location of the pain is only one small part of the picture. What makes it better or worse, the time of day the symptoms appear, the type of pain, and even the person's general characteristics all help guide remedy selection.

If the pain is severe, follows an injury, or persists despite treatment, it is important to seek a proper medical evaluation. Joint pain can sometimes be a sign of a condition that requires diagnosis and ongoing medical care.

About Dr. Lisa Samet:

Dr. Lisa Samet, N.D., provides Washington Homeopathic Products with a regular column on using homeopathy for the family. She's a naturopathic physician who specializes in homeopathic medicine. Dr. Samet graduated from the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in 1998 and has been practicing in Montreal since then. She was born and raised in New York.

Dr. Samet has chosen to focus on homeopathy because, in her experience, it is the deepest healing modality available, as it does not just soothe or palliate symptoms but actually stimulates the body to begin healing itself. Dr. Samet sees patients in her Montreal office as well as long-distance using Zoom, Skype, or FaceTime. Learn more here: Dr. Lisa Samet. You can follow her on Facebook as well.