Pain on the inside or outside of the elbow can make even simple activities frustrating. Opening a jar, carrying groceries, gardening, typing, or lifting a coffee mug may suddenly become painful.

These conditions are often called tennis elbow or golfer's elbow, but you don't have to play either sport to experience them. Repetitive strain from work, hobbies, exercise, or everyday activities can all contribute to irritation of the tendons around the elbow.

When it comes to homeopathy, however, the diagnosis is only the starting point.

Looking Beyond the Diagnosis

One of the unique aspects of homeopathy is that two people with the same diagnosis may need entirely different remedies.

Rather than asking, "What remedy is used for tennis elbow?" a homeopath asks a different question:

What’s Characteristic About This Person’s Symptoms?

The answer often provides the most important clues.

What Does the Pain Feel Like?

Some people describe their discomfort as bruised or sore, as though the arm has been overworked.

Others experience sharp, tearing pains that travel down the forearm.

Some notice stiffness when they first begin moving the arm after rest, while others find that any movement at all aggravates the pain.

These differences matter.

In homeopathy, the characteristics of the pain (and the patient) help guide remedy selection.

What Makes It Better or Worse?

Another important consideration is what changes the symptoms.

For example:

• Does the elbow feel worse after periods of rest?
• Does gentle movement improve the stiffness?
• Is the pain aggravated by continued use?
• Does warmth bring relief?
• Does keeping the arm still help?
• Did the symptoms begin after a strain, injury, or period of overexertion?

The answers can be just as important as the location of the pain itself.

Remedy Pictures Commonly Considered

The following remedy pictures illustrate why homeopathy looks beyond the diagnosis and focuses on the individual's experience.

When Stiffness Improves with Movement

Some people find the elbow is especially stiff and painful when they first begin moving after rest. Once they get going, the joint gradually loosens and feels better.

This pattern often points toward Rhus toxicodendron, a remedy long associated with stiffness, strain, and symptoms that improve with continued motion. Someone needing this remedy can be restless with their pain, which is often worse at night, and feel relief from heat and warm applications. Rarely will Rhus tox be called for if your patient is not made worse by cold, damp conditions.

When Movement Makes Everything Worse

Others experience the opposite pattern. Even small movements aggravate the pain, and they instinctively want to keep the arm still.

This symptom picture may suggest Bryonia, a remedy often associated with pains that worsen from motion and improve with rest. The person feels better holding the sore part perfectly still and when pressure is applied to the area. Bryonia patients also tend to feel better lying on the sore part (which acts as a brace for the area).

When the Area Feels Bruised or Beaten

Sometimes the dominant sensation is soreness, as though the tissues have been bruised or overworked. The tendon will tend to feel sore and painful as if bruised – and there may be some discoloration in the area of the injury.

If the symptoms began after unusual exertion, repetitive activity, or a minor injury, Arnica montana may be considered.

 

When the Problem Follows Repetitive Strain

For some people, the pain develops after repeated use of the arm, wrist, or hand. The tendons feel strained, sore, weak, or overworked.

In these situations, Ruta graveolens is often studied because of its strong association with injuries involving tendons and their attachments. It’s important to note that Ruta and Rhus-tox are often hard to choose between in these cases – both are very helpful for injury or pain of tendons, both are better from heat and continued motion (which loosens up the area), both are worse from rest. Each of these symptoms point more frequently to Rhus tox… and less often to Ruta. If you can’t decide, my advice is to try a few doses of Rhus tox and if not better, switch to Ruta!

When Pain Shoots Along the Arm

Occasionally elbow pain is accompanied by tingling, burning, or shooting sensations that extend into the forearm, wrist, or hand.

When nerve-related symptoms are prominent, Hypericum perforatum may be considered.

The Story Behind the Symptoms

Two people may both have pain on the outside of the elbow, yet their experiences can be very different.

One person may have developed symptoms after spending a weekend pruning shrubs or painting a room.

Another may notice pain that gradually appeared after months of repetitive computer work.

A third may trace the problem back to a specific injury or strain.

Homeopathy takes these details into account. The circumstances surrounding the problem are often part of the remedy picture.

Why Individualization Matters

Homeopathy has long recognized that symptoms are more than a label or diagnosis. The exact way a condition presents in each individual helps determine the most appropriate remedy.

For this reason, there is no single homeopathic remedy for tennis elbow or golfer's elbow.

Instead, the goal is to understand the complete symptom picture, including:

• The location of the pain
• The sensation of the pain
• What makes it better or worse
• How the symptoms began
• The individual's overall experience

The more clearly these details are understood, the easier it becomes to identify a remedy that closely matches the person experiencing them.

A Different Way of Looking at Elbow Pain

Whether elbow pain develops after sports, work, exercise, or daily activities, homeopathy offers a highly individualized approach. Rather than focusing solely on the name of the condition, it considers the unique pattern of symptoms each person experiences.

Sometimes the smallest details, how the pain feels, when it occurs, or what changes it, can provide the most valuable clues of all.

As with any medical condition, consult with your physician if you have any concerns about the severity of your condition as it may first require medical diagnosis and/or intervention and monitoring.

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.