Using homeopathic medicines for pain requires a different thinking process. When treating pain via homeopathy the key indications are how is the pain be experienced and what are the qualities of the pain. Here are some of my favorite homeopathic pain medicines.
One of the great elder homeopaths is Dr. E. B. Nash. His text Leaders in Homeopathic Therapeutics states this; “ If we were to name the three leading remedies in this respect (pain) it would be Aconite, Chamomilla and Coffea. Let’s see what he has to say.
Aconite: Aconite is a great pain remedy. The Aconite pains are always attended by the extreme restlessness, anxiety and fearfulness of this remedy. The patient tosses about in agony, “cannot bear the pain, nor bear to be touched, nor to be uncovered.” The Aconite pains are intolerable and generally worse in the evening or at night. Then we have often alternating with or sometimes even in conjunction with the pains numbness, tingling, or formication ( a sensation like insects crawling over the skin). The pains of Aconite are tearing, cutting pains, which drive the patient to desperation. Fear——fear of death especially, but fear to cross the street, fear to go into society, fear something is going to happen, ever present, undefinable, unreasonable fear. No remedy has it in such a degree as Aconite. It is the fear as much as the pain that makes the patient so full of that agonized restlessness. The Aconite patient often screams with their pain. Some describe the pain as if being stabbed with knives.
Chamomilla: Pain accompanied with very irritable mood; snaps and snarls; will not speak or answer civilly; mad. The patient is cross, ugly, spiteful, snappish. Exceedingly sensitive to pain, which makes the patient mad; numbness alternates with, or attends the pains, sweats with the pain. Children want to be held and then want to be put down. This remedy is especially adapted to children and nervous, hysterical patients. There is this peculiarity about it, the pain is not always in proportion to the gravity of the case, and we often see, for instance in labor, a great deal harder pains of which the patient does not complain half so loudly. But in the Chamomilla case the patient is exceedingly sensitive to the pain and exclaims continually, “O; I cannot bear the pain.” Many times have I met this condition in labor cases, and in the majority of them the cross, peevish, snappish, condition of mind accompanying , and seen it changed in a short time to a mild, uncomplaining, patient state, by a single dose of Chamomilla 200. This sensitiveness to pain is not confined to labor cases, but I have often observed it in neuralgias, toothache, rheumatism, etc., and the same happy results follow its use.
Coffea: All sense perceptions more acute. Pain is made worse by noise. Excited state of being. Sensitivity of the skin beyond comprehension. Wants to be still in a dark room. Even the covering of a light sheet will cause the pain to worsen. But, the pain drives the patient to exasperation, tears, tossing about in great anguish. Sleeplessness. Feeling “as though a nail were driven into the head.”
How about a few more.
Belladonna: pain throbbing, inflammation, as if pain has a throbbing pulse, redness and heat coming from pain sites, swelling. Pain better standing, sitting up. Pain worse motion, noise, jarring, light, lying down, pressure. Pain is burning.
Bryonia: Pain is better with pressure. Pain is worse with motion. Since pain is better with pressure patient will bind the pain site, lie down on the pain site, press on the pain site. The patient does not want to move as all motion causes the pain to be worse.
Rhus toxicodendron: Generalized stiffness, low back pain and sciatica. Back pain, worse after muscle strains as in car accidents or over-lifting. Back pain, worse sitting still which cause stiffness. Back pain, better with motion so patient likes to move about which relieves the pain. Back pain better from hard pressure and massage. Compare this with Coffea who the last thing they want is for someone to actually touch them. Same with Bryonia unless the bodyworker only uses compression with no movement, just pressure.
Well, hope you will find this helpful. There are many more extraordinary homeopathic medicines for pain but this is a good start. Peace to you all.
Sources:
Leaders in Homeopathic Therapeutics, E. B. Nash, M.D.
Desktop Guide To Keynotes and Confirmatory Symptoms, Roger Morrison, M.D.
Robert Stevens Notes from all over the place.