For those who suffer from these complaints, homoeopathy can be a valid therapeutic option for pain relief. Homoeopathic medicines also offer several advantages: thanks to their high dilutions, they generally present no chemical toxicity, contraindications or pharmacological interactions, and can therefore be used in a complementary way alongside other medicines.

Among the most common muscular complaints is lower back pain, which affects around 40 per cent of people at least once in their lifetime. When we speak of lower back pain, more commonly known as "back pain", we are referring to pain connected to the muscles and bones of the spinal column, which can have various causes. Lower back pain can be acute, with pain that is shorter-lasting but intense, or chronic, characterised by pain that is less sharp but persists over time. Acute lower back pain is often linked to sprains or muscular strains caused by excessive muscular effort, and is recognisable because it causes marked muscle contracture and intense tenderness on pressure of the lumbar paravertebral muscle mass. When, on the other hand, back pain lasts for months without interruption, the picture of true chronic lower back pain emerges. Those affected by this problem represent 5 per cent of all those suffering from lower back pain and 4 per cent of the entire population.

To relieve pain quickly, it is useful to apply a gel based on Arnica montana, such as Arnigel, massaging it onto the painful area until fully absorbed. Orally, it is advisable to take the homoeopathic medicine Nux vomica 5 CH, 5 granules 3–4 times a day, depending on the intensity of the pain, to be reduced in accordance with improvement in symptoms. For acute lower back pain arising after excessive exertion, followed by a sensation of stiffness and anxious restlessness that also prevents one from lying in bed, Rhus toxicodendron 9 CH is indicated instead, at a dosage of 5 granules even every 2 hours if necessary, to be reduced as symptoms diminish. Finally, if the lower back pain is caused by a sprain, Arnica montana 7 CH should be taken, combined with Bryonia 5 CH and Ledum palustre 5 CH, 5 granules of each medicine every 2 hours. Performing appropriate lumbar exercises helps to relieve the pain.

Joint pain, on the other hand, is often due to a process of wear and tear on the joints, particularly the mobile ones. This pain can also depend on various factors, both pathological and otherwise, such as arthritis, obesity, influenza, osteoporosis, but also pregnancy, hormonal fluctuations and cold. In all these cases, applying Arnigel topically to the affected joint, repeating the application 2 or 3 times a day, helps to reduce the pain.

Orally, if joint pain improves with immobility and heat and worsens with movement, it is indicated to take Bryonia 5 CH, 3 granules, 3–4 times a day for 5 days. This medicine is particularly suited to bursitis with effusion of the joint affected by violent blunt trauma, as it acts to reduce pain and promote reabsorption of the swelling.

If pain in the joints improves with movement, it is advisable to take Rhus toxicodendron 5 CH, 3 granules, 3–4 times a day for 5 days. This medicine is also of particular importance in the early signs of arthrosis of the musculoskeletal system typical of ageing, characterised by deep pain at the onset of movement that improves as walking progresses, and represents a typical sign in early arthrosis of the spinal column and hip.

Rhus toxicodendron 5 CH and Bryonia 5 CH are also suitable for chronic situations, in which case 5 granules should be taken each morning on an empty stomach for 2–3 months. In these cases it is very important to rest and to ensure that the affected joint undergoes no exertion.

By Dr Cesare Maffeis, geriatrician with expertise in homoeopathy