Treating Shoulder Pain

Treating Shoulder Pain and Injuries With Homeopathy

Dr. Thaddeus Jacobs

With its shallow ball-and-socket joint surface and thin, albeit, very strong layer of muscles and tendons, the shoulder could be considered a natural wonder of engineering. It possesses the greatest range of motion of all the joints in the body, allowing us to position our hands in a multitude of ways. Its strong ‘rotator cuff’ muscles enable us to accomplish a great deal of work involving complex pushing, pulling and lifting motions.

With amazing capabilities come some unfortunate drawbacks. The shoulder’s flexibility-optimizing design requires smaller supportive muscles and thinner stabilizing ligamentous connective tissue. This leaves the shoulder joint particularly prone to injury. Sudden overstretch or overuse leads to sprains and strains. When this occurs either chronically or acutely, joint inflammation (synovitis) as well as bursitis and tendonitis often results. Also, when inflammation exists in and around the joint, one could wind up with a debilitating ‘frozen shoulder.’

As always, the first remedy to consider for all musculoskeletal pain and inflammation is Arnica. This is particularly true in cases of acute injuries or joint dislocation. Every home’s medicine chest or car’s glove box should stock this versatile remedy in order to be prepared to not only treat shoulders, but any number of other problems involving pain and injuries.

For acute injuries and pain, begin treatment with Arnica, taken every hour. If the problem steadily diminishes with Arnica, then continue using it for several days until the problem is completely resolved.

The shoulder’s complex structural make-up likely contributes to the wide variety of possible symptoms encountered with shoulder problems. This means that a greater number of homeopathic remedies must be considered when choosing a medicine. Among the many possible remedy choices, three main ones are discussed here.

Ruta graveolens is a classic ligament and tendon injury remedy either with or without bursitis. It is better with heat applications, with pain and stiffness following exposure to cold. Clear cases of ligament and tendon injury can be effectively treated using this remedy alone.

Thiosinaminum is the #1 remedy for frozen shoulder. Bryonia is also a good frozen shoulder remedy, especially when even slight movement causes pain. Bryonia is particularly well-suited for cases where extreme dryness is felt, ‘as if there were no fluid in the joint.’

The medicines discussed in this article effectively treat many shoulder problems. For greater success, readers should refer to articles on this site, such as “Effective Homeopathic Treatment of Sprains and Strains,” and other sources. When shoulder pain and dysfunction persist, it may be an indication that a more serious health issue exists. A health care professional should be consulted so that co-existing health problems are addressed and supportive therapies implemented.