See also Arthritis.
Ferrum phos [Ferr-p]
If this remedy be taken steadily from the onset, it is often the only one required in rheumatic fever. Acute articular rheumatism, which is very painful, is an inflammatory febrile disease in its first stage. Acute rheumatism when any movement sets up the pain or tends to increase it. Articular rheumatism, especially of the shoulder; pains extend to upper part of chest, attacks one joint after another. The first remedy in all acute rheumatic troubles, muscular, acute or subacute. Worse on motion; better by warmth. Soreness in every part of the body, especially the joints, worse on motion. Lumbago, stiff back, etc. Stiff neck from cold. “Pains especially severe at night, preventing sleep. Marked stiffness on first moving after rest.” (Arndt.) Aggravation by motion or idea of motion. Hands swollen and painful.
Kali mur [Kali-m]
Second stage of rheumatic fever, when exudation takes place around the joints. This remedy removes swelling by restoring the non-functional cells of the excretory and absorbing structures to normal action. Rheumatic, gouty pains if movement makes them worse and if there be a white or gray-furred tongue. Swelling of the parts. Pains which are only felt during motion or increased by it, if Ferrum phos. does not remove them altogether. Chronic rheumatism with swelling, or when all movements cause pain. Gray or white coated tongue, or white discharges.
Kali phos [Kali-p]
Acute and chronic rheumatism with pains disappearing on moving about, severe in the morning after rest, and on first getting up from a sitting position. Very painful rheumatism, the parts feel stiff on first attempting to rise up; improves slowly, but is increased by all exertion or fatigue. Stiffness, paralytic tendency. Laming pains, better on gentle exercise.
Natrum phos [Nat-p]
In a recent note to Dr. Goullon, Schussler calls attention to Natrum phos. as a remedy for inflammatory rheumatism, having successfully used it in several cases with rapid curative results. While Ferrum phos. corresponds to simple uncomplicated cases, there can be no doubt Natrum phos. corresponds more nearly to such cases as are characterized by yellow-coated tongue, acid symptoms, or where there is a scrofulous basis. Rheumatic pains in the joints, witH profuse sour-smelling sweat. Acute gout, chronic gout, chronic articular rheumatism. Natrum phos. acts upon the uric acid of the cells and renders it harmless. “Great stiffness and cracking of joints. Aggravated towards evening.” (J. W. Ward, M.D).
Kali sulph [Kali-p]
Rheumatic fever when the articular pains are shifting, wandering or flitting. Rheumatic headaches. Pains in the joints, chronic or acute, that change about. Acute articular rheumatism of a shifting nature, settling in one part and then in another. Chronic rheumatism of the joints, pains worse in the evening and in warm air, better in cool air. Pains in the back, nape or limbs. “Kali sulph. I have repeatedly tested in wandering rheumatism, and have had very favorable results.” (Dr. Schlegelman.) Rheumatic or neuralgic cases, patients complain of soreness from three a.m. until they get up.
Magnesia phos [Mag-p]
Acute rheumatism of the joints, for the violent pains, as an intercurrent remedy. Excruciating, spasmodic pains during rheumatic fever. “The pains are aggravated by the slightest touch and are improved by warmth and hard pressure.” (Puhlmann).
Natrum mur [Nat-m]
After the second remedy (Kali mur.), if the symptoms correspond. Symptoms of tongue, etc. Chronic rheumatism of the joints; joints crack.
Natrum sulph [Nat-s]
Rheumatic pains, pains and stiffness in nape and back, pain in joints, especially of toes and fingers and wrists, pain in hip joints aggravated when rising from a seat or moving in bed. (Perkins).
Calcarea phos [Calc-p]
Rheumatism, which is worse at night, aggravated by heat or cold, worse in bad weather (also Ferrum phos.), worse from change of weather. Rheumatism of the joints with cold or numb feeling, creeping feeling in parts affected. Sensation of ants crawling on the affected parts. Numbness, lameness. Every cold brings on rheumatic pains in the joints. Pains in sutures. Stiffness of neck from exposure to dampness; aching and soreness in limbs. Pains in sacro-iliac synchondroses, worse with every change of weather.
RHEUMATISM CASES [Rheumatism cases]
Mrs. R., aged 22 years, had suffered for years with debility and indigestion. She was very much subject to colds and rheumatic pains which wandered and shifted around over the body. she was generally worse in the evening in a warm room, but better in the open cool air. She suffered much with neuralgia of the face, which was intermittent and shifting, but better in cool air.
Tongue generally coated a little yellow. She had a great many skin boils which usually came after a rheumatic spell. Kali sulph. was so very satisfactory that she keeps it in the house all the time for use if any of the old symptoms return. (O.A. Palmer, M.D).
KALI MUR. – This is a great remedy, and all its indications should be mastered. The following case well illustrates its ability:
Mr. M., aged 78 years, had been sick for four or five years, and the most of his suffering was in his digestive organs. He had a poor appetite and a white coat on his tongue, most of the time. Eyes were large and protruding. Could not eat fatty or greasy food without increasing his trouble. He had flatulence and stomachache, with constipation and diarrhoea, alternating every three or four weeks.
He has suffered with chronic rheumatism for years, and many of his joints were more or less swollen, all the time, and worse when moved. He was badly troubled with indigestion, and vomited every few days, which gave him relief for awhile. In his prime he was a strong man, and now he is nothing but a grumbling wreck. After giving him general directions in regard to his foods, baths, etc., I gave him Kali mur. 3x, three tablets every two hours, which not only relieved his general catarrhal condition, but relieved him every way, so that within six weeks he could walk around and feel comfortable. He gave me to understand that it was the first medicine that had done him any good. (O.A. Palmer, M.D).
Dr. Feichtman, of Also Lendra, in Hungary, reports fifteen cases of acute articular rheumatism quickly cured by Ferrum phos. – Allg. Hom. Zeit.
Dr. Schlegelman reports the following cases: L., of Regensburg, a strong, healthy man, aet. 26, had taken cold during a state of perspiration and contracted acute rheumatism of the joints (rheumatic fever). At first the right shoulder was attacked, the patient had violent pains and high fever. Bryon., which seemed decidedly indicated here, had no other effect except that the pain on the next morning had changed its seat, and had appeared in the left knee. In this way he continued for several days, under the use of various medicines. Either the one or the other of several joints was affected. The most distressing pains continued day and night, and evidently the patient was greatly reduced. At last I decided to test Schussler’s medicine. I gave Kali sulph. the results was very favorable. The wandering pains ceased changing their location, and the pain confined itself to the right shoulder again, but was far less violent than before. Under the continued use of this medicine, the fever and pains gradually disappeared. Sleep and appetite returned, and no other joints were implicated. Eight days after giving the first dose of Kali sulph. the patient was dismissed as convalescent. No relapse occurred. (From Schussler).
Dr. Schlegelman writes, January, 1876: “I was attacked with rheumatism the latter part of November, traveling by rail, sitting close to the window of a draughty carriage. My whole right side was affected going, and, on returning, the pains were very severe; especially worse on every movement I made. Bryon. eased me temporarily. I only reached home at midnight, and had a very bad night. Bryon. was of little use now. I applied the electric current next morning repeatedly, but it was of no avail. I then took a pinch of the Ferrum phos., and if by magic, the pains disappeared and did not return.” (From Schussler).
In the year 1875, Dr. Schlegelman reported from Regensburg: “D.A., aet. 20, a delicate lady, who suffered in her childhood a good deal from scrofula, was attacked last winter by a severe pain in the back, in consequence of catching cold. The third to the fifth ribs were very sensitive to pressure. Violent trembling of the right foot, and at the same time of the right arm, set in the moment she attempted to move the arm or extend the hand, and thus made all work impossible. The patient was all the more depressed about this, as in her vocation she had a good deal of writing to do. I gave many remedies, Pulsat., Rhus tox., Bellad., Nux vomica, Platina, etc., all without effect. I sent the young lady into the country; her condition remained the same. New remedies had no better results. t last I thought I had found her remedy in Zincum met. met., as I had heard nothing from her for four weeks. How astonished I was to find my patient, whom I thought cured, entering my consulting room on the 30th of the September, trembling worse than ever. On my inquiry why she had not called sooner, she told me somewhat timidly she had gone to Mariabrunn to see a herbalist, and used the cure during the time. The result, as I could plainly see, had not been successful. Consequently she placed herself under my treatment again. I told her I was willing to treat her, and opened Schussler’s Therapy. I chose Magnesia phos., and had no reason to regret my choice, for after the first few doses (three times a day, ten grains) a decided improvement was noticed, of which I heard on the 11th of October, when I saw her again. At this date not even a trace of the trembling could be observed. She had written repeatedly after this, and even then had experienced no trembling whatever. The cure was complete, as up to date she had been doing all kinds of needlework and a great deal of writing, without any recurrence of the affections.” (From Schussler).
Professor of Materia Medica in the University of Michigan Homeopathic Medical College. Member of American Institute of Homeopathy. In addition to his editoral work he authored or collaborated on: Boericke and Dewey's Twelve Tissue Remedies, Essentials of Homeopathic Materia Medica, Essentials of Homeopathic Therapeutics and Practical Homeopathic Therapeutics.