When a bone is broken or cracked it is sensible to go directly to your local hospital (Accident and Emergency Department) to have the fracture confirmed, by X-Ray, the bone set, and the limb immobilised to keep it in position until it heals. Healing usually takes place in about 6 and 8 weeks.
Obviously, a broken bone can be very painful, and involve local swelling and tenderness, and for post trauma treatment it is important to compare conventional and homeopathic treatment.
Conventional Medical Treatment of Fractures
Pain and Swelling.
Conventional medical treatment of pain and swelling is by painkilling drugs. Whilst these may reduce the pain, the dangers of painkillers are becoming increasingly apparent, and certainly need to be considered before taking them.
Assisting the fracture to heal.
Conventional medicine allows the bone to heal normally, and without further assistance.
The Homeopathic Treatment of Fractures
Pain and Swelling.
Homeopathy offer the remedy Arnica, which will help treat the trauma of the fracture, any bruising or pain associated with it. For pain that persists, the remedy Bryonia can often be helpful.
Assisting the fracture to heal.
Homeopathy has useful remedies that can be used to assist and promote the healing process. Foremost amongst these is Symphytum, which in the experience of many homeopaths can reduce the healing period by anything up to one-third of the time expected.
These remedy descriptions have been taken from an article on fractures on the Homeopathy Plus website.
Arnica treats a wide range of conditions but is best known for controlling bleeding and speeding healing of damaged tissue. When broken bones have been caused by trauma, Arnica is the first remedy of choice in the first 24-48 hours. Following this, one of the following two remedies usually produce better results.
Bryonia. A symptom that will always be present when Bryonia is needed is that any complaint will worsen with the slightest movement and improve for being still. For this reason it is often needed during fractured ribs where pain is always associated with the motion of breathing. Sometimes, people needing Bryonia even prefer to sleep on the side of their fractured ribs so that they can’t move at all with breathing. Unfortunately, as discussed, lack of movement also leads to pneumonia. Bryonia can reduce the pain so the person can breathe more deeply.
Symphytum is used to ease the pain of broken bones and speed their repair. Reports are common of fractures healing within one to two thirds of the time normally expected. Its common name is Comfrey or ‘Knit-bone’ indicating its herbal fame for “knitting” broken bones together. Unfortunately, it is no longer prescribed in herbal doses as it can also be toxic to the liver but if used in homeopathic potencies, is free of this problem at all. are used.
Randomised Controlled Tests (RCTs)
RCTs are the third, and decidedly the least important type of evidence supporting Homeopathy as a medical therapy. But this study supports what Homeopaths have known within their clinics for over 200 years.
“Accelerating the healing of bone fracture using Homeopathy: a prospective, randomised double-blind controlled study”. International Research Congress on Integrative Medicine and Health 2012. Portland, Oregon, USA. 15-18 May 2012. S. Sharma, N Sharma, R Sharma.
Results. “Faster healing was reported in the homeopathy group by week 9 following injury, including significant improvement in fracture line, fracture edge, callous formation and fracture union in comparison to placebo.
“There was also lower use of analgesics and less self-reported pain in the homeopathy group.
Conclusion. “The study suggests that Homeopathy could enhance anatomical and functional fracture healing”.
