treating excruciating pain after a recent fracture of lumbar vertebra

[Rosemary C Hyde, Ph.D.]

A friend and client is in constant excruciating pain after falling and fracturing one of her lumbar vertebrae. The pain is lightened somewhat only when she lies on her back without moving. She says the pain is totally exhausting, and fortunately, with opiates and other pain medications, she's managing to sleep 12 hours a day. The immediate issue is the excruciating pain, and even the opiates aren't really working to make that bearable. She's in her mid-70s, and has severe emphysema and a long history of bacterial and fungal lung infections, so they're also afraid that if they give her enough opiates to kill the pain and render her more or less unconscious, they may kill her as well from respiratory suppression and the resultant pneumonia.

I wondered if homeopathic remedies can help with the immediate pain problem. Obviously Arnica is one thought, although the injury occurred a week ago, so the immediate impact of the injury is past. I know that Symphytum will speed healing of the fracture, but it hasn't been a particularly effective pain reliever that I've seen, at least not before 2-3 weeks. Other possibilities are Hypericum (assuming that at least some of the excruciating pain is from nerves), Calc-p, Ruta (if some of the pain is periosteal), maybe even Hecla, although I can't find any strong references to that remedy in associaton with acute pain.

I thought perhaps someone on the list may have had direct experience treating such intense pain after a back fracture homeopathically, and could give me a better idea wiat remedy or alternation of remedies are likely to be most effective most immediately to help alleviate the pain. I see this in the realm of acute treatment rather than constitutional or chronic.

Thanks very much for your thoughts. Rosemary

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Rochelle Marsden]

All the Rx you suggest are possibilities. Because of the time gap I would start with Arnica 200 and repeat it a couple of time within 12 hours. (Dr Ramakrishnan would say put 3 pillules into some water and take 6-10 doses a day stirring between each for a couple of days. The only other thought I had was of Bryonia since she is best lying still

All the best and let us know how you get on.

Rochelle

[doctorleelah2h]

Hi Rosemary,
I looked at these rubrics:
BACK; PAIN; General; lying, while; amel.; back, on
BACK; PAIN; General; motion, on; agg.
GENERALITIES; PAIN; General; bones; periosteum
GENERALITIES; INJURIES, blows, falls and bruises; Bones, fractures;
compound fracture

the remdies are:
RUta, Rhus Tox, Phos, Arnica, Silica
You could counter check with thermal modalities, mental state and
other general.

BUt what is used here in India in such conditions is a combination of
Ruta, Rhustox and Arnica called 'RRA' in 30C (mostly).
one Repeats a combination 3-4 times a day plussed.

I don't use them together, but generally interchange remedies
depending on the most prominent modlaity and most prominent symptom
on a particular day - whether it is bone/periosteal pain, muscular
pain or tendon pain. SOmetimes 2 remedies may be indicated.
I repeat 3-4 times a day in 30C potency plussed.

Remember Rhustox can be a very good remedy for rest - in
bone fractures as well.
So hope this helps.
D.r Leela
--- In minutus@yahoogroups.com, "Rosemary C Hyde, Ph.D."
wrote:
and fracturing one of her lumbar vertebrae. The pain is lightened
somewhat only when she lies on her back without moving. She says the
pain is totally exhausting, and fortunately, with opiates and other
pain medications, she's managing to sleep 12 hours a day. The
immediate issue is the excruciating pain, and even the opiates aren't
really working to make that bearable. She's in her mid-70s, and has
severe emphysema and a long history of bacterial and fungal lung
infections, so they're also afraid that if they give her enough
opiates to kill the pain and render her more or less unconscious,
they may kill her as well from respiratory suppression and the
resultant pneumonia.
problem. Obviously Arnica is one thought, although the injury
occurred a week ago, so the immediate impact of the injury is past.
I know that Symphytum will speed healing of the fracture, but it
hasn't been a particularly effective pain reliever that I've seen, at
least not before 2-3 weeks. Other possibilities are Hypericum
(assuming that at least some of the excruciating pain is from
nerves), Calc-p, Ruta (if some of the pain is periosteal), maybe even
Hecla, although I can't find any strong references to that remedy in
associaton with acute pain.
experience treating such intense pain after a back fracture
homeopathically, and could give me a better idea wiat remedy or
alternation of remedies are likely to be most effective most
immediately to help alleviate the pain. I see this in the realm of
acute treatment rather than constitutional or chronic.

[jmateo01]

--- In minutus@yahoogroups.com, "Rosemary C Hyde, Ph.D."
wrote:
and fracturing one of her lumbar vertebrae.

Would most certainly look into Hypericum more thoroughly. There's
nothing more *excruciating* than nerve pain... Judith Mateo - Portland
OR (P.S. I broke my upper arm at the humeral head 3 years ago and
managed to crush the nerve in the scapular notch in the process -
while everything else healed *like a teenager* - I was 60yo at the
time - the pain was, well, *un-nerving*. It really did make
recovery difficult as every movement was h***! I was *chipping*
Hypericum so I could do my rehab exercises...HTH)

[Donna Rona]

I have worked with this sort of pain (but I did not see her until years had passed since the accident). Arnica and hypericum were first, then later her constitutional, but we found tissue salts of mag phos and calc phos (in alteration) gave her the comfort needed to rest and kept her off pain meds. The tissue salts worked best for her when dissolved in warm water and sipped. This lady (mid 70s) now has some pain after extreme stress or weather changes, and the tissue salts are all she uses.