Treating excruciating pain after a recent fracture of lumbar vertebrae

[J Lucas]

To your rx and Rochelle's (Bryonia), I would add Cocculus, some of the Calcs
(they can react quickly sometimes), and Eupatorium perf.

Can you define the pain in a more precise way - rep speak.

Best wishes, Joy

http://www.homeopathicmateriamedica.com

From: rosemarychyde@mindspring.com
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