Colchicum – An Aid to Rheumatism!

Today’s materia medica tip is for important clinically used remedies for Rheumatism.

Rheumatism is bit older term being replaced with Arthralgia and Arthritis at many places. It is used in older context where we encounter problems related to muscles and bones.
 
[Few weeks back] Opinions were sought for the question – A Remedy which affects the muscular tissues, periosteum, and synovial membranes of joints alike. In Rheumatism complaints the parts are red, hot, swollen with tearing pains, worse in evening. Moreover, its active principle in lower trituration is also used for intense pain of rheumatism.
 
The most appropriate remedy amongst Rhus tox, Colchicum, Asafoetida and Kali iodatum turned out to be Colchicum.
 
As per materia medica it is said that it affects markedly the muscular tissues, periosteum, and synovial membranes of joints. We have other important remedies such as Rhus tox, Kali nitricum, Causticum but they are majorly having special affinities for layers (such as Rhus tox works good on large muscles and Actea spicata works good on small muscles).
 
Colchicum has specific power of relieving the gouty paroxysms. For gout specifically, if we look, we have the option of Benz ac (with strong smelling urine – ie metabolism altered), Apis (with swollen and red joints), Ledum (with cold extremities), Lithium carb (with uric acid diathesis etc). In gout if the patient enters the chronic stage Colchicum can be given as “pain reliever” from time to time in moderate doses.
 
The common yet characteristic symptoms are red, hot, swollen joints with tearing pains; worse, in the evening and at night and from touch; stubbing the toes hurts exceedingly. 
 
In Colchicum we have pain of every part of body and with almost every modality. Therefore, it becomes a useful remedy for various conditions which require quick clinical improvement of the case. Obviously, we are not expecting any deep, dynamic action with short acting remedies like this, but this aspect of controlling pain is important from clinical point of view.
 
The next advantage of Colchicum is that its active Principle Colchicin is also used in low diluted (triturated) forms not only in homeopathy but in conventional medicine also. It is considered to relieve the intense pains of Rheumatism which sometime may arise in conditions which are chronic or in which patient’s vitality is too low to give reaction to higher potencies.

Your thoughts for this are most welcome.

Dr Saurav Arora, MD

Dr. Saurav Arora is an internationally acclaimed medical homeopath, consultant, and independent researcher having 17+ years of experience as a clinician, researcher, and a teacher.