Knee pain? Try homeopathy.                                                                 

One of the most common causes of knee pain is the osteoarthritis of the knee jointt. This is most common in the old and middle age groups. Osteoarthritis generally affects the weight-bearing joints such as the knee, but it may harm any other joint too.

The pain and the swelling caused by it can result in one?s life getting limited to hardly routine movements.

Homeopathic intervention done at the right stage can give significant relief from pain and swelling. This system of medicine has an edge over the conventional pain killers by providing relief which is not short-lived but has a lasting effect. There is another distinct advantage; it stops further damage to the cartilage thereby controlling the advancement of the disease. Moreover, homeopathic treatment (under professional guidance) does not have any side-effects even if the medicines are used for a long period.

But what is Osteoarthritis and how does it affect the knee joint? Among the over 100 different types of arthritic conditions, osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. Osteoarthritis affects the knee joint by damaging the cartilage (Cartilage is made up of a protein substance that acts as a ?cushion? between the bones of the joints) in the knee joint. The cartilage in the knee joint slowly degenerates. In advanced cases, it may disappear and the bones start rubbing against each other and causing more pain. When bones start to rub against each other, bony growth may occur around the joints.

In the initial stages of knee osteoarthritis, one may simply feel deep aching in the knee joint. As it advances, common symptoms include pain that is worse after an exercise session or weight bearing, swelling in the joint, limited movement of the knee joint, stiffness following periods of inactivity such as sleeping or sitting; cracking or grating sounds in the knee joint. As the damage to the knee joint advances, the joint may become less movable and pain may occur even when the joint is at rest and can keep the person awake throughout of the night.

The real cause of osteoarthritis is not very clear. Medical researchers believe that it is due to a combination of factors that include aging, injury to the joint or stress, being overweight and genetic factors.

As mentioned earlier, a carefully prescribed homoeopathic medicine can be a great help in relieving pain and increasing the mobility of the joint. Arnica Montana, Rhus Tox, Bryonia Alba, Ledum Pal, Apis Mellifica and Ostearthritic Nosode (OAN) (OAN is a homoeopathic medicine prepared from the synovial fluid of an ostearthritic knee) are some of the important homoeopathic medicines used in treating osteoarthritis of the knee. Another medicine that requires a special mention is Calcarea Flour