How Can Homeopathic Injections Help Your Joint Pain?
By: Edward G. Loniewski, DO, FACOS, FAOA
What is Homeopathy?
Homeopathic preparations were developed possibly as early as 400 B.C. when Hippocrates claimed that very small doses of the Mandrake root helped treat mania, while larger doses caused this condition. Yes, this is the same mandrake root made popular in the Harry Potter movies with the high pitched, manic scream. It was Samuel Hahnemann who brought this concept to worldwide acceptance with his concept of “Like Cures Like.” Hahnemann’s theory was based on the concept that dilutions of a substance that may cause a symptom may, in fact, stimulate the body to correct itself. He believed that deep seeded ailments, or “misaims”, can be removed or corrected with very diluted botanical and mineral preparations.
Over time, homeopathic concepts grew in popularity throughout Europe and even in the United States. The first medical college of Homeopathy was opened in Philadelphia in 1835, and even the University of Michigan opened its Homeopathic College in 1891. However, the popularity of homeopathy faded after the establishment of the FDA and rigid government requirements for medical education. Over the years, homeopathic preparations have been studied for common ailments such as influenza, attention deficit disorders, and arthritis.
The major criticisms of these studies include the lack of blinded and placebo controls. For this reason, many medical organizations such as the American Medical Association, United Kingdom’s National Health Service and Australia’s National Health and Medical Research Council claim that there was no good quality research to support the concepts of homeopathy.
This may change soon, however, with the publication of some recent studies released by such institutions such as the Case Medical Center and the University of Miami. In addition, some basic science studies now show some significant positive biologic changes occurring with these preparations.
What Evidence Do We Have That Homeopathic Injections Work?
The first study compared a homeopathic preparation called Zeel to two traditional arthritis medications: Celebrex (celcoxib) and Vioxx (refacoxib). Although there are some flaws in the design of the controls of this study and no use of a placebo, it did conclude that there was no statistical superiority of any of the medications in the treatment of mild to moderate arthritis of the knee. This meant that the homeopathic preparation performed just as effectively as two traditional medications.[1]
Another interesting study evaluated the biochemical effect of Traumeel in vitro (in a test tube) on human T-Cells and gut epithelial cells. The researchers at The Center for Integrative Complementary Medicine in Jerusalem, Israel found that Traumeel had a profound effect on the pro-inflammatory production of Interleukin 1-beta (IL-1B), Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-a) and Interleukin-8 ( IL-8).
Traumeel reduced these toxic, inflammatory byproducts of cells by 50 - 70% in both active and resting cells. This effect had an inverse relationship to the concentration of the product thus proving the long-held concepts of homeopathy.[2]
In plain English, this means the homeopathic preparation dramatically reduced harmful biochemical markers which are important in the treatment of arthritis.
These pro-inflammatory products - especially Interleukin-1 beta - are extremely important in joint homeostasis or the restoration of normal biochemical function of the knee.[3] In addition, it appears that Traumeel has further effects on the activation of biochemical pathways, which help with the repair of a damaged joint. Researchers at the University of Leipzig found that exposing chondrocytes (cartilage cells) to Traumeel caused an elevation of Transforming Growth Factor – Beta (TGF-B) as well as stimulating the basic function of cartilage cells and reducing harmful chemicals called Matrix Metalleoproteinases (MMP-13).[4] This study helped to solidify the previous study, and revealed this homeopathic solution not only stimulated positive effects on cartilage cells, but also helped protect these cells.
Finally, the MOZArT study helped justify this concept by putting together a blinded and placebo controlled study conducted in the United States at Case Hospitals in Cleveland.[5] Over 252 patients between the ages of 45 - 80 with moderate to severe osteoarthritis of their knee were enrolled to either receive three injections of Traumeel/ Zeel combination, or a placebo of saline.
Participants received one injection per week for three weeks, and completed pain and function scores as well as a fifty foot walking test and a global physician assessment. Patients were assessed every two weeks for ninety-nine days. In the end, the homeopathic injection group with Traumeel and Zeel had statically significant improvements in all parameters except for the readings at Day 29. There were no serious adverse events noted in any of the groups, and there were no abnormalities noted in laboratory, electrocardiograms, and vital signs between the groups.
What Can Homeopathic Injections Be Used For?
There is a growing body of evidence and studies on the use of these preparations, but the most common uses are:
How Are Homeopathic Injections Given?
Our staff normally uses a combination of three different homeopathic preparations to customize the treatment to fit your exact symptoms. They are:
Based on symptoms and a physical exam, we can customize a non-toxic personalized cocktail of botanical minerals to help soothe your pain and restore sanity to your life.
Patients are asked to wear comfortable clothing, or we can have you change into our stylish paper shorts. Our staff will ask you numerous questions about the history and symptoms of your pain in order to fully understand your personal concerns and goals.
We then perform a thorough physical exam and review any studies you have had in the past and review x-rays previously taken in our office. A customized treatment plan is designed for your specific condition, and we schedule the injections to start at a time when you can dedicate three weeks in a row for a quick injection visit. The injection site is identified (at times with the help of an ultrasound), and then we let you in on one great fact about homeopathic injections: we can use a very small needle to deliver this treatment! That means less pain and discomfort.
The area is sterilized and a freezing cold spray is applied to the area to reduce any discomfort. The homeopathic treatments can be mixed with a local anesthetic such as lidocaine to further reduce the discomfort. We ask that you rest the injection area for at least 24 hours, but patients can resume all normal activities (including exercise) after 24 hours have passed.
Normally, these injections are given as a series of three separate injections one week apart. These injections do not need to be given exactly one week apart, and patients can come in as frequently as every 48 hours and as far apart as 14 days.
Most patients begin to notice the effects after their second treatment; this effect normally improves over time, with many patients reporting relief for 6 - 8 months after.
Are These Injections Safe?
These procedure preparations have been used by practitioners in Germany and Austria for over 30 years with excellent safety profiles. Our experience has been very positive with these injections, and very few patients report side effects or negative interactions with other medications.
A combination of just 2cc of Traumeel and 2cc of Zeel with 1-2cc of standard local anesthetic can be injected into almost any arthritic joint with little need for any time off work or activities. Most patients notice changes beginning after the second injection and most notice relief for at least 3 - 8 months. The injections of Traumeel and Zeel do not interfere with other medications, nor do they cause any changes in blood sugars (which is a problem with corticosteroid injections). The injections can be safely administered into tendons or ligaments without fear of rupture or destruction. The treatments can also be repeated without concerns about resistance or further damage to the joint surface.
How Much Do Injections Cost?
Because they are botanical minerals and are diluted beyond a traditional pharmaceutical product, the prices are naturally lower. A single injection costs $100, which including ultrasound imaging and a series of injections is reasonably priced at $300.
Overall, this cost is much lower than platelet rich plasma or even hyaluronic injections. Because this natural botanical preparation does not produce harmful effects on cellular preparations, it can be safely used in patients receiving stem cell or PRP injections for faster pain relief while helping to restore the normal biochemical environment of an arthritic joint. Cellular Healing is excited to offer this option to our patients as we continually strive to provide our patients with safe and effective natural solutions to their aches and pains.
If you are interested in a one on one consultation with Dr. Loniewski to discuss how homeopathic injections may help your joint pain or aide in standard stem cell therapy for your joint, please call 810-299-8552 today.
[1] Birnesser H, Klein P, Weiser M.Treating osteoarthritis of the knee: A modern homeopathic medication works as well as Cox-2 inhibitors. Der Allgemeinarzt 2003;25(4):261-4.
[2] Inhibition of IL-1β and TNF-α Secretion from Resting and Activated Human Immunocytes by the Homeopathic Medication Traumeel® S.Porozov S, Cahalon L, Weiser M, Branski D, Lider O, Oberbaum M.
Clinical and Developmental Immunology. 2004 Jun; 11(2): 143-149
[3] Dinarello, CA et al, Treating inflammation by blocking interleukin-1 in humans; Semin Immunol. 2013 Dec 15 25(6) 469-84
[4] B. Seilheimera,C. Wierzchaczb, R. Gebhardtb; Influence of Traumeel on cultured chondrocytes and recombinant human matrix metalloproteinases: Implications for chronic joint diseases; European Journal of Integrative Medicine, Volume 1, Issue 4, December 2009, Pages 252–253
[5] Lozada,C et al. Arthritis Rheumatol 2014:66(11 Suppl): 1266 Abstract 2896. Clinical Trails.gov// www.clinicaltrails.gov/ctz/show/NCTO1887678.