Healing a Meniscus tear with Homeopathy.

My client consulted with me regarding pain in her right knee that has persisted for the last three weeks. She describes the sensation as if there are jagged rocks inside the knee (behind the knee cap), and now the discomfort is localized more on the inner side of the knee. The pain began following a fall on ice in her driveway, during which she twisted her knee. Afterward, she managed to get up and limped back into the house, applying ice to the area. Upon waking each morning, she experiences tightness and stiffness in her knee; when she starts walking or sits for extended periods, she finds it necessary to move around for a while until the tightness subsides, allowing her to walk more comfortably. Last week, following extensive walking—such as during a trip to the grocery store—she noticed an increase in pain that temporarily eased when she stopped moving. Currently, she rates her knee pain as a ten on a scale where one indicates minimal discomfort and ten represents intense agony, particularly on the inner portion of her knee. She also told me that by evening time, she could not bend (flex) her knee more than 45 degrees from the swelling she was having around the knee.

I selected the homeopathic remedies Arnica Montana 1m and Bryonia Alba 1m to address her inflammation and pain, which intensifies with movement. These remedies were to be administered in a one-ounce Homeopathic Remedy Solution Bottle (RSB) with ten succussions (taps). I instructed her to take Arnica and Bryonia every hour until her pain number was less than number ten. Once her pain is less than ten, she should reduce the dosage of Arnica and Bryonia and repeat the remedies when the pain number intensifies approximately every two to three hours. Additionally, I had my client take the homeopathic remedy Apis Mellifica 200c in another one-ounce Homeopathic Remedy Solution Bottle with ten succussions three times daily for the swelling she has been experiencing, particularly noticeable by evening. I also recommended that she consider undergoing an MRI as I suspected a torn meniscus; for this condition, she may need to take Calendula 30c as well.

My client called back a week later, stating she is doing much better; her knee pain number is now number four. She only needs to take Arnica and Bryonia three times a day with ten succussions for pain that is worse from movement. The knee swelling is improving overall; however, she still has a little swelling by the end of the day. I told her to continue taking Arnica and Bryonia three times a day with ten succussions. I explained that when the pain that is worse from movement (i.e., walking around) returns sooner than the scheduled time, to increase the succussions on Arnica and Bryonia to twelve and continue taking three times a day. She will continue taking Apis 200c three times a day with ten succussions until she no longer has swelling of the knee.

My client told me her MRI showed she had a slight meniscus tear. Her doctor recommended she do physical therapy (PT), which he said usually helps heal a slightly torn meniscus. He stated if the physical therapy did not help heal the tear, she could have knee surgery for the tear. I said let’s continue taking Arnica and Bryonia for the pain that is worse from movement. When she no longer has knee pain, we will start her on Calendula 30c to help regenerate new tissue to heal up the meniscus tear. I also explained to her that she would most likely need to take Arnica and Rhus Toxicodendron for tightness and stiffness that is commonly felt after physical therapy sessions with ten succussions three times a day.

She called me five weeks later to tell me she had just finished her physical therapy sessions. She hasn’t had any pain worse from movement in the last week or so, and she stopped taking Arnica and Bryonia. I had her start taking Calendula 30c with ten succussions to once a day (bedtime). My client said she started to have tightness after her physical therapy sessions, especially when she first starts to walk around. She stated at first, she needed to walk around for five or more minutes to loosen up, and now she only needed to take a few steps to loosen up the knee, since taking Arnica 1m and Rhus Toxicodendron 1m three times a day with ten succussions.

Working with a meniscus tear will take some time to heal up completely. I always have my clients continue taking Calendula until the knee returns to feeling normal again. Calendula is a great homeopathic remedy for healing tissue tears such as the meniscus, providing the tear is less than 50%. When the tear is 50% or more torn, the client usually has knee surgery to repair the meniscus. My clients have had great success taking Calendula 30c with ten succussions until the tear completely healed.

What is a Meniscus Tear?

A meniscus is a rubbery C-shaped disc (piece of cartilage) that cushions the knee. You have two menisci (plural of meniscus) on each knee, one on the outer edge of your knee and the other on the inner edge of the knee. The meniscus keeps your knee steady by evenly balancing the body’s weight across the knee. A torn meniscus prevents the knee from working properly. Meniscus tears are a common injury that occurs when you twist the knee or turn too quickly or wear down with age.

There are Three Types of Meniscus Tear:

• Minor Tear –Where you have a slight pain and swelling, which goes away in two or three weeks.
• Moderate Tear – You have pain on the side or center of your knee. You will have swelling, and your knee slowly becomes worse over the next two to three weeks. Your knee is stiff and limits how well you can bend your knee, and you can have a sharp pain when you walk, twist your knee, or squat. The symptoms can go away but can return if you twist or overuse your knee. The knee pain can come and go for years if not treated.
• Severe Tears – This is when pieces of a torn meniscus can move into the joint space, causing your knee to catch, pop, or lock and may not be able to straighten the knee. Your knee feels “wobbly,” or it gives way without warning. You have swelling and stiffness after the injury or within two or three days. An older person with a worn meniscus may not know what caused the tear, and they only remember feeling pain after getting up from squatting.

What is a Cartilage Tear?

Cartilage is a tough, elastic, fibrous connective tissue connecting to your bones in various body parts, such as your outer ear, larynx, ribs, and knee. The articular cartilage forms a smooth, durable covering at the end of each bone in the joint. Such as in the knee and elbow bends. The cartilage is like a shock absorber.

Cartilage tears occur in your ankle, elbow, hip, knee, or shoulder from an injury or the cartilage tissue becoming brittle from aging. The tear has a stiffness that prevents your joint from completely straightening out or bending. The symptoms are better with rest and are worse with movement. The pain and tenderness in the joint, especially when bearing weight on your hip joint, may cause your hip to lock or give way when carrying your weight.

Treating Torn Cartilage in the Medical World – Some cartilage tears can heal on their own with rest and time. However, in most cases, the cartilage cannot always repair or replace itself because it doesn’t have its own blood supply, leading to tissue deterioration of the joint and other degenerative disorders such as “Bone on Bone.” Surgery is often sought in these cases to implant healthy cartilage cells into a damaged area (Autologous chondrocyte implantation or ACI). Arthroscopic surgery can be done to remove or repair pieces of the torn cartilage.

One of my clients told me that her Functional Doctor offers her patients Ozonated Glycerine injections for cartilage tears. Her doctor’s protocol is injections every other week for 4 months to help rebuild cartilage, and they are seeing great results in place of surgery.

How Can Homeopathy Address Cartilage Tears?

When I work with a client with a cartilage tear, I usually recommend the same homeopathic remedies used to treat pain from a torn meniscus (see meniscus case scenario). Calendula can also heal some cartilage injuries that are less than 50% torn. However, when the cartilage tear is in the joints (i.e., knee, hip, elbow), the homeopathic remedy Argentum Metallicum 30c is often needed instead of Calendula to help regenerate cartilage tissue to rebuild the cartilage. However, when your cartilage tear is more than 50%, surgery is often sought out for faster healing.

In conclusion, exploring homeopathic remedies to rejuvenate torn meniscus and cartilage injuries can be a transformative and empowering experience for those seeking alternatives to traditional treatments. You can heal your body holistically and sustainably by rediscovering your mobility through natural remedies. Embrace homeopathy’s power and control your health and well-being today. To ensure the best results, it is imperative to seek guidance from a qualified and experienced homeopath for proper treatment and personalized care. With their expertise, you can confidently embark on your healing journey and rediscover the joy of movement.