Thuja occidentalis as an intercurrent remedy in osteoarthritis: An observational study

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative joint disease that often leads to pain and decreased quality of life, primarily affecting the knee joint. A retrospective study was conducted at Sarada Krishna Homoeopathic Medical College Hospital, Kulasekharam. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Thuja occidentalis as an intercurrent remedy in managing osteoarthritis symptoms in a sample of 30 cases. The objectives are to assess the efficacy of Thuja an intercurrent remedy, in reducing pain, improving joint function, and enhancing the overall quality of life in patients suffering from osteoarthritis and to investigate the relationship between Thuja and other homoeopathic medicines used for managing OA. The patient’s symptomatology, disease progression, and pain levels were assessed before and after the administration of Thuja using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scale. The study sample revealed a higher prevalence of knee OA in women (57%). The majority (47%) of patients aged 55-64 years. Housewives represented the largest occupational group among the patients (53%) suffering from OA and (50%) suffered for 1-5 years duration. In 60% of cases, psora-sycosis was identified as the predominant miasm. According to the findings of this study, Rhus Toxicodendron was found to be the most commonly prescribed remedy both before and after the administration of the intercurrent remedy. Thuja occidentalis as an intercurrent remedy, demonstrated significant improvement in 97% of cases, as supported by a paired t-test. Notably, Thuja showed promising results in improving pain and joint function in OA patients.