Homoeopathic therapy in cervical spondylosis pain management: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Abstract

Background: Homoeopathic medicines are known to be effective in alleviating pain and other troublesome symptoms of patients suffering from cervical spondylosis. Objective: The primary objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of predefined homoeopathic medicines in the pain management of cervical spondylosis using the Cervical Spondylosis Pain Management Scale (CSPMS). Methods: A prospective, double-blind randomised placebo-controlled multicentric clinical trial was conducted from April 2012 to May 2013. Results: Sixty-seven cases were enrolled in the Homoeopathy group and 69 in the placebo group. One hundred and thirty-four cases that completed the follow-ups were analysed. The improvement in pain was 56.18% in the Homoeopathy group and 46.45% in the placebo group, as per CSPMS. The mean improvement between the groups was not significant: 60.36% in the Homoeopathy group and 48.66% in the placebo group. The mean score of quality of life, assessed using the 'Patient's Global Impression of Change Scale,' was 2.29 ± 1.90 quality of life in the Homoeopathy group and 2.93 ± 2.28 in the placebo group. There was 27.95% more improvement in the Homoeopathy group, as compared to the placebo group. Among the most used medicines were Rhus toxicodendron (n = 19) 28.8%, Calcarea carbonica (n = 7) 10.6%, Kalmia latifolia (n = 7) 10.6% and Paris quadrifolia (n = 8) 12.1%. Conclusion: Homoeopathic medicines are effective in management of acute pain due to cervical spondylosis.