A case of knee pain
Mrs X 52-year-old lady came to see me suffering from knee pain. She has pain in both knees, more on right side. The pain is worse at night; she could not sleep due to pain. She feels better by walking, in open air and worse by rest and heat.
Her complaints started 6 months ago. She had occasional episodes of pain in knees while climbing stairs. Now the pain is more constant and sometimes it is sharp, pricking, stabbing type. The pain is worse
if either she got up from a chair or while trying to sit on. There is moderate swelling around the right knee, but no heat or discoloration. Trying to extend her leg is very painful and can hear the cracking sound from both knees.
She is talkative by nature, very emotional and gets hurt very easily. She is irritable and angry at home. She does not tolerate any pressure, covering with clothes or touch on knee joint especially during pain and at night.
She is working part-time, 3days in a week as a shop assistant. She was working full time in an aged care before this job. At work, she can manage very well her duties and not much aware of any pain. She is very much anxious about her family and her health. She has lots of financial stress as she does not have a full-time job since 1 year.
In her past health history, there is not much major or serious illness. History of chronic ear infection in childhood. Occasional headaches and sinus problems.
Her mum has arthritis and high blood pressure. Father is healthy. One of her brothers has psoriasis.
She has three children, two sons and a daughter.
Normal pregnancy & delivery. Now she gone through menopause. Not many issues related with that.
Appetite: She eats healthy with good appetite. Occasional bloating.
Thirst: Normal
Bowels: Regular
Aggravation from milk and dairy products. Likes sugar, chocolates. Dislikes apples. No history of UTI.
No smoking, Occasional drinking.
Sleep disturbed due to pain.
Perspiration: Normal.
Her symptoms were suggestive of osteoarthritis. She had taken anti-inflammatory drugs & painkillers but only temporary relief.
Symptoms of Osteoarthritis [1]
Osteoarthritis is one of the most common chronic joint conditions seen in our clinics. Osteoarthritis is a non-inflammatory condition of joints that is characterised by progressive damage & loss of articular cartilage
Osteoarthritis is most likely to develop in people aged over 45 years, although it can occur in younger people. More common in elderly women.
Pain is the main symptom. In the beginning stage pain is more localised and activity related. As the 
disease progress pain become more of constant dull ache and sometimes become acute intense and sharp. Knee pain and stiffness become worse after prolonged inactivity or rest, such as getting out of bed in the morning, getting up from sitting position. Pain also gets worse by walking, climbing stairs. There may be stiffness, muscle weakness, joint instability & feeling of warmth in the joint. Swelling around knee may be seen, caused by osteophytes (bony spurs) and extra fluid in the joint. Joint creaking or crunching felt throughout the range of movement. The patient often has an antalgic gait, knees become bent and bowed.
In Mrs.X’ case, my first prescription was Kali Iod 10M 1dose and advised her to follow up after 14 days. The pain & swelling was very much better. Repeated every 14th day for 2months. Her pain is much better and she sleeps better now.
Kali. Iod in knee joint problems.
Kal. Iod is a deep-acting medicine, antisyphilitic and closely related to Mercurius and is an antidote to it. Due to the presence of potassium ion & Iodine, the remedy shows both features of Kali. group of remedies & Iodum. Potassium is highly unstable, very reactive and always seen in nature in attached form as salts. Like all other Kali group personalities, Kali. Iod is also very emotional – weeps from the slightest cause, apprehensive and lachrymose in evening. Irritable; irascible, esp. towards his children; and excited, quarrelsome. Potassium iodide is an odourless, white crystalline salt. Strong bitter taste, stable in dry air and it is easily soluble in water. We can see this stability and bitterness in Kali. Iod- kali. Iod is a very troublesome person in home, unreasonable impressions easily strengthened into fixed ideas.
The anxiety of kali. Iod is related with the Iodine part. Like Iodum person anxiety is felt in mind and body. The anxiety comes on when the person is trying to keep still, so they walk night & day. But unlike Iodum patient who is greatly exhausted & sweats profusely, Kali. Iod can keep walking long distance without fatigue.
[2]Kali. Iod is worse in the warmth of the house, but as soon as he goes into the open air he feels better, and as soon as begins to walk he feels still better and can walk long distances without fatigue; goes into the house again and becomes weak and tired and exhausted. A nervous and mental exhaustion comes on from resting.
Like all other potassium salts, Kali. Iod has more relation specifically to the solid tissues than to the fluids of the body. It is indicated in organic diseases where functional changes have gone to a pathological level. The fibrous tissues are particularly affected, the ligaments of joints. Potassium keeps fibrinogen in a soluble state. Deficiency causes conversion of fibrinogen into fibrin and formation of fibrous tissues in the exudates those results into adhesion formation, in synovial membrane.
[3] Kali. Iod is an important remedy for rheumatism of knees with effusion and Housemaid’s knee- tearing twitching in right knee
Aggravation from touch is a very marked feature of Kali. Iod. Aggravation at night, from sunset to sunrise. Irresistible desire to go into the open air
[4] Worse, warm clothing, warm room, at night, damp weather.
Better, motion, open air.
Motion <, especially walking; after the first movement, in the lower limbs, it is more bearable.
Sitting hurts, and flexing limbs > some of the pains. Irresistible desire to go into the open air.
Gait disturbed; tottering
Tearing: above hollow of knee, then also below it;
Tearing: in knees at night; with a swollen feeling;
Painful weakness of legs
Severe bone-pains. Periosteum thickened, especially tibia; sensitive to touch .
Contraction of joints.
Kali Iod patient is worse when they are at home and alone. They always like to do jobs and move; otherwise, they become anxious & irritable. They are workaholics. This lady also feels her problems more when she is at home and not working. From a full time job to part time job very much stressed her physically &mentally.
Pulsatilla is another remedy which is better by continued motion and likes open air, worse by warmth. Pulsatilla patient is also emotional during pain. Kali. Iod person & Pulsatilla both weep easily. Kali. Iod person the motion brings relief for both mental & physical symptoms. Pulsatilla is typically a gentle, yielding person when they are free from pain & distress. But Kali. Iod is always troubled. Kali. Iod is worse thought night.
Rhus Tox person also shows extreme restlessness, with continued change of position and better by motion. Rhus. Tox also shows great apprehension at night, cannot remain in bed. But Rhus. Tox joint is better by warmth but kali. Iod is worse by warmth and touch.
References:
[1] SHORT PRACTICE of SURGERY Bailey & Love’s 26th EDITION
[2] LECTURES ON HOMŒOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA by JAMES TYLER KENT
[3] A DICTIONARY OF PRACTICAL MATERIA MEDICA By John Henry CLARKE
[4] HOMŒOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA by William BOERICKE
Clever H. - the Mag! 
Great info thanks
Posted by jagbag | 21/09/2017, 2:14 PM