Neuropathy, also known as nerve pain, is a common condition healthcare providers deal with, but it can present in multiple and subtle ways that can make treatment a challenge. Homeopathic medicines offer patients low-risk, effective relief.
Neuropathy, also known as nerve pain, is a common condition healthcare providers deal with, but it can present in multiple and subtle ways that can make treatment a challenge. Homeopathic medicines offer patients low-risk, effective relief.Neuropathy (nerve pain) is an extremely common concern patients bring to their healthcre providers; this condition affects up to 7% of the population.1 However, it doesn’t always show up the same way. This article presents several insights from homeopathy expert Payam Hakimi, DO, director of Body of Harmony Institute of Health and Healing in Miami, Florida. As a practitioner who uses homeopathy as both a primary intervention and an adjunct treatment, he also offers guidance on how to match your patients’ specific nerve pain symptoms with the appropriate homeopathic medicine.
A quick primer on homeopathy and pain
Homeopathy is a holistic therapeutic approach built on the concept that “like treats like.” In other words, a substance that can trigger certain symptoms in a healthy person can help relieve those same symptoms in someone unwell when given in a highly diluted form. Though its principles were developed through observation and experimentation, a growing body of clinical studies supports its use.2
Neuropathic pain, which is caused by damage, disease or dysfunction of a nerve, is one of three major types of pain. The other two are nociceptive pain, the most common, which results from real or impending tissue damage such as a broken bone, and inflammatory pain, which springs from the body’s immune response to injury or disease, as in cases of arthritis or tendinitis. Neuropathy, the pain of which is often described as burning and tingling with numbness, is a frequent complication of poorly controlled diabetes, injuries, autoimmune disorders and long-term toxin exposure.
To choose a treatment, ask the patient about the symptoms
“In my practice, I see nerve conditions that can be experienced as shooting, electric, burning, pressure, buzzing, numbing or weakness,” Hakimi said. The specific characteristics of the pain are actually more important than the diagnosis behind it when it comes to offering pain relief.
“In homeopathy, we don’t necessarily rely on a diagnostic label,” Hakimi explained. “We don’t try to determine if the pain is diabetic neuropathy or something else. We treat the symptoms the patient is experiencing and consider which modalities improve the pain and which aggravate it.”
Your toolbox of homeopathic pain medicines
Here, Hakimi shares his advice on several common, effective homeopathic pain medicines. See Table 1 for help matching patients’ symptoms with the most appropriate homeopathic medicine.
Note that the dilution level of a homeopathic medicine helps determine its application. Lower dilutions (such as 6X or 6C) are typically used for localized issues, such as joint or muscle pain, while higher dilutions (such as 30C) are better suited for widespread discomfort or pain that affects sleep, mood or overall well-being.
“For any nerve pain, Hypericum perforatum should be the number one remedy to consider,” said Hakimi. Indicated for shooting pain, it is especially useful when pain travels along the path of the nerve from the periphery toward the center of the body. He recommends it for pain due to nerve injuries or trauma to nerve endings.
“Kalmia latifolia is recommended for pain that comes and goes,” Hakimi explained. Like hypericum, it is well-suited for pain that follows a nerve pathway. However, kalmia is best for fleeting pain that starts in the center of the body and moves outward, followed by a numbing sensation.
“Phytolacca decandra is used for similar indications as kalmia—fleeting, erratic pain that moves along nerve pathways,” said Hakimi. What sets it apart are the modalities that improve or aggravate the pain. Choose phytolacca when symptoms worsen with cold temperatures, damp weather and movement, but improve with dry conditions and rest.
Cimicifuga is commonly used for spasmodic, cramping pains. Hakimi noted that it is especially helpful for women with pelvic pain and for individuals recovering from motor vehicle accidents. It benefits patients with neck pain that radiates into the arm or lower back pain that radiates down the leg—effects attributable to whiplash or lumbar impact.
Colocynthis is indicated for nerve pain that is paroxysmal and intense, presenting as violent cramping. “It’s a very good medication to use for sciatica,” said Hakimi. He recommends it for patients with sciatica going down the leg that is made better by sitting down, flexing or applying pressure.
“Gnaphalium differs from hypericum and kalmia because the nerve pain is accompanied by cramps,” said Hakimi. As with the pain he treats using colocynthis, both sitting and flexing the affected area bring relief.
“Magnesia phosphorica is good for a lot of conditions that are hard to treat, especially spasmophilia or spasm sensitivity,” Hakimi noted. “The patient feels agitated; they look agitated. Even in your office they can’t sit on your exam table; they have to move around due to the pain.”
No matter which remedies you use to target nerve-related pain, consider adding homeopathic Arnica montana for broader support. As an oral or topical homeopathic medicine, available in meltaway tablets or pellets or topical gel or cream, Arnica montana is well-known for easing muscle soreness, stiffness, swelling and bruising associated with physical trauma or overuse.
Final thoughts
Patients will come to you with many varieties of pain that spring from many different causes. By maintaining a library of effective homeopathic medicines, you can help ease their discomfort regardless of its source or specifics, offering patients much-needed relief while you determine the best approach to address the root cause.
References
Peripheral neuropathy. Cleveland Clinic. [Blog]. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14737-peripheral-neuropathy. Accessed July 9, 2025.
Mohammadi R, et al. Homeopathic treatment for peripheral nerve regeneration: An experimental study in a rat sciatic nerve transection model. Homeopathy. 2012;101(3):141-146. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22818230/. Accessed July 17, 2025.
