Introduction
Musculoskeletal discomfort during pregnancy is extremely common.1 As pregnancy nears full term, factors such as weight gain, swelling, pressure on the pelvis and sciatic nerve, postural and gait alterations and ligament laxity contribute to increased pain and functional limitations. The most common musculoskeletal complaint, low back pain, affects more than 70% of pregnant women.2
Many conventional pharmacologic options are not recommended to pregnant women due to safety concerns for the growing fetus. As a result, many chiropractors have explored nonpharmacologic alternatives such as homeopathy. This article reviews the principles of homeopathy, presents commonly considered homeopathic medicines for pregnancy-related musculoskeletal complaints and explores how chiropractors can use homeopathy to improve patient outcomes.
Principles of homeopathy
Since its inception, chiropractic care has focused on restoring biomechanical function through spinal and pelvic adjustments, soft tissue therapies and rehabilitative exercises. Over time, individual practitioners have added gentle, nonpharmacological modalities such as homeopathy to their practices.
Homeopathy embraces a holistic approach that treats the whole person, considering changes throughout the body as well as local symptoms. It is based on three core principles:
- Like cures like: A substance causing symptoms in a healthy person can help a sick person with similar symptoms recover. For example, cutting an onion can cause watery eyes and a runny nose. A homeopathic medicine made from onion helps to heal similar cold and allergy symptoms.
- Totality of symptoms: Two people with the same complaint may not benefit from the same medicine because homeopathy considers all of a person’s symptoms. A different medicine would be indicated for a patient with pounding right-sided headaches who feels better lying in a dark quiet room than for a patient with left-sided head pain who feels worse after sleep.
- Minimum dose: A person needs just enough of a homeopathic medicine to stimulate a healing response. When a patient starts to feel better, she may stop taking the medicine. If symptoms return, she may repeat the same medicine.
Homeopathic medicines are produced according to the FDA-recognized Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States from vegetable, mineral or animal sources. Because they are highly diluted, these medicines are generally well-tolerated and have historically been considered in pregnancy within complementary care.
Clinically validated effects
Clinical research suggests homeopathic medicines may help alleviate numerous kinds of pain. An observational study enrolling 1,153 patients with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and lasting one year found treatment by homeopathic physicians was associated with a 46% reduction in the odds of NSAID use over 12 months compared with conventional medicine, with similar clinical outcomes.3 Other studies have shown benefits for joint pain,4 headache,5,6 pelvic pain (due to painful menstruation)7,8 and post-operative backache9 following Cesarean section.
Multiple studies also suggest homeopathy helps the body recover from trauma. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study observed the combination of homeopathic Arnica montana and Bellis perennis aids postpartum recovery, while a 2021 meta-analysis found arnica supports recovery following surgery.10
Musculoskeletal complaints during pregnancy and their homeopathic remedies
Headache
Belladonna
- For acute headaches and migraines with throbbing pains
- Especially helpful for headaches associated with hormonal changes
- Most useful for right-sided head pain that makes the individual want to lie down in a dark, quiet room
Lachesis mutus
- For left-sided congestive headaches with a feeling of fullness of the head
- Helpful for pregnant women who wake with left-sided head pain
- Useful when tight clothing or tight collars make the patient feel worse
- For headaches in women with a history of hypertension
Back pain
Cimicifuga racemosa
- For extreme cervical pain with neck spasms
- For severe headaches associated with cervical stiffness
- For cramping, shooting pains across the pelvis and into the thighs during or after delivery
Kali carbonicum
- For lumbar pain during pregnancy or after childbirth
- For low back pain extending into the sciatic nerve down to the buttocks or to the sole of the foot
- Helpful when pain drives the patient out of bed at night
Sciatica
Lachesis mutus
- For sciatica during pregnancy, especially when the weight of clothes or bedsheets is unbearable
- For nerve pain worse in the morning on waking
- Often associated with an intense personality and possessive nature
Abdominal and pelvic pain
Bellis perennis
- For soreness of the abdominal wall in pregnancy
- For postoperative pain and ecchymosis following Cesarian delivery
Calcarea phosphorica
- For pain in the symphysis pubis during pregnancy
- Helpful when this pain is associated with a discontented mood
- Especially useful for women who have a childhood history of growing pains
Uterine muscle weakness
Caulophyllum thalictroides
For weak uterine musculature associated with delayed or arrested labor where the cervix is rigid, despite the feeling of violent contractions and metrorrhagia or excessive post-partum bleeding
Knee pain
Rhus tox
- For painful stiffness of the knees during and after pregnancy
- For women who feel stiff on rising in the morning and after sitting for long periods
- Useful when hot showers and moving around provide relief for these patients
Varicosities
Hamamelis virginiana
- For large, sore varicose veins that are worse during pregnancy
- Helpful for varicosities associated with epistaxis and/or hemorrhoids
- Useful for dilated fragile veins and the accompanying soreness
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Causticum
- For compression of the median nerve caused by swelling
- For slow progressive paralysis associated with nerve compression
- For contracture of muscles and tendons
Overall soreness
Arnica montana
- For aching and soreness throughout the musculature
- For soreness during pregnancy and after delivery
- Useful for patients who complain that the bed feels too hard
Note: Do not use topical Arnica gel or cream on broken skin as it can cause irritation.
Integrating homeopathy into chiropractic care
Chiropractic philosophy stresses the body’s innate capacity for self-regulation though proper structural alignment and balance in the nervous system. This complements the homeopathic approach, which also focuses on supporting the body’s inherent healing abilities. When selecting the most appropriate medicine for any patient, the following factors should be considered:
- Location and extension of pain
- Quality of pain
- Symptom patterns
- Aggravating and relieving factors
- Sleep patterns and their effect on symptoms
- Any peculiar symptom (e.g., the weight of bed sheets is not tolerated by the patient who may benefit from Lachesis)
Patients do best when care is coordinated among providers. Chiropractors who develop relationships with obstetricians and midwives help to provide their patients with the greatest continuity of care.
For best results in the integrative treatment of pregnant patients, the following strategies are suggested:
- Pelvic alignment and stabilization
- Gentle chiropractic adjustments
- Prenatal exercises and stretching
- Postural guidance
- Stress management techniques
Final thoughts
A majority of women experience musculoskeletal complaints during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester, when the uterus reaches its maximum size. These complaints may be challenging to treat due to limited pharmacological options.
Chiropractic care plays an important role in addressing biomechanical dysfunction. When integrated into chiropractic practice, homeopathy offers a gentle, supportive treatment modality tailored to the patient’s unique symptom patterns, helping alleviate pain and soreness during a physically taxing time.
Lauri Grossman, DC, a chiropractor as well as past president of the Board of Directors and chair of the Advisory Council of the National Center for Homeopathy, traveled the globe meeting leaders of conventional, integrative and homeopathic medical institutions, creating partnerships to advance the use and effectiveness of homeopathy in all disciplines of medical practice. Grossman has a private practice based in East Hampton and New York City, where she has taught in hospitals including Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, The Hospital for Special Surgeries and New York University. For more information, contact lauri@drlaurigrossman.com. This article was written on behalf of Boiron USA (boironusa.com/hcp).
References
- Borg-Stein J, Dugan SA. Musculoskeletal disorders of pregnancy, delivery and postpartum. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am. 2007;18(3):459-476, ix. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17678762/. Accessed May 6, 2026.
- Kesikburun S, et al. Musculoskeletal pain and symptoms in pregnancy: A descriptive study. Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis. 2018;10(12):229-234. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329063598_Musculoskeletal_pain_and_symptoms_in_pregnancy_a_descriptive_study. Accessed May 6, 2026.
- Rossignol M, et al. Impact of physician preferences for homeopathic or conventional medicines on patients with musculoskeletal disorders: Results from the EPI3-MSD cohort. Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2012;21(10):1093-1101. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/pds.3316?msockid=3102819a0c0a63a02f3c96cb0db4624b. Accessed May 6, 2026.
- Long L, Ernst E. Homeopathic remedies for the treatment of osteoarthritis: A systematic review. In: Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE): Quality-Assessed Reviews [Internet]. Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (UK); 2001. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK68613/. Accessed May 6, 2026.
- Witt CM, et al. Homeopathic treatment of patients with migraine: A prospective observational study with a 2-year follow-up period. J Altern Complement Med. 2010;16(4):347-355. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20423206/. Accessed May 6, 2026.
- Sharma N, et al. Effect of homeopathy on chronic tension-type headache: A pragmatic, randomised controlled single blind trial. J Headache Pain. 2013;14(Suppl 1):P56. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3620378/. Accessed May 6, 2026.
- Ghosh S, et al. Efficacy of individualized homeopathic medicines in primary dysmenorrhea: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial. J Complement Integr Med. 2023;20(1):258-267. https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/jcim-2020-0512/html. Accessed May 6, 2026.
- Witt CM, et al. Homeopathic treatment of patients with dysmenorrhea: A prospective observational study with 2 years follow-up. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2009;280(4):603-611. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00404-009-0988-1. Accessed May 6, 2026.
- Nath A, , et al. The role of homoeopathic treatment in women suffering from post-caesarean backache: An open observational clinical trial. Indian J Res Homoeopathy. 2019;13(2):81-90. https://www.ijrh.org/journal/vol13/iss2/3/. Accessed May 6, 2026.
- Gaertner K, et al. Is homeopathic arnica effective for postoperative recovery? A Meta-analysis of placebo-controlled and active comparator trials. Front Surg. 2021;8:680930. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34977136/. Accessed May 6, 2026.
