When going for a jog in the woods or on the jump to an appointment: A twisted ankle can occur quickly. “Injuries as a result of overstretching a joint are often considered negligible“, warns Assistant Professor Dr. Bernd Wolfarth, leading senior physician of the department for preventive and rehabilitative sports medicine at the Technical University in Munich. “However, if left untreated, they can lead to prolonged pain or joint instability, which can permanently affect one’s mobility”.
A sprain can occur when the joint surfaces are moved very strongly and rude. This can lead to an overstretching of the joint capsule and the surrounding ligaments. A first aid measure is: Rest, cool the joint with ice and elevate it with a slightly compressing support bandage. A doctor should examine the injury and coordinate the treatment accordingly. Ointments and gels help to alleviate the injury, the swelling and the inflammation-related pain.
Patients’ choice: Treat it chemically or naturally?
But which treatment will help effectively? A large randomized and controlled clinical study – the gold standard in drug testing – now compared the efficacy of Traumeel on the basis of natural ingredients with a standard preparation containing diclofenac. All products had proven to be more effective than placebo in earlier studies. The new trial with 449 patients shows that Traumeel ointment and gel reduce the pain and help restore the function and mobility of the joint as effectively as diclofenac gel.
„This study – one of the largest and qualitatively best in comparing a natural medication with a conventional drug – confirms the efficacy of Traumeel according to the highest medical evidence criteria“, explains Dr. Ghassan Andraos, Head of Medicine at Heel. „This opens a new chapter in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders: For the first time, patients and physicians have a choice between demonstrably equal alternatives.”
Regulating instead of inhibiting
The most commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to date are cyclooxygenase inhibitors such as diclofenac. In order to alleviate the painful symptoms of a strain, they suppress the bodies’ natural inflammatory response to injuries. If they are used for the longer term, they can harm the stomach lining, the heart and the kidneys.
Traumeel, on the other hand, is a homeopathically prepared multi-component medication made of 14 partially diluted natural substances that influence various aspects of the inflammatory process in a regulating manner via the cytokine network. Studies confirm a very good tolerability for Traumeel which has been on the market for more than 60 years.
