Homeopathic remedies to help beat bursitis

Battling with bursitis? Homeopath David Needleman shares 16 helpful homeopathic remedies to ease pain and swelling, plus how to choose the right remedy for you

Bursitis is the painful inflammation of the bursae—tiny fluid-filled cushions that sit between bones, tendons and muscles to reduce friction around joints. When these sacs become irritated through repetitive movement, pressure or injury, they can swell and cause discomfort, most commonly in the shoulders, elbows, hips, buttocks or knees.

Typical symptoms include pain, tenderness, swelling and stiffness, often leading to restricted movement. In severe cases, the area may appear visibly inflamed and feel hot and incredibly painful.

Conventional approaches often focus on rest, ice and anti-inflammatory medication, and more persistent cases sometimes require drainage or further medical treatment. But homeopathy can be a safe and effective option.

I recently treated my wife for a nasty case of bursitis in her right elbow, giving her a combination of Apis Mel and Bellis Perennis, both in 30C potency. It cleared within two weeks without the need for any other treatment.

But what works for one person won’t necessarily work for another. The right remedy to use depends on the location and nature of the symptoms. See below for a quick look at the best remedies to use based on the location of the bursitis, and read on for a rundown of these remedies and the symptoms they work best for.

Homeopathic remedies for bursitis

Antimonium Crudum

Opt for Antimonium Crudum if the skin around the affected area has thickened, hardened, or become smooth and slightly discolored. You may have sensations of tingling, pinpricks or numbness—even when there is little or no pain.

Apis Mellifica

Choose this remedy if the pain feels like a bite or sting. The affected area may be inflamed, red, itchy and extremely painful.

Arnica

A go-to remedy for injuries, Arnica is ideal for bursitis caused by pressure or repetitive motion. Symptoms include a sore, lame or bruised feeling and aches, pains and stiffness in the joints (especially the hip and knee) that make walking upright difficult.

One thing to remember with Arnica is that it shouldn’t be used by anyone taking anticoagulant medication like warfarin or herbal products that can thin the blood, such as ginger, garlic and ginkgo biloba. Try the homeopathic remedy Bellis Perennis (see below) instead.

Arsenicum Album

Ars Alb may be indicated when the swollen area feels intensely hot yet is relieved by warmth (by applying a hot water bottle, for example). The skin over the inflamed bursa may look dark or bluish, with increasing swelling, stiffness and discomfort as fluid builds up.

Belladonna

Belladonna is an excellent remedy for conditions involving heat, inflammation, redness and pain. It’s a particularly good choice for those with swollen joints that lead to restricted movement and those experiencing shooting pains along limbs, often from the bursa to the extremities.

Mental symptoms such as mania and delirium are also associated with Belladonna.

Bellis Perennis

Bellis Perennis is very similar to Arnica—it’s a wonderful remedy for soft-tissue injuries and areas of swelling or bruising. But unlike Arnica, it doesn’t have negative interactions with anticoagulants.

Other symptoms that suggest Bellis Perennis include sore joints and extremities along with itchiness.

Benzoic Acid

I mentioned Benzoic Acid in my top remedies for gout (see WDDTY May 2025), but it also helps with bursitis. It’s useful for hot, swollen, painful joints as well as joints that crack or pop when moving.

There may also be a tearing sensation, and the knees in particular can be affected.

Bryonia

Reach for this remedy if any movement causes you pain and you have a desire to stay still. You’ll likely have a lot of stiffness and inflammation, especially in the knees, which feel better for not moving.

Tearing pains are another symptom that point to Bryonia.

Cantharis

This isn’t a remedy normally associated with bursitis, but if you are experiencing sensations of heat, burning or scalding, or tearing pains, especially in the limbs, then Cantharis could help to alleviate those symptoms.

Natrum Muriaticum

Nat Mur can be considered when bursitis is accompanied by cracking joints on movement, weakness in the limbs and a need for back support. It is often linked to people who tend to hide their discomfort, making it more suited to ongoing, long-term patterns rather than sudden, acute symptoms.

Pulsatilla

Symptoms that point to Pulsatilla include tension-like pains or tearing pains (especially in the legs), numbness (especially around the elbow), restlessness, sleeplessness and chilliness.

Symptoms are worse if the limbs are allowed to “hang” down.

Rhus Toxicodendron

Rhus Tox is indicated for hot, painful, swollen joints that feel worse in cold fresh air. There may be a tenderness around the knee joint.

First movement is always the most painful but it eases with constant gentle motion.

Ruta Graveolens

Ruta Grav is typically associated with pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons, which support joint movement and are closely linked to bursae. In bursitis, this may show up as stiffness and pain that worsens with any movement. Restlessness is also common, and it can be more noticeable when discomfort in the joint is present.

Silicea

This remedy is suitable for chronic bursitis rather than acute flare-ups. It’s a remedy that benefits from repetition and can be given (after a loading dose) once or twice a day for some time.

Sticta Pulmonaria

Rheumatic pain (aches and pains in the joints and muscles) in the right shoulder joint is often relieved by this remedy. The pain can be severe, and there may be swelling, heat and redness around the joints.

The remedy is also often used for housemaid’s knee (bursitis affecting the bursa over the kneecap), which can cause shooting pains and swelling in the knee and neighboring muscles.

Sulphur

Symptoms suggesting Sulphur as a remedy include pain in the left shoulder and stiffness in the knees and ankles.

Suggested dosages

For all of these remedies, I suggest a 30C potency and a dose of one pill each hour for four hours, followed by one pill three times a day until symptoms have resolved.

Which remedy to use

Here are some of the top remedies to use for bursitis, depending on where in the body it’s located.

Shoulders

Apis Mel, Bellis Perennis, Bryonia, Ruta Grav and Silicea

Hips

Arnica, Bellis Perennis, Bryonia, Ruta Grav, Silicea and Sticta Pulmonaria

Buttocks

Arnica and Bellis Perennis

Elbows and knees

Apis Mel, Belladonna, Bryonia, Cantharis, Rhus Tox, Silicea and Sticta Pulmonaria

More general remedies (for no particular body part)

Antimonium Crudum, Arsenicum Album, Benzoic Acid, Cantharis, Natrum Muriaticum, Pulsatilla and Sulphur

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