title: A homeopathic ointment preparation compared with 1% diclofenac gel for acute symptomatic treatment of tendinopathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The incidence of tendon injuries and tendinopathy has risen substantially in the past decades.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the noninferiority of therapy based on the homeopathic preparation Traumeel S ointment (Heel GmbH, Baden-Baden, Germany) compared with treatment based on diclofenac 1% gel in patients with tendinopathies of varying etiology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nonrandomized, observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-five homeopathy and conventional medical practices in Germany.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred fifty-seven patients aged 18 to 93 years with tendinopathy of varying etiology based on excessive tendon load rather than inflammation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Traumeel S ointment or diclofenac 1% gel for a maximum of 28 days.
  
  
  METHODS
  Efficacy was measured on a four-degree scale on pain-related variables, on variables related to motility, and on overall treatment outcome. Tolerability was monitored as adverse events. Compliance was assessed by practitioner and patient on a four-degree scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients groups were comparable at baseline. The changes in summary score of all pain-related variables were -5.3 +/- 2.7 (all values means +/- SD) in the Traumeel group and -5.0 +/- 2.7 in the control group. Changes for all motility-related variables were -4.2 +/- 3.8 with Traumeel and -3.7 +/- 3.4 with control therapy. The summary scores for all clinical variables were reduced by -9.5 +/- 5.7 with Traumeel therapy and by -8.7 +/- 5.4 with diclofenac-based treatment. Homeopathic therapy was noninferior to diclofenac therapy on all variables. For motility-related variables, there was a trend toward superiority of Traumeel. Treatments were well tolerated with no treatment-related adverse events.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that Traumeel ointment is an effective alternative to nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs therapy for the acute symptomatic treatment of patients with tendinopathy.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Ganzheitsmedizin, Herrsching, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Pelle
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stolt
authors.forename: Menachem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oberbaum
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004008:Diclofenac / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005782:Gels / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006705:Homeopathy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008903:Minerals / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009824:Ointments / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D052256:Tendinopathy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D005782:Gels; D008903:Minerals; D009824:Ointments; D010936:Plant Extracts; C433370:Traumeel S; D004008:Diclofenac