Arnica is a familiar name in the world of herbal remedies and homeopathic medicine. Commonly infused into gels, lotions, tinctures, or salves, arnica works to reduce bruising, swelling, or the pain of a recent injury. If you are unfamiliar with homeopathy, it is possible that you are unaware of the anti-inflammatory benefits of arnica. That is why we are here with this article.

What Is Homeopathy?

Based on law of similars (like cures like), homeopathy uses substances that may cause adverse symptoms in a healthy person to treat those symptoms in a sick person. The remedy used (let’s use arnica for the sake of this article) gets diluted in a tincture, ointment, or oil to create varying levels of potency. The more dilute the remedy, the greater the potency.

What Is Arnica?

Arnica is an indigenous plant to regions in Asia, Europe, and North America. The most common species is Arnica Montana and it goes by several names, including mountain arnica, mountain tobacco, wolf’s bane, and leopard’s bane. The blossoms resemble daises and traditional folk medicine used these flowers to remedy muscle aches and sore joints. While research is limited surrounding the treatment of medical conditions, anecdotal reports praise arnica’s healing properties.

Important Note: Arnica is for topical use only. Helenalin, which is the compound responsible for arnica’s anti-inflammatory properties, is toxic when you consume it. The reason it does not affect the skin is because homeopathic creams, ointments, or salves containing arnica are very diluted.

Health Benefits Of Arnica 

Reduces Bruising

If you knock your knee into a wall by accident, arnica cream may help reduce bruising and the pain associated with the trauma. You must apply the cream for several days to experience relief, though. Initially, studies did not find any conclusive evidence that arnica helped reduce bruising. More recent studies, however, found that arnica helped reduce postoperative bruising and swelling, especially for knee surgery patients. Another study found that it reduced bruising from rhinoplasty, and it brought swelling down after tonsillectomy.

Helps People With Osteoarthritis

Common treatment for osteoarthritis involves the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Homeopaths have prescribed arnica to osteoarthritis patients as an alternative remedy to NSAIDs. Researchers from Australia analyzed several studies about topical herbal remedies like arnica for osteoarthritis pain relief. Don’t you find it interesting that arnica gel worked as well, if not better, than ibuprofen at reducing joint pain in the hands of people with osteoarthritis? In contrast to the daily use of ibuprofen, there were minimal side effects of arnica gel. Finally, another study with 79 arthritis patients found that applying arnica gel to their knees twice daily reduced stiffness and increased mobility. Only one person in the study had an allergic reaction.

Reduces Muscle Pain

The studies surrounding arnica’s ability to reduce muscle pain primarily focus on people with myalgia or post-exertional myalgia. Many athletes use arnica-infused ointments or creams to reduce muscle soreness and accelerate recovery. A lot of sports supplements contain arnica for these reasons. One review of studies in the International Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine found topical arnica use to be more beneficial than the placebo. People who used arnica experienced great relief from muscle injury, while those who applied the placebo received no such benefits.

Arnica that is diluted in creams or ointments is considered safe for topical application, but people can have adverse reactions to it. The most common reaction is an allergic reaction to the plant, which can result in rash or irritated skin. The people who react to arnica commonly have an allergy to plants in the Asteraceae family, which includes daises, marigolds, and chrysanthemums. Do not ever ingest arnica and don’t purchase dried arnica flowers. Only purchase diluted arnica products to keep yourself healthy and safe.

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Everyone experiences muscle soreness or involuntary muscle spasms at some point in life. The pain can range from mild to excruciating, making you feel as though you cannot move. Spasms mostly occur in the arms, calves, quadriceps, hamstrings, or in the lower back. While patience is necessary when it comes to muscle soreness, we all want something that is fast acting.

For quick relief, many people turn to over-the-counter muscle relaxers, which are not designed to help the muscular system. Muscle relaxers target the nervous system and they do not address the problem; rather, they only stop communication between the nervous system and the brain. This temporary “shut-off” isn’t just targeted to the painful area, though; the entire body is affected, which is why many people experience brain fog after taking these medications. And they take more when the pain returns.

You don’t have to get hooked on medications because there are natural remedies that are designed to specifically target the sore muscle. Outside of consistently using an ice pack, which is beneficial for reducing inflammation and soreness, try the following remedies to help naturally relieve muscle soreness.

Cayenne Pepper

The capsaicin in cayenne pepper acts as a natural muscle relaxant, offering anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties to reduce stiffness and inflammation. Several studies have found that topical application of capsaicin cream helped manage soft tissue pain. Mix one teaspoon of cayenne pepper with two tablespoons of warm extra virgin olive oil. Apply this to the painful area as needed.

Arnica Oil

Arnica has been a powerful remedy for exercise related, inflammatory injuries for quite some time. Topical application of arnica oil, cream, or ointment has helped to reduce pain and muscle damage. Thymol, which is found in arnica, acts as a vasodilator that works to reduce fluid accumulations. It also stimulates white blood cell flow to help disperse congested blood that may be trapped in joints, bruises, or muscles.

Epsom Salt

If you are experiencing muscle spasms or cramps, you may want to turn to Epsom salt to boost your magnesium levels. Regular muscle spasms or cramps can actually be symptoms of magnesium deficiency. The magnesium in Epsom salt is easily absorbed by the skin, which helps promote muscle relaxation. It also works to relax the nervous system and remove toxins that may contribute to inflammation and pain. Mix 2 cups of Epsom salt in a lukewarm bath and soak for 20 minutes once a week.

Massage

Pain is the body’s way of telling you to rest that area in order for healing to begin. One of the best ways to relieve muscle pain is to get a massage. A skilled massage therapist can help to relieve tension in the area and the rest of the surrounding muscles. Recent studies found that massage therapy helped to improve bone and muscle pain management. Get a massage at least once a month to lower stress levels and relieve muscle tension.

Rosemary

A frequent herb used in the Mediterranean diet, rosemary works to calm inflamed muscle tissue and reduce overall soreness. Upon ingestion, rosemary helps to improve blood circulation to promote swift recovery. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties have been effective for those with arthritis and muscle pain. Add one teaspoon of dried rosemary to one cup of hot water, steep for ten minutes, and then strain the rosemary out. Drink this three times daily. You can also add 15 drops of rosemary essential oil to a lukewarm bath and soak in it for 20 minutes.

Don’t Rest Too Much

Unless the pain is extremely severe, you will benefit from mobilizing the muscle to reduce possible inflammation. Moving at a slower pace is perfectly fine, but motion aids the healing process. You may want to try foam rolling to help speed up your recovery time, improve blood flow, and provide myofascial release.

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