Arnica, also called Arnica montana,
is a plant that is native to the mountainous regions of Europe and southern
Russia. Arnica
is an herb that grows mainly in Siberia and central Europe, as well as
temperate climates in North America. The flowers of the plant are used in
medicine.
We ONLY use Arnica
from Germany NOT Mexico, which is subpar
product. We believe in quality, period. One seller I know of
sells Mexican Arnica! True Arnica
comes from Elevations over 2700 feet! We carry ONLY Arnica
Montana; We get ours from Germany between Nuremberg and Munich.
Don't be fooled by cheap imitations
anyone who sells Heterotheca inuloides shows their poor quality. What else
are they selling you that is poor quality?!!
‘That grown in Mexico is not Arnica at
all. The species name for Mexico-grown “Arnica”
is actually Heterotheca inuloides. Although both plants share similar
uses, Heterotheca is not an Arnica
plant species. Additionally, this plant is more readily available and far less
expensive’ It is also known as “False arnica, Árnica mexicana, Árnica del país”
We
also use it in our Bengal
Balm, our organic muscle rub.
The flowers and leaves of this
plant have many traditional medicinal uses. People
take arnica by mouth for sore mouth and throat, pain such as pain after surgery
or wisdom tooth removal, insect bites, painful and swollen veins near the
surface of the skin (superficial phlebitis), bruising,
muscle pain, vision problems due to diabetes,
stroke, and for causing abortions.
Arnica
is applied to the skin for pain and swelling associated with bruises,
aches, and sprains. It is also applied to the skin for insect bites, arthritis,
muscle
and cartilage pain, chapped lips, and acne.
In foods, Arnica
is a flavor ingredient in beverages, frozen dairy desserts, candy, baked goods,
gelatins, and puddings.
In manufacturing, Arnica
is used in hair tonics and anti-dandruff preparations. The oil is used in
perfumes and cosmetics.
How does it work?
The active chemicals in arnica may
reduce swelling, decrease pain, and act as antibiotics.
Osteoarthritis
- Early research shows that using an
arnica gel product (A. Vogel Arnica
Gel, Bioforce AG, Switzerland) twice daily for 3 weeks reduces pain and
stiffness and improves function in people with osteoarthritis in the hand or
knee. Other research shows that using the same gel works as well as the
painkiller ibuprofen in reducing pain and improving function in the hands.
What is it used for?
People use Arnica as a cream or gel for soothing
muscle aches and inflammations and healing wounds. When applied to the skin, it
may improve healing by decreasing swelling and pain and speeding blood
reabsorption.
People also apply arnica to the
skin for treatment of acne, boils, and rashes.
Is it safe?
Arnica is recommended for external
use only. Do not put Arnica inside your mouth or swallow
it. The plant is poisonous and, if swallowed, it can cause stomach pain,
diarrhea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, cardiac arrest, and death.
How
to use
Speed up healing. Following accidents, surgery
or sports-related injuries, use homeopathic arnica to relieve soreness,
bruising, swelling and pain when used on unbroken skin.
Make compresses:
Use on sore muscles, sprains and joints. Mix 1 oz. of homeopathic Arnica tincture with 10 oz. of warm water. Soak your compress in the
mixture, and then gently wring out and apply to the painful area. Save your
mixture; you can continue to soak and use the compress to treat an injury for
24 hours.
Make arnica oil: Mix 1 oz. of homeopathic Arnica tincture with 5 oz. of carrier
oil to make arnica oil for topical use.
Make a liniment using rubbing alcohol: Place 4 oz. of dried Arnica blossoms in a pint size glass jar. Add 16 oz. of rubbing alcohol.
Tighten the lid. Store at room temperature for 14 days. With the lid intact,
gently swirl the contents once daily. After two weeks, filter the liquid
through a mesh kitchen strainer.
Make a liniment using Vodka: Crumble Arnica flowers with your fingers.
Add the crumbled flowers to a jar into which you
have measured a quantity of vodka. The ratio is one part arnica flower to five
parts vodka. The actual quantities you use will depend on how much arnica gel
you want to make.
Shake the jar to mix in the Arnica flowers. Put the jar in a cool, dark place such as a cabinet or closet
where it will remain for the next four weeks. Shake the jar vigorously at least
once a day.
After four to six weeks, strain the contents of
the jar through a paper towel or coffee filter over a colander into a bowl. The
strained liquid is the Arnica extract. Pour it into a small
jar, preferably amber-colored to protect it from light.
Arnica is often listed as an
ingredient in homeopathic products; however, these products are usually so
dilute that they contain little or no detectable amount of arnica.
Pregnancy
and breast-feeding:
Don't take Arnica by mouth or apply to the skin
if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. It is considered LIKELY UNSAFE.
Allergy to ragweed and related plants: Arnica may cause an allergic
reaction in people who are sensitive to the Asteraceae/Compositae family.
Members of this family include ragweed, chrysanthemums, marigolds, daisies, and
many others. If you have allergies, be sure to check with your healthcare
provider before applying it to your skin. Do not take Arnica by mouth.
Broken skin: Don't apply arnica to damaged or broken skin. Too much
could be absorbed.
Digestion problems: Arnica can irritate the digestive
system. Don't take it if you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcers,
Crohn's disease, or other stomach or intestinal conditions.
Fast heart rate: Arnica might increase your heart
rate. Don't take Arnica if you have a fast heart
rate.
High blood pressure: Arnica might increase blood
pressure. Don't take Arnica if you have high blood
pressure.
Surgery: Arnica might cause extra bleeding
during and after surgery. Stop using it at least 2 weeks before a scheduled
surgery.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) does not regulate Arnica in the same way it regulates
medicine. It can be sold with limited or no research on how well it works or on
its safety.
Moderate Interaction
Be cautious with this
combination!
Arnica might slow blood clotting.
Taking arnica along with medications that also slow clotting might increase the
chances of bruising and bleeding.<br/><br/> Some medications that
slow blood clotting include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), diclofenac
(Voltaren, Cataflam, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen
(Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox),
heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), and others.
As with any herbal remedy, Everything in
Moderation including Moderation!
