Long known, arnica helps treat injuries and even trauma

You may have heard of arnica? Well known as? a good home remedy? for bruises and muscle aches. But did you know that her benefits go far beyond?

Roberto Debski, specialist in Homeopathy and Acupuncture by the Brazilian Medical Association, psychologist and coach and master trainer in Neuro-Linguistic Programming, explains that arnica is a herbal medicine? plant with medicinal properties?, used by natural medicine, herbal medicine, anthroposophy and homeopathy, for internal and external use.

"There are about 30 species of arnica, and the most widely used and known are arnica montana, arnica chamissonis and arnica brazil, all from the same plant family, asteraceae," says the expert on homeopathy.

The properties of arnica, according to Debski, are due to the presence in the plant of phenolic and flavonoid compounds, known for their action and their free anti-inflammatory and anti-radical effects, favoring the healing processes, phlebotonic action or circulation improvement. venous vein, and decreased tissue damage.

6 Arnica Health Benefits

With such important properties, it is not difficult to imagine why arnica has been known for years and continues to be used frequently.

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Eliete MM Fagundes, coordinator of the Hahnemann Technological Institute's Homeopathy Science Training course and PhD student in Psychology at the Universidad Jonh F. Kennedy (Buenos Aires / Argentina), comments that arnica is one of the most popular plants to date for its incredible ability to access multiple aspects in one treatment. Here are some of its key benefits:

1. Treat injuries: With its healing, anti-inflammatory, anti-haemorrhagic and antiseptic properties, arnica has been used for hundreds of years to quickly minimize symptoms of injuries after strikes, cuts and accidents of all kinds, as Eliete points out.

2. Reduce swelling and pain: Juliana Ponce, Meta Manipulacao's responsible pharmacist, comments that topical use of arnica is commonly indicated to reduce swelling and pain caused by sprains, bruises, muscle and joint problems, and also by insect bites. Regarding internal use, arnica is used as a homeopathic remedy for pain, bruising, arthritis and rheumatism.

3. Minimize post traumatic stress: Juliana explains that arnica is also widely used before and after surgery to help minimize post-traumatic tension (bruising and swelling).

4. Healing power and aids in overall recovery: Eliete comments that the greatest spread of arnica was in the aesthetic environment, in clinics of various specialties, from beauty salons to advanced surgery centers. Its rapid restorative effect, decreasing pain, accelerating healing in less than 1/3 of the time, significantly softening the scars of plastic surgery in general, have made it a prominent place. Children, the elderly, pregnant women, adolescents, animals, plants all benefit from their resilience ?, he says.

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5. Assistance in dentistry: Eliete explains that arnica is also an ally in dentistry, before, during and after various treatments, acting as anti-inflammatory, reducing and preventing bleeding.

6. Help in overcoming trauma: The oral use of arnica can still be very useful in emotional treatments. Eliete points out that homeopathy has a much deeper action than topical because it expands to energy, mental and emotional levels, thus accessing emotional trauma linked to all types of accidents. "Burglary trauma, traumatic situations in general, since job loss to separations can have great comfort in their use," he explains.

Ways of using arnica

Roberto Debski explains that arnica can be used as a herbal medicine when a fresh or dried plant is used, which is macerated, crushed and prepared in the form of teas, tinctures, compresses, gel and ointments, and then applied externally.

"For internal use as a herbal medicine, care should be taken, as arnica can be toxic to the liver (hepatotoxic), and there are dozens of varieties of types, and the dosage for each person may be different," warns the doctor.

Eliete reinforces that the oral use of arnica is not recommended in topical form, but in homeopathic, because the plant has toxicity in its active principle, arnicin. By way of example, an expert guidance is to use the homeopathic form of arnica to aid in the treatment of trauma (assaults, job loss, separation, among others) as follows:

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• Take Arnica Montana CH 5: 2 drops in one sip of water, 2 times daily for 30 days (adults) and 15 days (children). Then suspend and, depending on each case, the person may continue with CH 6, 7 until the main complaint is felt to harmonize.

But the main guideline is to look for a homeopath to indicate treatment taking into account the particularities of each case.

Debski points out that the use of arnica in homeopathy, which is a medical specialty, and in anthroposophy, is made in formulations that are manipulated following the principle of homeopathic pharmacopoeias. "Arnica is diluted, streamlined, in a production process that releases its healing properties and then prepared in the form of globules, drops, ointments and creams, and also injectable," he says.

Arnica Warnings

Eliete explains that the greatest care is with the internal use of arnica. "In external use, as soon as there is healing, the person should discontinue use," he says.

Debski points out that, because of the possibility of arnica being hepatotoxic, care should be taken with the use as a herbal medicine for internal use, as well as with the choice and origin of the plant, and also with the amount to be used, especially for its use. House made.

"There is a contraindication to its use in this presentation (herbal medicine for internal use) for pregnant women, infants or people with proven sensitivity to arnica," adds the doctor.

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For topical use in compresses, ointments and creams, the risks are lower. "However, even so, one should seek the advice of a doctor or professional who has practice in using the arnica for guidance," warns the doctor.

• When arnica is prepared in a homeopathic formulation, side effects are not common. But it is worth remembering that arnica formulations, whether internal or external, must be prescribed by a homeopathic doctor ?, concludes Debski.

Now you know that arnica can really be a "holy medicine" as long as it is used properly and without endangering health. Therefore, do not hesitate to seek the guidance of a homeopath when you want to benefit from the use of this famous plant.

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