Bruises
Sprains
Muscle Discomfort or joint soreness
Chilblains, when skin in unbroken
Arnica improves the local blood supply and speeds the healing process. It soothes and heals skin wounds and irritations. Repeated applications may produce sever soreness. Most often an ointment or compress is used for external application.
Generally, the plant is taken internally only at a homeopathic dilution, principally for shock, injury, and Discomfort. If taken as a decoction or tincture, it stimulates the circulation and can be a valuable Favorable Effects for Problem due to lack of blood supply to heart muscles and a weak or failing heart. It can be toxic even at low dosage, so it's rarely used in this way.
Contraindications
- tincture full strength externally on hypersensitive skin or on broken skin due to contact dermatitis from sesquiterpene lactones or the irritant volatile oil components thymol, thymol methylether and b-terpineol contained in the tincture (empirical)
- prolonged use externally can lead to allergic dermititis (empirical) from the sesqiterpene lactones such as helenalin acetate (topically on guinea pigs)
