Indepth reply to Penguin's question about arnica

By Merill Haseen

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SOME complementary remedies have become everyday choices for family health, and arnica is fast becoming one of the� best-known and most-used homeopathic remedies in the country.

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�Even Tony Blair's family uses it, as he recently revealed: 'My sister-in-law is a homeopath,' he told Women's Own, 'and when the children get bruises we use arnica.'

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The Arnica plant

Arnica montana, also known as mountain daisy or leopard's bane, is a hardy perennial with a scented yellow flower. Although the plant itself is an irritant poison, it's safe to take internally as a homeopathic tablet, or apply topically as a herbal cream or ointment.

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Arnica is the first choice of homeopathic treatment for bruising, and for shock which leaves you 'feeling bruised'. It's especially useful for children, because with them, bruising and shock usually come together.

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It's claimed that arnica works on bruises by mending the broken blood vessels that cause bruising and by reducing inflammation and pain. It helps bruises to disappear quickly and will reduce the size of bumps.

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How to use arnica herbal creams and ointments:

• Apply arnica ointment or cream directly to bruises - but avoid if the skin is cut or grazed - use calendula instead. Rub gently into the bruise every few hours.

How to use arnica homeopathic tablets:

• For 'everyday' bumps and bruises, take 6c three or four times as day, as needed. For severe knocks, take 30c and repeat as necessary.
  
• Take 6c after exercise - it soothes muscles that may have been overworked and feel sore and bruised as a result.
  
• For back and neck pain - take 30c.
  
• A useful tip for new mothers - arnica is being taken in maternity wards all over the country to heal bruised tissues and take away soreness. Take 30c at the first stage of labour, then during second stage and again after the birth. Then twice a day for a few days.
  
• Arnica also helps healing after operations - take 200c before and afterwards.
  Arnica is also recommended for jet lag: a homeopathic remedy, it suits the type of person who discounts their suffering, i.e. the macho traveller who won't admit to jet lag!

For more information:
www.homeopathic.com/intro/his.htm, a US website on all aspects of homeopathy.
www.trusthomeopathy.org - the Faculty of Homeopathy, which has a list of registered homeopaths.�
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