Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat It IsBenefitsResearchHow It’s TakenWarningsFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What It Is
Benefits
Research
How It’s Taken
Warnings
Frequently Asked Questions
When working tomanage your arthritis, you may consider natural remedies either as an alternative to traditional treatments or as a complement to them. Arnica is one that has gotten a lot of arthritis patients' attention because of its purportedanti-inflammatoryproperties. While natural, arnica carries serious side effects if dosed orally and is reserved for topical use.
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What Is Arnica?
Arnica, short forArnica montana,is a perennial plant found in the mountainous areas of Europe and North America that produces yellow-orange daisy-like flowers. Since the 1500s, the fresh or dried flowers of the arnica plant have been used for medicinal purposes.
Possible Benefits
Arnica is used for bruises, sprains, muscle soreness, and muscle spasms often associated with sports activity. Arnica is also used to treat muscular aches, joint pain, andarthritis.
Research on Use for Arthritis
A randomized study involving 204 people with hand osteoarthritis was published inRheumatology Internationalin 2007. It was found that daily arnica gel was as effective as daily ibuprofen gel, although neither treatment was compared to placebo. There also were minimal side effects with arnica.
Administration
Arnica can be applied to the skin as a cream, ointment, liniment, salve, or tincture. It can be made into compresses or poultices. It is usually used topically because serious side effects can result from oral administration of arnica.
Oralhomeopathic remediesthat contain arnica do exist, but they are heavily diluted to eliminate potential harm.
Warnings and Precautions
The following precautions should be taken with its topical use:
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid the use of arnica. Always discuss what you are using or taking with your healthcare provider, including supplements and herbs.
There are no known interactions with arnica. Still, it is important to discuss arnica with your healthcare provider and be vigilant about monitoring for side effects.
Arnica gel is sold in many drug stores, pharmacies, large retailers, and online storefronts. If you plan to use arnica for arthritis or another reason, it may be wise to speak to your healthcare provider before use.
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Penn State Hershey Medical Center.Arnica.Widrig R, Suter A, Saller R, Melzer J.Choosing between NSAID and arnica for topical treatment of hand osteoarthritis in a randomised, double-blind study.Rheumatol Int. 2007;27(6):585-91. doi:10.1007/s00296-007-0304-yKnuesel O, Weber M, Suter A.Arnica montana gel in osteoarthritis of the knee: an open, multicenter clinical trial.Adv Ther.2002;19(5):209-18. doi:10.1007/bf02850361MedlinePlus.Arnica.American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD).How to Treat Sunburn.Additional ReadingArthritis Foundation. Nine Supplements to Avoid.University of Maryland Medical Center.Arnica. Overview.
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Penn State Hershey Medical Center.Arnica.Widrig R, Suter A, Saller R, Melzer J.Choosing between NSAID and arnica for topical treatment of hand osteoarthritis in a randomised, double-blind study.Rheumatol Int. 2007;27(6):585-91. doi:10.1007/s00296-007-0304-yKnuesel O, Weber M, Suter A.Arnica montana gel in osteoarthritis of the knee: an open, multicenter clinical trial.Adv Ther.2002;19(5):209-18. doi:10.1007/bf02850361MedlinePlus.Arnica.American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD).How to Treat Sunburn.Additional ReadingArthritis Foundation. Nine Supplements to Avoid.University of Maryland Medical Center.Arnica. Overview.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Penn State Hershey Medical Center.Arnica.Widrig R, Suter A, Saller R, Melzer J.Choosing between NSAID and arnica for topical treatment of hand osteoarthritis in a randomised, double-blind study.Rheumatol Int. 2007;27(6):585-91. doi:10.1007/s00296-007-0304-yKnuesel O, Weber M, Suter A.Arnica montana gel in osteoarthritis of the knee: an open, multicenter clinical trial.Adv Ther.2002;19(5):209-18. doi:10.1007/bf02850361MedlinePlus.Arnica.American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD).How to Treat Sunburn.
Penn State Hershey Medical Center.Arnica.
Widrig R, Suter A, Saller R, Melzer J.Choosing between NSAID and arnica for topical treatment of hand osteoarthritis in a randomised, double-blind study.Rheumatol Int. 2007;27(6):585-91. doi:10.1007/s00296-007-0304-y
Knuesel O, Weber M, Suter A.Arnica montana gel in osteoarthritis of the knee: an open, multicenter clinical trial.Adv Ther.2002;19(5):209-18. doi:10.1007/bf02850361
MedlinePlus.Arnica.
American Academy of Dermatology Association (AAD).How to Treat Sunburn.
Arthritis Foundation. Nine Supplements to Avoid.University of Maryland Medical Center.Arnica. Overview.
Arthritis Foundation. Nine Supplements to Avoid.
University of Maryland Medical Center.Arnica. Overview.
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