I copied this definition from wikipedia:
Medicinal uses
Arnica montana has been used medicinally for centuries.
[1] The roots contain derivatives of
thymol,
[3] which are used as
fungicides and
preservatives and may have some anti-inflammatory effect.
[4] Arnica is currently used in
liniment and
ointment preparations used for
strains,
sprains, and
bruises. Commercial arnica preparations are frequently used by professional athletes.
[5] Arnica should not be taken internally due to its toxicity, with the spurious exception of
homeopathic preparations that are
diluted at 24X or more, since only water remains.
[6][7]
The thymol derivatives concentrated in the plants roots have been clinically shown to be effective
vasodilators of subcutaneous blood capillaries. Arnica preparations used topically have been demonstrated to act as an anti-inflammatory and assist normal healing processes by facilitating transport of blood and fluid accumulations through a dilating action of subcutaneous blood capillaries (Holist Nurse Pract, 2008, 22(4):237-239). In one
double-blind trial, Arnica montana was found to be equally effective as the more expensive
diclofenac for accelerating wound healing after foot surgery, but was less effective than the same drug for pain relief.
[8] However, Diclofenac does not promote wound healing as it is an anti-inflammatory drug and hence this comparison is not useful. A study of wound-healing after surgery to treat
varicose veins found a trend towards a beneficial effect of reduction of
pain and
hematoma following surgery.
[9]
I can buy Arnica at Wegman in their organic section, also you can get it at any vitamin shop like GNC. Dd takes the tablets 3x a day and also applies the gel too. Arnica for lack of better terms is likes nature's Ben Gay without the Ben Gay smell. It's reasonably prices, the gel is about $10 for a fairly big bottle and the tablets are under $15 for I think 100 tablets.
What is arnica gel and tablets and where do you buy them? wrapping it last night helped--according to Beth, but she's mad because someone stole the rest of her tape she bought--darn thieving gymnasts!
