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MedicinesAZ(http://www.britishhomeopathic.org/category/bhacharity/howwecanhelp/medicineaz/)>Arnica

montana

Arnicamontana Find
oneofthebestknownhomeopathicremediesforbruisinghasadeepersignificance,writesMarysia a
Kratimenos Practitioner
Arnicamontanaisoneofthebestknownhomeopathicremedies.Ithasbeenusedforseveraltrialsto
demonstratetheeffectofhomeopathicremediesonbruisingandtrauma.Indeedsomeplasticsurgeons
swearbyitforreducingbruisingaftercosmeticsurgery.Manypeopleareconvertedtothehomeopathic
Find
causeafterseeingspectacularresultswiththishumbleherb.ArnicamontanabelongstotheCompositae
Clear
family, in other words it is a relative of the common daisy. Several of this family of plants are used
homeopathically and herbally Calendula, Chamomilla, Echinacea, Millefolium (yarrow), Solidago
(goldenrod)andTaraxacum(dandelion).Thestarshapedflowersofthisbotanicalfamilyarefamiliarto
usallassunflowersandornamentaldaisies.OthermembersoftheCompositaefamilyincludefoodcrops
suchaslettuce,chicory,globeartichokeandguayuleasourceofhypoallergeniclatex.

Theplantsarerichininulin,acompoundbetweensugarandstarchthattheplantsstoreintheir
undergroundorgansasasourceofenergy.Itisusedasanaturalsweetenerfordiabetics.The
Compositaecontainseleniumandarnicaashisrichinmanganese.Bothseleniumandmanganeseare
powerfulantioxidantsinthehumanbodyandinadditionmanganeseisanessentialelementneededfor
healthybones,woundhealing,andthemetabolismofproteins,cholesterolandcarbohydrates.Itmay
wellbethatitisthisrichsourceofmanganesethatfacilitateshealing,actingincombinationwiththeother
plantchemicals.Manganeselevelsaffectthelevelsofiron,magnesiumandcalciuminthebody.
Manganesedeficiencyisrarelyseen(orrecognised)exceptinindividualsfedartificiallythroughtheir
veins.Theydevelopabnormalitiesintheskeleton,impairedgrowthandskinrashes.

Arnicatheplant
Arnicamontanaisanalpineplant,growinginnutrientpoorsoil.Itcanpotentiallyreachaheightofupto
60cm,butthisisunusualgiventheharshconditionsathighaltitudes.Itgrowsinmeadowsupto3,000
metresabovesealevel,whereitisexposedtostrongsunlight.Thehigherthealtitude,themorearomatic
theplantwillbecome.

ItisfoundthroughoutEurope,butnowadaysitismorecommontoseehybridsofArnicaratherthanthe
purespeciesgrowingwild.Thenaturalhabitathasbeenencroacheduponbyagriculture.Arnicacannot
growinareaswherefertiliserhasbeenusedandaerialfertilisationhashadahuge,negativeimpacton
thewildpopulationintheVogesmountainsofFrance.Arnicagrowsbestinmoist,peatysiliceoussoils
andchalkisharmfuleveninsmallquantities.

Arnicaisingreatdemandherballyandhomeopathically,whichhasledtooverharvesting.TheWorld
WildlifeFund(WWF)withotherconservationagencieshasdrawnattentiontothisissue,andthankfully
manycountrieshaverespondedbyintroducinglegislationtoprotectthespecies.Alicenseisrequiredto
collecttheplantinmanyEuropeancountries,butunfortunatelythisisalmostimpossibletopolicesothe
temptationtomakemoneyhastakenprecedenceoverthelongtermmaintenanceofnaturalstock.Only
Spainlacksprohibitivelawsregardingarnicacollection,yet1,000to3,000kgofwildarnicawasimported
intoGermanyfromRomaniaintheperiod1989to1999accordingtofiguresobtainedbyWWF.

Responsiblecompanieshaveattemptedtofarmarnicatocaterforthedemand,butitisatrickyplantto
cultivatesotheirresultshavebeenmixed.Itlovestheharshnessofitsnaturalhabitatandthisisvery
challengingtoreproducecommercially.Itsinbornneedtosurvivehasledtocrossbreedinginthewild.

Herbaluse
Forcenturiesarnicamontanahasbeenusedherballyforbruisingandsprains.

GenerationsofSwissmountainguideschewedarnicaleavestopreventfatigueinducedbyclimbing.The
driedleaveswereusedasasubstitutefortobacco,henceitscommonnameofmountaintobacco.The
driedflowerspromotesneezing,soitwasalsoknownassnuffplant.Fallkraut,fallherbandwoundherb,
othereponyms,demonstratetheageoldusefortheeffectsoftrauma.Theflowersareusedasacom
pressforsprainsandbruises.Thebrightyellowflowersglisteninthesunshineandcanresemblethe
eyesofawolffromadistance,hencethenameWolfesgelega,wolfseyeinGerman.Leopardsbaneisa
referencetoitswildbeautyandelegance,andindependentspirit.

Therootcontainsessentialoilswhicharepowerfulantiinflammatoryagents.Theskiresortsarewell
versedinthebenefitsofarnicamassagesandbodywrapsusingarnicaarereadilyavailableinmany,
andIwashighlyamusedtoseeaHotelArnicainMadonnadiCampigliointheItalianDolomites!

Herballytheplanthasbeenusedfortraumaticinjuriesinvolvingbruising,andasacardiactonicforweak
andwearyhearts.Itisalsousedhomeopathicallytosupporttheheart,andforweaknessandweariness
intheelderly.

Arnicaisalsousedtostimulatethekidneys,butcanbequitetoxicinherbalsolutions.Theingestionof
largequantitiescancauseirritationtothegutatemporarystimulationisfollowedbyadepressionofthe
circulation,respirationandtemperature.Violentheadachesensue,thepupilsdilateandthenmuscular
paralysissetsin.Thewholenervoussystemisparalysedanddeathresults.Arnicashouldbeused
judiciouslyontheskinasitcancausenastyirritatingrashes.

Homeopathicuse
Samuel Hahnemann first potentised Arnica montana, recognising its powerful actions and its potential
toxicity.Inhomeopathytodayitisusedbothherballyintheformsofcreamsandtincturesaswellasin
thepotentisedform.

Thewholeplantisusedforthehomeopathicremedy.Theplantisofteninfestedwithsmallinsects,
betrayingitsroleasavictim.Fungigrowasparasitesontheleaves.Theplantshavetobewashed
carefullybeforetheremedycanbeprepared.

Arnicamontanaisusedasatraumaremedy,aremedyforbruisinginjuries,butitsactionsaremore
widespreadthanthat.AstheUShomeopathicphysician,JamesTylerKent(18491916),stated,Itisa
wonderfulremedy,amisunderstoodremedy,amisusedremedy,becauseitisalmostlimitedtobruises.
ManyofthehomeopathictrialshavereliedonArnicasabilitytohealbruising,ignoringthebiggerremedy
pictureandemotionalstate.Homeopathicremediesaimtohealatadeeperlevelthanthesuperficial
expressionofthebodysimbalance.Theyaredirectedatthediseasefeltoneverylevel,notthemere
diseasealabelgiventothephysicaldisturbance.Insomesubtlewaytheyallowthepersonto
recognisetheirbehaviourpatterns,theirdelusions,andtheirprejudicialwayofviewingtheworldand
takeactiontochangethings.

AlthoughArnicaismostcommonlyusedasanacuteemergencyremedy,onemayseethedeeper
constitutionalpictureemerge.Arnicaisnotjustaremedyforthebruisedbodyitisaremedyofthe
bruisedsoul.AsMassimoMangialavorisoeloquentlyphrasedit,itisaremedyforsomeonewhodoesnt
forgetpains.IndeedtheArnicaconstitutionisonewhoattractspainoneverylevel,justasthe
StaphysagriawomanattractsthewifebeaterandtheNatrummuriaticumgirlconstantlyfallsinlovewith
unavailablemen.Thereisaperverselogictoitall.Inrepeatingourpersonalhistories,weareallowing
lifetoacthomeopathicallytohealoursouls.Thewhydoesthisalwayshappentome?isthefirststep
towardsinsightandlifechanges.

Intheplaygroundweareconstantlytoldthatsticksandstonesmaybreakmybones,butwordswillnever
hurtme.MaybeitisthisthatcausestheArnicastate!Wordsdohaveaprofound,negativeeffectonthe
psycheandArnicapatientssufferwithbruisedfeelingsandinjuredpride,aswellasthephysicaleffectsof
trauma.Liketheplantitself,theyarevictimsofthebulliesandwilloftensaytheyvebeenbatteredand
beatenbylife.

Inadesperateattempttotoughenupandavoidthebullies,childrenoftenmasktheirphysicaland
emotionalinjuriesImokay,itdidntreallyhurt.Likethedowntroddendaisytheybounceback,
stronger,orapparentlystronger,thanever.Theytaketheadagewhatdoesntkillyou,strengthensyouto
theultimateconclusion.Thefaadeofcopingreliesheavilyonmaskingthepain,convincingthemselves
andothersthattheyvesurvived.Thattheyaretough.Thattheycancopewiththebullies.Hencethe
homeopathicrubricfearsapproach.Usingtheplaygroundanalogy,willtheattentionsofteacherhelp
theirsituation,orwillthebulliesreekvengeancefortellingtales?Despitetheantibullyingpoliciesin
placeinschools,mostvictimsfearcomplainingtoadults,admittingtheyarevictims,thattheycantcope
withtheroughandtumbleoflife.Andalltoooftenthevictimisaccusedorevenblamed.Theonly
rationalcopingmechanismistopretendtheyarestrong.MindovermattertranslatesasIdontmind
andyoudontmatter.Anythingelsewouldbetraytheirweaknessandmakethemfeelafailure.Arnicas
compensationisfuelledbyaneedtoovercomethissenseoffailure.Theylearntodolifealone,relying
totallyonthemselvesandhencecanappearhaughtyandintolerantofothersinlaterlife.

However,thisresponseoftenleadstothechildendingupasthephysicaloremotionalpunchbagofthe
aggressor.Withnoonetolistenandprotect,theirjustifiedangeratthesituationbecomeschannelledinto
physicalactivity.ManyArnicapatientsusevigorousexercisetodefuseangerandaggression,the
physicalpainhasanalmostcleansingeffectontheirmood.Infactmanyadmittobeingaccidentprone.
Theyhaveatendencytoprovethemselvesbygoingfurther,workingharder,indulgingindangerous
sportsandgoingbeyondthelimitsofendurancewithoutcomplaint:theytakeprideintheirstrength.

TheirangerisintenseandArnicaislistedunderailmentsfromanger,aswellasirritability.TheArnica
personcanbeverysnappyindeed,refusingtobeexamined,declaringthemselvestobewellwhenitis
perfectlyobvioustheyneedmedicalattention.Theyareaversetoconsolationandattentionastheyfear
theymightbehurtyetagain.

Thepainisvividlyrecalled,asistheaccidentorincident.Theremaybeterrifyingnightmares,apost
traumaticstresssyndromemaydevelop.UnliketheAconitestate,wherethefearengulfstheperson
constantly,withArnicathememoriesonlyoccurwhentheconsciousmindisunabletosuppressthe
 feelings,asinsleep.

Itisoftentheresponsetopaincausedbyanaccidentthatguidesthepractitionertotheconstitutional
Arnicapicture.InonecaseawomanwithaminorheadinjurywasprescribedArnicaonthebasisofthe
Dontfuss,Imfineresponsetotheinjury.Thepatientreportedbackthatthefibromyalgiathathad
plaguedherforyearshadvanished.Shesaidsheusedtowakeupfeelingasifshedgonetenrounds
withMikeTysonbeforetheArnica!Andmoreimportantly,shebecamemoreawareofhertendencyto
beatherselfupwheneverthingsdidntworkout.Shehadviewedherarthritisasasignofpersonal
failure,aweakness.Followingtheprescription,shefoundshewasmoreabletostatethelimitationsof
hercondition,andgiveherselftherestshesodesperatelyneeded.Shenolongerfearedbeingregarded
asweakandfeeble,andherattitudetoherdiseasechangeddramatically.Shewasabletoaskformuch
neededhelp.

AdeeperunderstandingofArnicaisemerging,thankstothepioneeringworkofGeorgeVithoulkas,
MassimoMangialavoriandRajanSankarantomentionbutafew.Althoughitseemedliketheperfect
remedytoprovethathomeopathyworkstoourcritics,Arnicahasnotyetproveditseffectivenessin
clinicaltrials.Itcouldbethatpoortrialdesignistoblamebecausetheresultsgoagainsteverythingthat
200yearsofhomeopathicpracticetellus.Howeveropponentsofhomeopathyhaveusedthisasastickto
beatus.ButArnicaisArnica.Ithasshownitsconstitutionalpictureasthevictimofthebullies.Its
reputationhasbeenbruised,batteredbythesceptics.Theitcantwork,soitdoesnotworkapproachto
homeopathyhasledtoabruised,batteredhomeopathiccommunity.ButArnicaisadaisyitwillbounce
back,aswillhomeopathy.

MarysiaKratimenosMBBSFRCS(Ed)FFHomisonthestaffoftheRLHHwheresheisinvolvedin
stressclinics,generalmedicine,paediatricsandneurolinguisticprogramming.Shealsoteacheson
theMFHomcourseandhasaprivatepractice.

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