Listen to How Arnica Can Help Your Sore Muscles And More
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I laughed the first time someone suggested I try Arnica to make my sore muscles feel better. Seriously?! A flower?!?
Muscle pain has plagued my body long before my 2003 diagnosis of fibromyalgia. For as long as I can remember, the lightest touch had the ability to cause muscular pain that lasted for hours or days. Like a bruise, but without skin discoloration.
The muscle pain I experience from fibromyalgia can quickly turn severe if not addressed immediately. Untreated when the tension begins, my muscles freeze in place making movement terribly painful or impossible. But it doesn’t stop there. Pain and tension travel and before long, tension felt in my hip takes over my entire leg and/or lower back.
Muscle pain in any form is never welcome. In this post, we will explore this awesome flower, its many benefits. and the options available to help you relieve muscle tension before it gets out of control!
Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission to fund my coffee drinking habit if you use these links to make a purchase. You will not be charged extra, and you’ll keep me supplied with caffeine. It’s a win for everyone.
What is Arnica?
Arnica is a plant that grows in mountainous areas and can be found in the northern United States, Canada, and the European Alps.
Because of its likeness to the daisy, it is often referred to as a mountain daisy. You may have also heard the arnica flower called also known as wolf’s bane, leopard’s bane, mountain tobacco, and mountain arnica.
Its use for medicinal purposes goes back as far as the 1500’s!
Arnica for Sore Muscles
I turned to an arnica topical for muscle pain after my favorite theme park banned CBD products, including topical lotions, oils, and balms. A long day of sitting up and going on rides would create a muscle tension storm. Until then I relied on topical CBD oils for keeping my neck muscles relaxed.
To my surprise, the inexpensive topical arnica salve I purchased worked just as well as the costly CBD product that I had been using for years.
For best results, do not wait for your muscle pain and tension to reach high levels before treating. Begin applying an arnica topical product at the first sign of pain and tension. Then repeat as necessary.
Since I began using a topical arnica salve on my sore and tense muscles, I no longer suffer from frozen muscles. Prior, my neck and hip muscles would freeze up often. Read my full review here.
Arnica works due to the helenalin, a natural anti-inflammatory agent, within. Helenalin is toxic when administered orally or applied to broken skin. Never apply to on open wounds or near your mouth.
Other Arnica Benefits
In a topical form, arnica has been used to reduce bruising on the body. Not only does it reduce the discoloration of bruising, but it reduces the pain, too!
Arnica oil can be used on the skin to help ease inflammatory pain associated with insect bites, bruises, and arthritis flare-ups.
It is also great for bruises, sprains, soreness, and swelling and for the relief of arthritis, muscle, and joint pain.
Applying arnica oil twice daily (as long as the skin is not broken) helps reduce bruising inflammation even better than low-concentration vitamin K formulations.
Arnica has also been found to be very effective in helping reduce pain and inflammation associated with carpal tunnel.
Topical Arnica Options for Sore Muscles
Topical arnica comes in many forms. Available forms include inctures, creams, salves, ointments, gels, and oils.
I prefer my herbal products to contain little or no chemicals. That’s why I purchase my arnica pain relief salve and other herbal products from Earthley Wellness.
Word of Caution!
Please do not use on open wounds or near the mouth. Arnica is toxic when taken orally or internally.
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I love Arnica! It is an ingredient in one of my favorite pain relieving topicals!
😍 it’s fantastic
Question: Everything we put on our skin gets absorbed into our bloodstream. If arnica is toxic internally, how can you safely use it on the skin?
Excellent question! Arnica the herb, (in its purest form) is what is toxic. Supplements and topicals contain a highly diluted amount which like all things comes with risks like burning skin or interactions with medications. The first link in the source section explains the ratios for diluted arnica and more. Like all complementary treatments, you should talk to your doctor to check if it will have a negative reaction with your medications.
Wow I had no idea that arnica was so helpful. I’ve been using tiger balm for similar reasons but will give arnica a try to see how comparable the effects are. Thanks for the suggestion 🙂
I used to use Tiger Balm too. But the scent was too much.