Arnica: the natural alternative for treating sore muscles
Posted December 1st, 2006 at 7:00 AM by Jenna Sumara
Section: Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab
As runners and athletes’ we all tend to experience pain of some sort and eliminating that pain is often our #1 priority. This is especially true if it prevents you from continuing your regular training program. Traditional pain treatment options like Tylenol and Advil are quite reliable but also can lead to some serious, long-term damage to your liver or stomach. However, there is another lesser known pain relief treatment product called Arnica that is starting to gain momentum among runners for treating muscle soreness.
Arnica (or by its scientific name, Arnica Montana or referred to as leopard’s bane) is a flower generally grown in the western states of the US and originally hails from Central Europe. Discovered by Europeans in the 16th century, Arnica has long been used as a holistic treatment for sore throats, improving blood circulation and reducing fevers. Externally, Arnica has been used as an antiseptic, to eliminate skin conditions (such as acne and rashes) and as a dressing for flesh wounds. In addition, it is known to reduce swelling from bruises, ease pain from sprains and help with the treatment of muscle soreness. With the popularity of other more “mainstream” medications (i.e. - Tylenol, Excedrin, Advil, etc), the use of Arnica has waned over the years.
So what does this all mean for the average runner? Should you turn away from the traditional medications in favor the homeopathic approach? Well, that all depends. For those who have concerns over the effects of prolonged drug use, this is certainly an option worth exploring. It is, of course, advised that you should make decisions such as this under the advisement of a physician or someone who is comfortable with homeopathy and abandoning ibuprofen is not necessarily a good idea, especially if you are injured or have just completed a big race. In addition, there is insufficient information on the long-term effects of Arnica, but any serious consequences have been deemed as very unlikely.
Among the available Arnica products, the ones with the best results have been the topical Arnica creams and gels (Some of which contain some ibuprofen that is used topically; avoiding the damage that ibuprofen digestion can cause to your stomach). Studies have shown topical Arnica (and the topical ibuprofen combination) to have some positive anti-inflammatory effects. This success in treating minor injuries, specifically muscle soreness and fatigue, makes Arnica a very intriguing alternative for runners and other endurance athletes.
Products containing Arnica can be purchased online (from companies like Boiron), at health food / nutrition stores and select pharmacies. A prescription is not required.
Interested in learning more about Arnica and in possibly giving it a try? Then stayed tuned . . . The Final Sprint will feature more about Arnica later this month, including reviews of Boiron’s Arnica Gel and Boiron’s Sportenine Arnica Tablets.
Sources: [Healthy Way Magazine], [Herbmed.org], [NCBI-1], [NCBI-2], [Wikipedia], [Nutritional Herbal Supplements], [Homeopathic], [Running Times], [Boiron], [Botanical], [Health Library]
***Note: We encourage EVERYONE to see a doctor before altering their diet, taking a supplement and/or performing athletic, fitness or other strenuous physical activity. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any information, instruction, opinion or advice contained in the content. Please also see our complete disclaimer.***
Tags: Advil, arnica, boiron, herbal supplements, homeopathic sports medicine, ibuprofen, injury prevention, muscle soreness, pain, treatment, tylenol
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