ARNICA MONTANA (Leopard’s bane)

     Arnica montana is a short acting homoeopathic medicine mostly useful for the treatment of any kind of injury. Arnica grow abound on the mountains of northern hemisphere. Whole plant is used for preparing medicine and it was proved by Dr. Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann MD.

         The key symptoms of Arnica montana are sore, lame and bruised feeling all over the body. This symptom is mostly found in traumatic cases, so Arnica is used for the treatment of mechanical and traumatic injury caused by blunt weapon. This symptom is also present while the patient has been suffering from any kind of disease. Arnica has great liquifying capacity. So, it is using to liquify the blood when it remains clot inside the blood vessels, such as during bruises, blows, fists, concussion etc. Arnica patients are oversensitive both physically and mentally. He cannot bear the pain even very much dread to touching the painful area. Bed feels too hard when lying down and compelled him to continuously changing position. Although, it is seemed that during suffering from a disease a patient cannot bear to move too, but Arnica patient are moving for relieving his complaint, that characterized Arnica as restless. The Arnica patients are look plethoric, the face become red and head become hot then the lower part of the body (Similar to Belladonna).

*** Injury:

Arnica come first when we thought about any kind of injury either its acute or chronic case. Usually its use for treating injury caused by blunt weapon. Like injury after blow, fall from height, contusion, concussion, mechanical and traumatic injury. (Injury from sharp cutting instrument- Staphisagria). After injury, person may feel lame, sore and bruised the affected area. Pain is so severe that he cannot bear to touch the area, even bed feels too hard due to extreme sensitiveness. The affected area looks blue and black due to extravasation of blood from capillary.

          Arnica also useful for treating eye injury caused by sudden fists or blow (Another useful remedy is Ledum). Black eye due to retinal or conjunctival haemorrhage is successfully treated with Arnica.

          Concussion of brain with formation of hematoma is also be treated with Arnica. Natrum Sulphuricum is come to the injury to the nape of the neck.

          Arnica also useful for treating after effect of previous injury even received years ago. When a patient appoints to doctor and narrating about the previous history of injury a dose of Arnica in higher potency may disclose his symptoms. After collecting his symptoms, a Homoeopathic remedy is given according to the symptom similarity may bring permanent cure.

***Skin condition: Arnica useful for treating skin problems like laceration, bruises, abrasion etc. caused by mechanical or traumatic injury when the area feel lame and sore. It also uses for treating painful boils with rapid formation of pus comes one after another.

*** Fever symptoms: Arnica treats the fever that comes after injury. It also a good remedy for typhoid fever in its first stage. Patient may go into the delirium state during fever and muttering. Sometimes, he may go into the state of unconsciousness. But, a peculiar symptom of Arnica has, when asked him any question he may replied correctly and fully and then delirium starts again. Patient feel bruised and sore all over the body as some one had beaten. Bed feels too hard while lying and changing his position continuously to find a soft area. During the state of unconscious, he evacuates stools and urine involuntarily.

          Arnica treat meningeal fever caused by concussion. During meningeal fever head feels too hot then limbs.

          Baptisia is another Homoeopathic remedy specific for the treatment of typhoid fever. It also shows the key symptoms of Arnica but differentiating by following symptoms:

·       All the discharges of the body e.g. stool, urine, sweat even breath become offensive and putrid in Baptisia, but Arnica has not.

·       Body pain is so severe that Baptisia patient feels that his body is cutting into pieces, his hands and feet are going to be double, but Arnica has not.

·       Baptisia patients are falls asleep in the middle of the talk in where Arnica answer correctly and fully and then gone into the state of unconscious.

*** Haemorrhage: Arnica is given for treating post-partum haemorrhage, haemorrhage from the head or injurious part of the body. A dose of Arnica also prevents threatened abortion caused by injury to the abdomen.

*** Appendicitis: Arnica reduce pain during Appendicitis, when given in acute stage. But in this case, medicine must be given after proper study the case with constitutional similarity.

*** Mind symptoms: Arnica patients are depressed, morose and absent minded. While questioning, he thinks that he become unable to give the answer correctly due to nervousness but while start to answering the question he completes it correctly. Arnica has great fear of disease, especially the patient who suffering long time with disease. Sudden fear of death coming at night with cardiac distress.

*** Gastro-intestinal symptoms: Arnica useful for treating bloody dysentery. After eating stomach feels bloated and belching of putrid odor. Great strain is required to evacuate the stool. Stool may mix with blood and looks brown in color. Violent tenesmus and urging after defecation.

*** Urinary symptoms: Arnica useful for the treatment of retention and incontinence of urine after labor.

*** Rheumatism: Arnica apply in ascending type of rheumatism (Ledum). Rheumatism occurs in back and limbs. Affected area feels bruised, lame and sore. Having fear of being touch or stuck, so he avoids the people who come near to him. Rheumatic pain is reduced by walking slowly.

*** Modalities: Generally, Arnica symptoms are aggravated in least touch, rest, damp weather and relived by changing position, lying down and motion.

***Compare: Arnica may compare with Rhus tox, Bryonia, Symphytum, Ruta, Hypericum in case of injury.

*** Dose: In acute condition,  Arnica used with low potency and chronic cases higher potency is effectible.

   

___Amatul Zami Aditi

Student (final year B.H.M.S.)

Govt. Homoeopathic Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh.