Postoperative Use of Arnica

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Arnica montana, perhaps one of the best-known homeopathic remedies, is generally recommended when there has been some trauma to the body.

Arnica is often advised for reducing pain and swelling after someone has had a fall. Another occasion where it might be advised is after surgery. In a recent study, the effect of Arnica in the post-operative period was compared with a commonly used painkiller, diclofenac [an NSAID or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug].

Arnica 4X [4X denotes the dilution of Arnica, also known as D4 in Europe], was given three times a day. Diclofenac 50 mg was given three times a day. Either of these was administered to 88 people for four days after surgery for bunion removal.

The results of this study show that Arnica and diclofenac performed equally well in terms of reducing redness, swelling, and heat (all signs of inflammation) in the wound. However, those taking Arnica had better mobility, while those taking diclofenac experienced better pain control.

The Arnica gave rise to significantly fewer side effects: About 20 percent of those taking diclofenac reported intolerance to the medication, compared to just 4.5 percent taking Arnica. One other advantage of the Arnica was that it is cheaper. The authors noted that Arnica is less than half the price of diclofenac.

This study appears to show that Arnica has value as a postoperative treatment. Ideally, one might argue, that it would have been better to pit Arnica against a placebo. However, as the authors of this study point out, diclofenac has been proven to be superior to placebo for both postoperative use and for “post-traumatic swelling.”

Interestingly, the researchers of this study originally intended to compare Arnica with placebo, but this study design was refused by the ethic committee on the basis that it would be withholding a known beneficial treatment for post-operative care (diclofenac).

Bearing in mind diclofenac’s proven benefits, the results of this study do seem to support the use of Arnica in wound healing and trauma.

Editor’s note: The potency of Arnica in the study was rather low (4X). One has to wonder if the results would have been better if a higher potency, such as 30c, had been employed. Further, “side effects” of homeopathic medication often are the result of taking it too often, something not addressed at all in this study.

Reference:

Karow J-H, et al. Efficacy of Arnica Montana D4 for healing of wounds after hallux valgus [bunion] surgery compared to diclofenac. Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine 2008; 14(1): 17–25

Dr. John Briffa is a London-based physician and author with an interest in nutrition and natural medicine.
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