Arnica montana. Leopard’s-bane. Fallkraut. *N. O. Compositae. Tincture of whole fresh plant. Tincture of root.
Clinical
*Abscess. *Apoplexy. *Back, *pains *in. Baldness, Bed-sores. *Black-eye. *Boils. *Brain, *affections *of. *Breath, *fetid. Bronchitis. *Bruises. *Carbuncle. *Chest, *affections *of. Chorea. Corns. *Cramp. *Diabetes. Diarrhoea. Dysentery. *Ecchymosis. Excoriations. *Exhaustion. *Eyes, *affections *of. *Feet, *sore. *Haematemesis, *Haematuria. Headache. *Heart, *affections of. *Impotence. *Labour. *Lumbago. *Meningitis. Mental alienation. *Miscarriage. *Nipples, *sore. *Nose, *affections of. *Paralysis. *Pelvic *haematocele. *Pleurodynia. *Purpura. *Pyaemia. *Rheumatism. Splenalgia. *Sprain. *Stings. *Suppuration. *Taste, *disorders *of. *Thirst. *Traumatic *fever. Tumors. *Voice, *affections *of. *Whooping-cough. *Wounds. *Yawning.
Characteristics
Growing on the mountains, *Arnica may be said to possess a native affinity to the effects of falls. As its German name, Fallkraut, attests, its value as a vulnerary has been known from remote times. It may be said to be *the traumatic *par *excellence. Trauma in all its varieties and effects, recent and remote, is met by *Arnica as by no other single drug, and the provings bring out the appropriateness of the remedy in the symptoms it causes. Tumors in many parts, following injury, have been cured by *Arnica, including scirrhous tumors of the breast. Nervous affections as chorea after falls. It is suited to plethoric red-faced persons, “*Arnica is particularly adapted to sanguine, plethoric persons, with lively complexions and disposed to cerebral congestion. It acts but feebly on persons who are positively debilitated, with impoverished blood and soft flesh. This may be the reason why it is eaten with impunity by herbivorous animals as Linneus remarks” (Teste). It is suited to persons who are extremely sensitive to mechanical injuries, and who feel the effects of them long after, persons easily made train-sick or sea-sick. Patients complain that the bed is hard no matter how soft it may be. *Arnica corresponds to the effects of violent cough or sneezing, the child cries before cough comes on (or with the cough) in whooping-cough. Chronic bronchitis when patients have bruised, weak aching in the chest, or great sensitiveness of the chest on exertion, or walking. Allied to wounds are Haemorrhages, and *Arnica causes and cures Haemorrhages of many kinds: dilatation and rupture of small blood-vessels. Vomiting, coughing, purging, accompanied by streaks of blood in ejecta, extravasation of blood into the conjunctiva as in whooping-cough. Haemorrhages into the tissues of internal organs or the skin. An odd symptom of *Arnica is “coldness of the nose.” A case of facial (left) neuralgia, face swollen, dark red, very painful to touch, was cured with *Arnica *(radix), the guiding symptom being “cold nose.” Patient had bitter taste, was very excitable, and worse at night. Ussher notes that the local use of *Arnica produced an extraordinary growth of hair on a limb. This suggested the use of an oil mixed with *Arnica Ix in a case of baldness, which was followed with marked success. *Arnica affects the left upper extremity and the right chest.There is a putridity in connection with *Arnica excretions, as with *Baptis., which it resembles in typhoid conditions: putrid breath, fetid sweat. With *Arnica there is apt to be incessant passing of stool and urine in these states. Nash gives the following as “leaders”: “Stupor, with involuntary discharge of faeces and urine.” “Fears being touched or struck by those coming near him.” “Putrid smell from mouth.” “Bruised, sore feeling in uterine region, cannot walk erect.” “While answering falls into a deep stupor before finishing.” “Head alone, or face alone, hot, rest of body cool.” “Many small boils, painful, one after another, extremely sore.” “Suddenness” is a feature of *Arnica pains and action. P. P. Wells relates a cure of double pleuro-pneumonia in a child with sudden stabbing pains on both sides of the chest almost preventing breathing. *Arnica *instantly caused a violent aggravation, the next instant relief was perfect, and the child fell asleep breathing naturally. I once ran a piece of wire into the tip of one of my fingers, causing paralysing pain. I applied *Arnica, Ix at once, and the pain was better instantly-seeming to be wiped out from the point of injury up the arm. There is worse in damp, cold weather with *Arnica, which is included by Grauvogl among the remedies suited to the hydrogenoid constitution (compare *Baryta*c.). Motion and exertion worse. (Bruised, aching sensation in chest on walking.) Better Lying down, and lying with head low, but worse lying on left side.
*Arnica should not be used externally where there is broken skin. For torn and lacerated wounds *Calendula must be used locally.
Relations.
Teste takes Arnica as the type of his first group, which includes Ledum, Crot-t., Ferrum magnet., Rhus t., Spigelia *Compare: Abrotanum, Absinth., Calen., Chamomilla, Cina, Gnaph., and other Compositae. *Complementary: Aconite *Similar *to: Aconite, Am. C., Croton (swashing in abdomen), Arsenicum, Baptisia (typhoid states_ Baptisia “feels ill,” Arnica “feels well,” resents being thought ill), Belladonna, Bryonia, Chamomilla, China, Euphr., Calen., Hepar, Hypericum, Hamamelis, Ip., Ledum, Mercurius, Pulsatilla, Ran-s., Rhododendron, Ruta., Staphysagria, Silicea, Symphytum, Sulphur, Sul-ac., Veratrum *Follows *well: Aconite, Ip., Veratrum, Apis. *Followed *well *by: Aconite, Arsenicum, Bryonia, Ip., Rhus-t. *Action *aided *by: Arsenicum (dysentery and varicose veins). *Injurious *in: Bites of dogs or rabid or angry animals. *Antidote *to: Am-c., China, Cicuta, Ferrum, Ignatia, Ip., Seneg. *Antidoted *by: Camph., Ip. (to massive doses), Coffee (headache), Aconite, Arsenicum, China, Ignatia, Ip. (to potencies). Wine increases unpleasant effect of Arnica.
Causation
Mechanical injuries. Fright or anger. Excessive venery (vaginitis in the female, impotence in the male).
Mind
Hypochondriacal anxiety with fear of dying and disagreeable temper. Declines to answer any questions. Great agitation and anguish, with groans. Unfitness for exertion, and indifference to business. Apprehension and despair. Over-excitement and excessive moral sensibility. Great sensitiveness of the mind with anxiety and restlessness. Tendency to be frightened. Quarrelsome. Combative, quarrelsome humour. Tears. Shedding of tears and exclamations of rage. Opinionated. Foolish gaiety, levity, and mischievousness. Absence of ideas. Depression of spirits and absence of mind. Says there is nothing the matter with him (in typhoid fever, etc.). Abstraction and musing. Unconsciousness (like fainting after mechanical injuries). Delirium.
Head
Whirling giddiness with obscuration of the eyes, chiefly on getting up after sleeping, on moving the head, or in walking. Giddiness, with nausea, when moving and rising, better when lying. Vertigo when shutting eyes. Pressive pains in the head, principally in the forehead. Cramp-like compression in the forehead as if the brain were contracted into a hard mass, chiefly when near the fire. Pain, as if a nail were driven into the brain. Darting, pulling, and shooting in the head, principally in the temples. Incisive pain across the head. Cutting through the head, as with a knife, followed by a sensation of coldness. Stitches in the head, especially in the temples and forehead. Effects from concussion on the brain. Pain in the head over one eye, with greenish vomiting (after a strain of the back). Heat and burning in the head, with absence of heat from the body. Burning and heat in the head, the rest of the body is cool (night and morning, worse from motion, better when at rest). Heaviness and weakness of the head. Pains in the head, brought on, or aggravated by walking, ascending, meditating, and reading, as well as after a meal. Tingling at the top of the head. Immobility of the scalp.
Eyes
Pain, like excoriation, in the eyes and in the eyelids, with difficulty in moving them. Red, inflamed eyes. Inflammation of the eyes with suggillation after mechanical injuries. Burning in the eyes, and flowing of burning tears.- Eyelids swollen, and with ecchymosis. Pupils contracted. Eyes dull, cloudy, and downcast. Eyes prominent, or half open. Fixed, anxious look. Obscuration of vision.
Ears
Pain, as of contusion in the ears. Acute pulling in the ears. Shootings in and behind the ears. Hardness of hearing, and buzzing before the ears, from blows. Blood from ears.
Nose
Pain, as of contusion in the nose. Tingling in the nose. Nose swollen, with ecchymosis. Nasal Haemorrhage. Ulcerated nostrils. Coryza, with burning in the nose. Cold nose (*A.*radix).
Face
Face pale and hollow, or yellow and bloated Heat in the face
without heat in the body. Hard swelling, shining redness and heat in one cheek, with throbbing pain. Puffing of cheeks on breathing. Tingling around the eyes, in the cheeks, and in the lips. Pustulous eruption on the face, chiefly round the eyes. Dryness, burning heat, swelling, and fissures in the lips. Ulceration of the corners of the mouth. Paralysis of the lower jaw. Painful swelling of the submaxillary glands, and of those of the neck. Trismus, with the mouth closed.
