Arnica side effects

This is a flowering plant that came from Europe but is now cultivated all over the world. Arnica is in the Sunflower family of plants. Its leaves are soft and leathery, while the roots are deep with a single stream. In the blooming season, the flower of this plant becomes huge with orange and yellow petals. Rhizomes that are formed by the roots are dark brown in color and cylindrical in shape. Other names for Arnica plant are Arnica Montana, Wolf's Bane, Mountain Tobacco, Mountain Arnica, Mountain Snuff and Wolfbane.

What is Arnica used for?

For a long period of time people have been using this plant for all sorts of things. People use it mostly to reduce swelling, pain and bruising. However, it is not uncommon for arnica to be used to slow down the bleeding, ease the skin irritations and relieve motion sickness. When people have been bitten by insects or need to promote the effectiveness of their muscles during hard work they often use Arnica plant. In addition to this, people use it to recover faster after an operation.

What are the side effects of Arnica?

Even though it is pretty much safe to use this plant there are some side effects that may occur if the person is not using the plant properly.

Topical use

People who use Arnica through topical preparation all the time for a period longer than three weeks may experience some troubles like skin irritations for instance. People need to know that they must make a week's break after they have used Arnica for two weeks constantly. If people stick to this routine there is almost no chance of getting a skin irritation. People should also remember to keep Arnica away from open wounds and eyes or mouth.

Homeopathic dose

Before using homeopathic dose of Arnica, a person should talk to the doctor. If the doctor does not say otherwise, a person should stick with the known routine of using it for two weeks and then resting one week. However, if a person is given a higher dosage than recommended, he or she may experience some side effects.Stomach discomfort, nausea, vomiting, liver and kidney damage are only some of the possible side effects. Other inconveniences include organ failure, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, eczema, irritation of the throat and even heart failure and death. These are only some of the side effects.

Drug interactions

Usage of Arnica along with some drugs like hepadrin, Plavix, Aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen can increase the risk of bleeding.

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not use Arnica because it can lead to things like premature abortion and premature labor.