Archive for the ‘Remedies’ Category

Most people know honey as just a natural substance used for adding sweetness to foods. In fact, many people use honey on a day-to-day basis but do not realise the health benefits it contains.

Honey has been used for centuries both as a food supplement and for medicinal uses. In the past it has been used to heal wounds but more recently, people have been using it to heal a variety of other ailments and conditions such as arthritis, sore throats and acne.

1. Honey and Cinnamon Powder for Arthritis

A study at the Copenhagen University found that a mixture of honey and cinnamon powder could treat people suffering from chronic arthritis. 200 people were given a daily supplement of two spoons honey and one small helping of cinnamon mixed with warm water. The results of the test were remarkable – one third of the test subjects reported a decrease in pain within 30 days and were able to walk without pain.

Both honey and cinnamon powder are natural substances which will not cause side effects and they are also readily available to purchase online and relatively inexpensive.

2. Honey for Sore Throat

Sore throats followed by the flu is a common complaint and usually the only way to treat them is to take an over the counter medicine. However, it has recently been found that honey contains the ability to kill bacteria which make it particularly useful for preventing and treating sore throat. In fact, there are many research papers which indicate that honey is successful in combating strep throat and can improve overall oral hygiene due to these antibacterial properties.

3. Honey Facemasks for Acne

Manuka honey is one of the most commonly types of honey used for skincare due to its potency and effectiveness for healing skin conditions such as eczema and acne. If you suffer from facial acne, one way to deal with it is to apply honey to your face as a face mask by spreading a thin layer onto your face and then wiping it off after 15 minutes. People who have adopted this regimen twice a week have reported a noticeable decrease in acne and a brighter complexion.

One of the main advantages of using honey is that it is a natural substance so there a no side effects – unlike other remedies. The use of honey is safe for children, adults and even pregnant women. These health benefits of honey coupled with the affordability of it make it one of the easiest ways to improve your prevent and cure health problems.

Although there are lots of quick constipation remedies out there that can effectively treat the problem, they aren’t always the best solutions. Sometimes, the best solutions are those that act slowly but surely. Here are some slow but sure ways to relieve constipation and how they are considered more effective in treating the problem than quick constipation remedies.

If you say quick constipation remedies, the first thing that would come out of your mind is an easy treatment. And along with it, you would also expect short-term effects which are true in most quick constipation remedies. Although it can provide quick results, the effects can only last for a short time and you can still get constipated later on. This is the drawback of quick constipation remedies.

But when you use slow but sure constipation treatments, you would create results that can last for a very long time. This method includes eating a balanced diet, regulating your stool excretion and taking in proper exercise. If it looks simple enough for you then that’s good but in reality it is not that simple. It is like engaging a healthy lifestyle. Keeping yourself from experiencing constipation is the whole idea of the treatment. It may take some time to adjust to a healthier lifestyle but it will pay off a lot later on.

Using quick constipation remedies is not always the key for a healthy body. You can also use slow methods like the one above to experience long term benefits. Besides, keeping a healthy lifestyle won’t just get rid of your constipation problem but it would also prevent you from experiencing other health problems.

Fast acting treatments aren’t always the solution to problems and sometimes, slow treatments are the best. If you want to know more information about toddler constipation, you can always visit the website for more details regarding the topic.

Nature has given us an abundance of available resources to help us through health problems, and this is especially true for heartburn. Antacids and special medicines like proton pump inhibitors may be necessary for controlling chronic acid reflux or gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), but sometimes natural remedies may be better in relieving pain, even for constant heartburn, and may also be more effective in keeping heartburn from happening again.

Baking soda / chalk
Baking soda is one of the most renowned natural heartburn home remedies, but chalk? In fact, both baking soda and chalk are composed of calcium carbonate, and back in ancient times, people actually used to nibble on chalk when they are experiencing heartburn. Baking soda is mixed with water and then sipped, for this can relieve heartburn in some, but for others the fizzy reaction may only aggravate heartburn.

Gum
Pop a gum, chew away to your heart’s content, and presto, your heartburn may just disappear on its own. Well, not really, since the relief actually lies in the extra saliva you naturally produce when chewing gum, and as you swallow the saliva, its moisturizing enzymes soothe your esophagus from the burning of the stomach acids, thereby getting rid of heartburn. However, beware of the popular mint-flavored chewing gums, for peppermint and mint can both trigger heartburn since the menthol taste can react with the stomach acids. Reach for sugar-free gum instead, especially those free from aspartame so you get the most benefits without any heartburn and health risks.

Apple cider vinegar
Don’t have gum in the house and unsure of whether you want to risk worsening your heartburn with baking soda? Use some apple cider vinegar instead. Simply add a couple of tablespoons to a cup of water and drink this solution down. You can also add honey for a bit of sweetness and to tone down the taste of the vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is one of the most ancient and effective heartburn remedies, and other apple cider vinegar health benefits you can get from regularly taking a little ACV everyday is a faster metabolism and clearer skin.

For lifestyle practices you can start doing, eating smaller meals can be a big help, since a stomach that gets too full will make it more likely for the acids to rise up to the esophagus and cause the pain of heartburn. Losing extra weight through exercise can also be beneficial for heartburn occurs more among overweight people, and exercise can also lower stress levels that can trigger heartburn.

Herbal remedies have been used by many over the years and even in ancient times. In the past, it is their primary cure for sickness and diseases. Today, the knowledge of using herbal remedies is still being practiced by many. It is because of its proven effectiveness and cheap price. As of gout problems, herbal remedies for gout are also effective. Among the line of treatments for gout, herbal remedies are those that can be found at the top of the list.

There may be no actual cure for gout, but herbal remedies are doing its best to control and prevent the occurrence of gout problems. Some examples of herbal remedies for gout are alfalfa and bilberry extract. Alfalfa is a very good source of variety of minerals and nutrients. The minerals are proven to be effective in lowering the amount of uric acid in the body. Bilberry extracts on the other hand is a very good antioxidant that can help reduce the inflammation of gout.

Other more herbal remedies for gout are cayenne powder and wintergreen oil paste. Just apply it to the affected area and wait some time for it to take effect. After some time, you will notice a slight stinging sensation but it will be gone eventually. It only means that the remedy is working. Other than making a paste, there are also cayenne powder and wintergreen oil paste in capsule form. Taking in such herbal medications also has the same effect as applying it topically.

There are also herbal supplements today made from different types of herbs and plants. Most of herbal supplements are good for treating gout problems. Supplements with Devil’s claw and Yucca are very effective in treating inflammation and redness. There are also herbal remedies for gout that focuses on alleviating the pain like Juniper, Birch and Hyssop.

Resorting to herbal remedies doesn’t mean being cheap. Sometimes, remedies like these are more effective than those expensive gout treatments. If you want to know more about other treatment for gout, you can always log on to the website for further information.

When we say “sleeplessness”, we mean actual insomnia. When we say insomnia, we actually mean primary insomnia. So let’s back up a bit and explain all this.

Primary insomnia or sleeplessness is what you’re left with when there is no other medical issue or substance causing your lack of sleep (which would be co-morbid or secondary insomnia). This takes some thinking, as some extraordinary things can actually cause the insomnia:

Medical issues like chronic pain, restless leg syndrome, arthritis or sleep apnea could all be keeping you from getting a good night’s sleep.

Medicines, drugs (legal and illegal), and other substances could be causing the problem. Is there insomnia reported for one of your medications? Did you know that smoking marijuana can effect sleep in a bad way for some people? How about coffee, alcohol, cigarettes?

Once these other issues have been addressed and (hopefully) eliminated, then we can get to some simple home remedies for sleep.

Sleep Remedies You Can Do Tonight

The very first thing we need to talk about is basic sleep hygiene. There are a few simple things that you can do tonight that could improve your sleep.

• Make sure that your room is dark, cool, and quiet. Turn that nasty alarm clock display away from you bed – otherwise it generates too much light, and you’ll stare at the time all night.
• Use the bed only for sleep and for sex. Don’t watch TV or read in bed – we need to associate bed with sleep in your brain.
• Exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. It doesn’t have to be vigorous, but a quick-paced walk is a very good start.
• Eliminate your time in front of a screen (TV, computer, smart phone) for at least an hour before you go to bed.
• Take a power nap in the afternoon if you can. Make it about 20 minutes max.
• Get sunlight in the morning. Sunlight is between 10,000 and 130,000 LUX. Your office is likely about 100 LUX. Sunlight is important. It tells the brain that it’s “morning time”.
• Establish a ritual at night. Turn the lights down, have a hot bath, have a light snack, get into your PJ’s at a particular time. All of these things help to establish a “pre-sleep” habit with your brain.
• Wake up at the same time every day. Make it earlier, rather than later (say, 7am). Wake up at this same time on weekends too!

Now it’s important to note that these need to become habits, not “I’ll try it for one night and if it doesn’t work I’ll toss it”. You may need to try several in combination. Experiment with these basic steps, and chances are you’ve successfully tackled your insomnia without any outside help at all.

Posted by Doug at BuildBetterSleep.com

Earache, medically referred to as otalgia, is a dull, sharp, or burning painful sensation felt in the ears. It is categorized into two types: primary otalgia and secondary otalgia. Primary otalgia is earache which is caused by problems within the ears. Meanwhile, secondary otalgia or referred otalgia is pain which comes from structures outside the ears. The manner of how to get rid of earache is usually dependent on the type and cause of the earache.

Primary earache can be caused by the build-up of moisture inside the ear canal, also known as swimmer’s ear. This usually happens during hot and humid weather or after swimming or bathing. Earache of this cause usually occurs in children. A scrape or injury to the membranes of the ear canal can also cause this type of earache. Pain from swimmer’s ear and minor scrapes usually go away without any medical intervention. Just ensure that the ear is kept clean so as to avoid complications such as infection.

Earache can also be caused by infection or inflammation of the structures of the ear. One such condition is otitis media or infection of the middle ear. Otitis media is caused by either viral or bacterial invasion of the middle ear. Myringitis or ear drum inflammation can also cause earache. It can be caused by either infection or injury to the ear drum. Pain from infection of the inside structures of the ear often comes with other symptoms such as fluid leaking down from the ear and fever. In order to get rid of earache of this nature, the infection must first be treated. Oral antibiotics or drops are usually given. If the pain is intolerable, pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medications might also be administered.

Secondary earache, meanwhile, comes from other sources aside from the ear. Sinus infection, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, temporomandibular joint syndrome, and tooth infection are just some of the causes of secondary earache. Referred earache might also be caused by serious health conditions such as cancer of the oropharynx. To be able to get rid of earache of this type, treatment of the precipitating conditions must be done.

There are home remedies which can help get rid of earache. Warm compress can help relieve pain. Chewing gum can also be helpful, particularly if the pain is caused by fluid build-up. The action of chewing and swallowing helps drain the fluid.

An earache usually goes away after a few hours even without intervention. However, if infection or serious ear injury is suspected, it is best to consult a physician. A physician will not only help get rid of earache; he will also take measures to avoid serious complications such as deafness.

Snoring has been around perhaps since the wake of humanity in this planet.  It is a common problem people have when sleeping, that ends up affecting not only the snorer, but also anybody sleeping next to him/her.

There are some good snoring solutions in the market aimed at reducing or eliminating snoring completely.  The trick for finding a working solution lies in getting to know the cause. Sleeping can appear as a result of different factors such as your fat levels, your sleeping position, and can even be  a sign of obstructive sleep apnea, a very serious medical condition that needs specialized treatment.

Here I want to share with you 4 of the best snoring solutions currently available to us. No solution here is meant to work as a universal cure, each one of them tackles a different snoring cause. They are among the top options in snoring solutions reviews.

Sleep posture correctors. Sleeping on the back is a common cause of snoring.  There are products such as anti snore pillows that are encourage you to sleep on your stomach or on your sides.  Other pillows even allow you to rest on your back, but positioning your head and neck in such a way that the air passage remains clear.

Mouth devices. Devices to help you keep the jaw in place and force you to breathe through the mouth have been used for success for many years.  These devices include the snoring chin strap and the anti snore mouthpiece. This one needs to be custom-made by a dentist.

Nasal passage aids. These are simple aids that will help you breathe better during your sleep.  The most popular of these aids is the breathe-right strips, like the ones used by athletes that lift your nose, allowing more air to flow.

Oral medications. Recently people have started using some sprays for snoring and they seem to work when the snoring is linked to nasal congestion. The clear the air passage allowing to breathe freely.

Black tea is reported to be one of the most consumed teas in the western world, if not the entire world.  It has a darker color and a stronger taste.  Black tea is given more time to oxidize, which gives it its darker colors and slightly different properties as compared to green tea.  Along with its different appearance and taste you must take it one step further and do some research on the black tea benefits.

While the benefits of black tea aren’t as heavily researched as the other forms of tea, the fact that it is one of the most consumed forms of tea tells me that its benefits may very well be providing better effects that last in the long-run.  This isn’t to say that you should only be drinking black tea, but that you should understand that it is very possible that its long standing history could have very important clues to its benefits even though it isn’t given as much attention as compared to green and oolong tea.

Black tea does have many similar benefits to green tea and oolong tea.  Since black tea comes from the same plant as green and oolong tea, I like to think that each of these forms of tea have similar benefits.

In no specific order, the black tea benefits include:

• Decreased risk of stroke
• Reduction in “bad” cholesterol
• Increased functioning of blood vessels
• Lower risk of coronary heart disease
• Lower risk of cardiovascular disease
• Reduced risk of cancer
• Increased immune function
• Reduced inflammation
• Decreased risk of diabetes
• Reduced stress
• Reduced iron absorption to help people who suffer from hemochromatosis*

*Hemochromatosis causes your body to build up too much iron, which can be harmful

There are slight differences in the black tea benefits, but for the most part they are the same as green and oolong tea.

So you may be thinking, “well, which tea should I drink?”

Unless there is a specific benefit that you are targeting and one that is not part of the others, then you should try each and stick with the one you enjoy the most.  It really comes down to your preference.  Within each form of tea comes many varieties so you will always be trying a new flavor if you are into experiencing something new every day.  I personally like to try all of the main forms, but every day I go through my collection and try something new.  It is very rare that I drink the same flavor on back-to-back days.

And if you aren’t sure where to start, then just pick whichever one you want and then start to branch out.  In some online stores you can find sample packs so that you can still pay a low price, but try more than one flavor.

All of these benefits will help you and that is what is great about drinking tea and trying all of the different flavors.  Every time you try something new you are reaping the health benefits.  If you continue to drink tea every day or for the majority of your week you will become healthier because of it.

If you are interested in the other benefits of tea, please visit Tea on Earth!

If you are constipated, you know just how uncomfortable it can be. You feel bloated, you have abdominal cramps and you will have a feeling of overall discontent. It is a most uncomfortable feeling. The reason’s a person gets constipated can be anything from medications to poor diet. You will need to know some natural remedies for constipation if you want to feel better.

You are said to be chronically constipated if you are having less that 3 bowel movements per week. If you have been constipated for a long period of time, you may have a principal medical problem that is causing it. Or you may be suffering from a side effect of a medication. You should seek the advice of your doctor in to determine if there is an issue that needs to be attended to, or if you need a prescription to cure your constipation.

If your constipation is not related to a medic al problem, then look to your diet. Your body is made up mostly of water. If you are not drinking enough water, you may become constipated. The excess water sticks to the intestine walls to be mixed with the waste as it goes through the bowel, when you drink the daily allowance of water. This makes the stool flexible and soft to make it easier to pass. You will not have to strain to evacuate. Another home constipation remedy is eating properly. If you eat the recommended daily allowance of fruits and vegetables that are rich in fiber, you will ward off constipation as well.

To find the best constipation remedies for you, you must determine the cause of the constipation in the first place. If you have an underlying medical condition, see your doctor. If not and your diet is the reason, all you need to do is eat properly to reverse the effects that constipation is having on your body.

Gout is an inflammatory disease that affects the joints especially the big toe. The cause of gout is the excess production of uric acid which is normally produced in the body as cells are broken down. Some people who suffer from gout have been found to produce too much uric acid and are known as over producers forming about 10% of all gout patients while the rest do not effectively remove the uric acid which is produced in the body. Uric acid is often flushed out of the body into the urine and this people are known as under-excreters.

Although the big toe is the most commonly affected, gout can attack other joints such as fingers, elbows and knees and gout symptoms include sudden sharp pains in the affected area followed by inflammation and redness. Gout attacks can be sudden and can last for as little as a few hours to a week. Patients will often suffer painful episodes which might not recur for a long time or might be frequent.

More men than women are affected by the disease and it tend to affect men much earlier between the ages of 40-50 while women will only have the disease after menopause. Gout causes include gender, genes, and nutrition. It is not a contagious disease and it is often inherited in the genes. Your diet plays a key role in causing it as does obesity as those who are obese are more likely to have it.

Gout treatment is not specific and doctors will often combine diet and medication to treat it. There are several medications that are available on the market and this are used to bring down the swelling and to remove the pain.
There are several foods that are known to increase the production of uric acid and they include, red meat, alcohol, oily fish, yeast products and internal products all help to increase the chances of getting gout.

You should limit the amount you take of these products and know that if one of your parents had gout you are 20% more likely to get it. Gout remedy will involve having a diet that removes red meat, alcohol, and those products that increase one’s chances of getting it. You also need to exercise and drink more fluids. Research shows that British people are 5 times more likely to suffer from gout.

Cough is the way we clear our airway passage from secretions, foreign particles, and microbes.

A cough can be wet or dry. A dry cough is unpleasant, annoying and it does not allow any mucus to come out.

Dry cough normally starts in the throat area and this may be a sign of infection. Dry cough can be caused by bronchitis, asthma, flu due to influenza virus. Dry cough is painful since your throat is irritated and sore; so what you can do to sooth your throat?
Here are some home remedies for cough that might help:

• Honey is the best remedy to soothe sore throat and relief dry cough. You can take a teaspoon of honey few times a day or at night if needed.
• Make a good size cup of tea or just warm water with a slice of lemon and a teaspoon of honey and drink a few times a day. Honey reduces nighttime coughing and improves sleep.

Asthma is a condition causes dry cough and wheezing so the best way to get relief is a hot shower; as hot you can stand it for at least 10 minutes. The steam you inhale helps hydrate your throat and stop the cough. Steam has an anti inflammatory action on the airways and it is a good therapy for dry cough.

The same anti-inflammatory benefit has the apple cider vinegar. Just mix a few table spoons in a glass of water and drink slowly. Vinegar helps by reducing the inflammation in your upper respiratory tract.

Ginger is a very good remedy for cough. Peel a small piece and chew slowly on it. It helps reducing your dry cough.

All natural remedies are good but do not forget to keep yourself well hydrated, drink plenty of water. Do not forget to have enough rest to help the healing process.

So much has been written about aloe vera and almost of them are exalting all the good things which people can get from it. Although aloe vera is relatively good for everyone, there is still not enough study about how it can affect children. Are there health benefits of aloe vera for children? Or is it only ok to use aloe vera for adults?

Although aloe vera is one of the best herbal medicines for various health problems today, it can also cause allergies when not prepared properly. This is why it is very important for you to look closely at the aloe vera product you are buying. It may give you more harm than good. It is best that you get proper information before you buy any aloe vera health product. This is a very good way of making sure that you get all aloe drink benefits.

Children who are between 5 and 12 years old will be able to consume aloe vera safely. They will not have any side effects from aloe vera. Children between these ages will be able to consume aloe vera juice with water and sugar. If they do not like the taste much, they can take it with fruit juice. It is still best to consult your doctor first because they know your child’s medical history. Never ever make the mistake of giving your child aloe vera without the supervision of a child specialist.

Your child can get a lot of benefits from aloe vera so if your child’s pediatrician tells you that it is safe to give your children aloe vera, you should include it in their diet. Just make sure that you follow the doctor’s instructions to the letter. Do not make any changes to the amount of aloe vera your child can drink or else you will have problems.

ADOPT GOOD SLEEPING HABITS.  This implies that there are no more afternoon siestas, no retiring to bed unless tired and no lying in at the weekends. Once in bed you should do nothing else except sleep. This includes watching TV or reading. Never ignore the power of a good sleeping habit. It is surprising how insomniacs refrain from practicing these simple rules arguing that their problem is too severe to be cured by these simple insomnia treatment rules.

QUIT OR REDUCE TAKING SLEEPING PILLS.  If you are must take any sleeping medication, it would be wise to consult your doctor about dose reduction or cessation altogether. Apart from the physical side effects of sleeping pills they also give you a negative attitude towards sleep. This in turn makes it hard for you to trust your own capacity to fall asleep at night. How can you have faith in yourself when you have a pill to make you sleep? However, under no circumstance you should cease to take medication without consulting your doctor. It can be risky to suddenly cease to use sleeping pills.

AVOID WAITING FOR MIRACLES. There is no miracle for insomnia treatment and someone claiming to heal chronic insomnia in a moment or overnight is a swindler. Don’t waste your time and resources on such things. Chronic insomnia can be cured through steady process of refining your point of view, practices and manners.

BE POSITIVE. This is in fact the most powerful action to have a cure for insomnia. Every time you complain and murmur about your problem to friends, family or therapist you fortify the notion that you cannot sleep and it turns out to be a self-realized prophecy. I am quite aware that this is easier said than done especially when you are in the mid a severe fit of insomnia. On the contrary focus on what is good about your sleep even though it seem like a bit awkward when starting. Through experience I know this is the best way to insomnia treatment.

Because the yeast that triggers thrush (Candida Albicans) appears to live naturally in the body of healthy people, it seems that thrush is not really a yeast problem at all but rather a problem with the bodies natural defenses. More specifically, the bodies checks and balances are out of balance and the candida population explodes because the bacteria that keep it in check and the bodies other natural defenses are not doing their jobs.

It is fairly easy to get the bodies defenses out of whack. The friendly bacteria that thrive on the yeast can be killed by taking antibiotics, steroids, and birth control pills. They can also be destroyed by experiencing extreme stress, and any recurring or prolonged illness. These things cause a chemical disruption in the digestive tract and the result is a huge die-off of the beneficial bacteria. The candida starts to multiply rapidly and winds up turning into a parasitic fungus instead of a meal for your beneficial bacteria. Left unconstrained, the fungus can move through the intestinal walls, into the bloodstream, and then spread to the rest of the body. Cravings for the sweet foods that feed it, drowsiness, and the dreaded ‘brain fog’ appear.

The key to getting the yeast crisis under check is getting the bodies natural defenses back to normal. A holistic methodology that treats the whole body rather than just the symptoms is the approach to adopt. Luckily, that means that Home Remedies For Thrush are among the most effective remedies for thrush.

One of the first things that you should do is stop nourishing the yeast. Those appetites that you get for sugary, yeasty, and dairy foods are the candida taking control of your cravings to keep it fed with the food it loves.  Not only should you exclude sugar from your diet, but you should also avoid all refined carbohydrates such as white flour, white rice, and pasta. Fresh fruit should be kept to only one serving a day and all juices and sodas should be done away with. The diet that works best at controlling the yeast infection is a low carbohydrate diet comparable to the Atkin’s diet. You should stick with this diet for a few of months to get the maximum effect.

Another option to help control the yeast is consuming extra virgin coconut oil. The taking of coconut oil works well because the oil is predominately made of Medium Chain Triglycerides. MCT oil penetrates cell walls easily and in the case of beneficial cells gives them a near perfect fuel. The oil also penetrates the cell wall of non-beneficial cells (yeast,bacteria) but with these the cell wall is weakened and the cell ruptures. White blood cells then sweep in to clean up the mess. All you need to do is take two to three tablespoons of coconut a day to exterminate the internal candida. To exterminate any oral thrush just swish a tablespoon of the coconut oil in your mouth for a minute before you spit it out. This should be done regularly throughout the day.

Coconut oil should only be added to your diet after you have adopted a yeast-fighting diet. It is important to begin taking the coconut oil slowly so that the yeast doesn’t die off to quickly…otherwise you will get some flu-like symptoms from the die-off. The die-off of the yeast causes these symptoms because the dead yeast release many toxins into the bloodstream. One of the side effects is diarrhea.

Because candida strains continue to evolve and are becoming increasingly resistant to anti-fungal drugs, coconut oil is considered to be a safe remedy. When choosing the coconut oil for purchase, buy the extra virgin or virgin kind.

Doing these things will begin your recovery from your Candida infection. It can be a time-consuming, tough journey though, and I suggest that you equip yourself with plenty of knowledge about your infection. Doing so and following through with this plan should help you beat the infection.

If your yeast infection is very persistent then I suggest you get a copy of Linda Allen’s ”Yeast Infection No More”. This digital book will arm you with all the knowledge that you need to eradicate yeast infection out of your families lives for good. To see if her book is for you, I suggest you first read this Yeast Infection No More Review.

Arnica cream is a topical (used on the skin) that is typically made from arnica montana because it contains helenalin and thymol derivatives, important ingredients in anti-inflammatory preparations. Arnica creams are generally prepared using the mother tincture rather than a dilution, because of this they contain measurable quantities of these and other medicinally active substances.
Of the medicinally active substances contained in arnica, helenalin and thymol appear to be the most important components of the anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain relieving) properties the plant and it’s preparations are known for. Helenalin and thymol go about getting their results in very different ways however. Helenalin appears to actually inhibit the immune systems ability to produce the inflammatory response. Thymol derivatives on the other hand have been shown to dilate the subcutaneous vasculature and therefore aid in the movement of fluid and blood thus producing an anti-inflammatory effect. It should be noted that those taking blood thinning medications should not use arnica montana bruise cream. Also arnica creams should not be used on open wounds as it can cause serious side effects. Because both of the aforementioned components actions are anti-inflammatory in nature they are believed to net a slight analgesic effect. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of arnica cream make it perfect for a variety of uses.

Modern uses of arnica cream are indeed widely varied, with products ranging from arnica eye cream, used frequently to help smooth crows feet and dark circles under the eyes. Arnica montana bruise cream is a popular preparation used by many pro athletes. Massage therapists also frequently use it in back pain treatments. It may also be used on a variety of other conditions as well, such as, sprains, muscle aches, wound healing, acne, inflammation from insect bites, swelling, rheumatic pain and superficial phlebitis. It is even believed to relieve hot tired swollen feet! Along with all of this there are also a wide range of homeopathic uses for arnica in the form of tablets and injections for internal use. Arnica is truly an amazing plant.