Arnica and Back Pain - How This Herb Can Reduce Inflammation

For people suffering with back pain, one of their main concerns is reducing the inflammation and muscle spasms that accompany the discomfort and returning to a normal life. While various exercises and chiropractic adjustments can help the healing process, people are also interested in doing whatever they can to reduce the pain by taking supplements or applying a topical cream to the site of pain to reduce the inflammation. One such supplement that may help back pain sufferers is arnica, which has been found to be somewhat effective for reducing pain and soreness.

Arnica is an herb that grows in mountains and meadows in North America and Europe, and it has been used as a natural healing aid for hundreds of years. For over four hundred years, the herb has been used to treat bruising, muscle sprains and soreness, insect bites, and even swelling due to broken bones or fractures. Thus, the herb can also be used to treat back pain and soreness that is being caused by degenerative discs, strained ligaments, or muscle spasms, among other conditions that may cause injury to the tissues of the spine.

There are two ways to take arnica, and many natural food stores or vitamin and supplement shops sell both versions. First, it comes in a cream or gel that can be used topically at the site of injury, similar to many analgesic products found in pharmacies that are used to reduce pain. Second, arnica can also be taken orally as a homeopathic remedy. This means that the herb is extremely diluted to an amount that will not cause harm or injury to the body, but which may promote healing and a reduction of inflammation.

Multiple studies have been done with arnica for different types of pain. Oddly enough, some studies have shown positive effects from using the herb, while others have shown no effect in reducing pain. For instance, a 2003 study on marathon participants showed that a homeopathic remedy using arnica provided positive effects on sore muscles after running the race. Arnica may best be used when pain and bruising is present, as the studies done on muscle soreness and damage seem to indicate arnica can help reduce pain and inflammation.

Scientists believe that the substance in the herb that provides the positive effects is helenalin, which may be a powerful ant-inflammatory substance. Helenalin acts on the NF-kappa B immune chemical. This immune chemical is involved with the inflammatory response in the body, among other roles that it performs. If it is the case that arnica acts to reduce the effect of NF-kappa B, then it may very well provide an anti-inflammatory response in the body and can help those suffering from back pain and stiffness during work or other activities.

Especially interesting for people undergoing back surgery is that arnica has been found to reduce pain and swelling in people who are operated on. Studies have been done on people getting plastic surgery that show a significant reduction in swelling within eight days of taking arnica after surgery compared to a control group. For people desperate enough to seek relief from back surgery, taking an appropriate amount of arnica after the operation may lead to an improved recovery time, less pain, and a quicker return to normal movement.