Oh my aching bones…

So we’re traveling in Africa and my husband bangs up his knee and his shin.

“Oh my aching bones…” he wails.

“Here goes our trip,” I thought to myself. “There’s no way we can continue with one of us limping and moaning.”

Enter ARNICA the hero.

On the banks of the Zambezi River, a fellow traveler noted Richard’s gimp and offered to lend her tube of Arnica creme. Neither one of us had heard of it, but at this point we were willing to try anything.

Even the first application made a difference and subsequent ones took care of the problem altogether.

Arnica montana is a centuries-old anti-inflamatory made from plants in the sunflower family. It is used to alleviate the pain of strains, sprains, sore muscles, achy joints, and nasty bruises. Used topically, the ointment speeds the natural healing process. My current favorite is Arnicare made by Boiron, but there are several other brands.

In addition, Arnica tablets can be taken orally to further speed the relief.

Actually, the real hero in this story is the fellow traveler who witnessed a wince and provided a remedy.

Tags: arnica montana, Arnicare, bruises, herbal medicine, homeopathic remedy, joints, muscles, ointment, sprains, staying healthy on the road, strains, travelers, vacations

Category: Dealing with Illness and Discomfort