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Arnica montana is a homeopathic medicine prepared from the plant leopard's bane, also called mountain tobacco and mountain arnica (Arnica montana, Asteraceae). It grows in Europe’s mountainous regions. Arnica montana is one of the most popular homeopathic medicines. The process of preparing the homeopathic medicine Arnica montana involves significantly diluting its raw material, the plant Arnica montana. Learn more about the dilution process and why homeopathic medicines should not be confused with their raw materials.
Symptoms Treated
Symptoms Treated
More specifically:
Stiffness and aching from muscular overexertion or trauma, Swelling, bruising and pain from trauma or surgery
Common Products
- Boiron® (oral and topical)
- Hyland’s® (oral and topical)
- Nelsons® (topical)
- Similasan® (topical)
Dosing Information
Arnica montana may be found in products where it is the only active ingredient or in combination products containing two or more homeopathic active ingredients. Different types of medicines containing this active ingredient have different purposes and directions. That is why it is always important to read and follow the Drug Facts label. The Warning section indicates how many days of self-treatment are safe. After this time, stop use and ask a doctor if symptoms persist or worsen.
A Note to Families:
1. Scientific and medical authorities around the world recognize acetaminophen as the only analgesic considered safe for use throughout an entire pregnancy when used according to the Drug Facts label.
2. There are no studies showing that acetaminophen use in children or during pregnancy causes autism.
3. Autism has many known risk factors, including genetics, but there is no clear, single cause.
4. Major health authorities like the FDA, CDC, and healthcare organizations such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) do not have warnings against acetaminophen use during pregnancy based on any known risk of autism and all recommend acetaminophen as the safest analgesic to use during pregnancy for short-term pain relief.
Frequently Asked Questions:
In fact, the Autism Science Foundation (ASF), a non-profit organization funding scientific autism research, specifically states that: it is disingenuous and misleading to boil autism's causes down to one simple thing," as there are hundreds of genes linked to autism in addition to other complex environmental factors.
Additionally, the most recent and rigorous research on this topic does not show a causal link to autism. The 2024 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) analyzed nearly 2.5 million children using the gold-standard sibling comparison method, which controls for shared genetics and family environment, and found no association between acetaminophen use during pregnancy or infancy and neurodevelopmental issues such as autism.
- CDC Yellow Book (Current as of April 23, 2025): “Acetaminophen remains the non-opioid analgesic of choice during pregnancy.”
- FDA’s Acetaminophen Page (Current as of August 14, 2025): “To date, FDA has not found clear evidence that appropriate use of acetaminophen during pregnancy causes adverse pregnancy, birth, neurobehavioral, or developmental outcomes.”
Additionally, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Health, a professional organization for obstetricians with subspecialty training in maternal-fetal medicine, stated on September 25, 2025 that it: "...continues to advise physicians and patients that acetaminophen is an appropriate medication to treat pain and fever during pregnancy…the weight of scientific evidence that acetaminophen use during pregnancy causes an increased risk for autism or ADHD is simply inconclusive…”
Safety Guide
Safety Guide
Most over-the-counter (OTC) homeopathic ingredients are dilutions of the raw material. The level of dilution is identified on a homeopathic medicine’s Drug Facts label. The Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States (HPUS) established that OTC homeopathic medicines containing 3X and higher dilutions of Arnica montana for oral medicine and 1X and higher dilutions for topical applications are safe for adults and children. Therapeutic claims for Arnica montana are based on traditional homeopathic practice, not accepted medical evidence. Homeopathic products are not evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
For topical medicine:
- Medicines intended to be applied to the skin should not be swallowed.
- Certain products may be flammable. Keep away from open flame.
- You should never heat, microwave, or add the medicine to hot water.
- You should avoid getting the product into your eyes, nose, mouth or rectal cavity.
Ask a healthcare provider before use if:
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Do not use if:
For oral medicine:
- Do not use more than the Drug Facts label indicates unless instructed by a healthcare provider.
- You are sensitive or allergic to Arnica montana.
For topical medicine:
- Do not bandage, use a heating pad on, or expose the treated area to heat or direct sunlight.
- Do not apply the medicine to wounds, or damaged, broken, or irritated skin.
- Do not apply the medicine immediately after taking a bath or shower.
Stop use and ask a doctor if:
For oral medicine:
- Your condition gets worse or if symptoms persist for more than three days.
- You have an unexpected reaction. Get medical help right away.
- Your symptoms clear up and return within a few days.
- You develop new symptoms.
- You take too much. Immediately contact a healthcare provider or the poison control national helpline right away at 800.222.1222.
For topical medicine:
- Your condition gets worse or if symptoms persist for more than three days.
- Redness is present or irritation develops.
- A severe burning sensation occurs.
- Topical medicines are for external use only. If swallowed, immediately contact a healthcare provider or the poison control national helpline at 800.222.1222.
Resources
The Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States (HPUS) is the official guidebook that outlines standards of identity and purity that homeopathic medicines must meet. Materia Medica (or “materials of medicine”) contains information about the specific symptoms of disease and the homeopathic medicines used for their treatment.
