A. Vogel Arnica Rub Takes Hand Pain Away

ZURICH, SwitzerlandArnica montana, in the form of a full-potency herbal, not homeopathic, product (A. Vogel Arnica Rub, from Bioforce USA) was found to be equal to ibuprofen in treating osteoporosis of the hands in a recent study (Rheumatol Int, 27:585-91, 2007). Researchers randomly assigned 204 participants from 20 clinics to receive ibuprofen gel or the arnica gel. Both treatments were given in identical amounts (4 cm strip)gently rubbed over the affected joints three times daily for three weeks; participants did not wash their hands for one hour after application. Pain intensity and hand function improved in both treatment groups; there was a 23.9 percent reduction in pain for those using ibuprofen and 26.5 percent in the arnica group. Furthermore, both treatments were well-tolerated, with 6.1 percent of the ibuprofen group and 4.8 percent of the arnica group reporting a treatment-related adverse event. The improvements seen in our study were clinically relevant, said lead researcher Jorg Melzer, M.D. This topical application of arnica gel can be regarded as a viable alternative to ibuprofen gel when treating osteoarthritis of the hand joints.