Arnica is a homeopathic remedy I always take with me whenever I travel; you never know when you will need it for injury of any variety. I carry a tube of the ointment form in my toiletries kit. One weekend it proved to be invaluable!

I had just gotten into bed to read before going to sleep. On the bedside table stood a tall and heavy metallic lamp. I moved the lamp to the edge of the table to provide more direct light, and lay down to read. As I was just getting into the first sentence, I was surprised with a whack on the face. At first I was shocked as to what had just happened. Then, as the fog of surprise lifted, I realized that the lamp had fallen over and landed squarely on my left cheekbone. I got up quickly and went to the mirror to see my face. A welt was quickly starting to rise. I quickly went to the freezer to get ice to manage the swelling. The ice stopped the swelling and began to reduce the size a bit. After about 20 minutes of applying ice to the area, I dried the area. Fortunately, the skin in the area was not cut or broken. I began to apply arnica ointment gently to the entire area. Every 20 minutes I applied another coating of the arnica to the area and went to sleep after about 3 applications.

When I awoke in the morning, I continued the arnica applications at least every hour. By midday, the swelling was barely noticeable and there was zero discoloration. I continued with the arnica ointment for the next few days with fewer and fewer applications each day. Within five days the slight swelling had completely gone and there was still no discoloration. Arnica had managed an injury that surely would have produced a swollen and discolored area around my eye socket that would have lingered for weeks.

Arnica helps the body to re-absorb the blood and discoloration from injuries resulting in swelling and bruising. It also helps with the emotional shock of an unexpected injury. While I knew of the tremendous value of arnica, this experience gave me a newfound appreciation for this incredible remedy. Please note that arnica ointment is not to be used on broken skin or open wounds.