Weleda Arnica Massage Balm: Review

Clumsy as I am, I’ve had quite a lot of experience with arnica over the years as a natural remedy to help heal bruising. It’s invaluable for those occasions when you fall headfirst down three flights of concrete stairs in a Glasgow tenement block or topple over onto a table in a nightclub. As you do. But it has a whole host of other benefits too, from soothing aches and pains to easing cramps and muscular pain and even helping with soft tissue injuries. No surprise then that it’s often used as a sports remedy and by physiotherapists, sports injury specialists and massage therapists alike.

When I was sent this Weleda Arnica Massage Balm, it was like a gift from the gods – I’ve suffered with a stiff and painful neck for more than two months now and while it gets a bit better and then a bit worse, it never quite goes away. Remedial massage has helped to loosen up the muscles and my therapist, Javier Diaz, has been a lifesaver (if you’re in Dublin you’ll find him at SV Fitness or Samadhi Yoga Studio). On my last visit I asked Javier to use this and, combined with his expert skills, I noticed a definite improvement – it both soothed my muscles and eased the pain, and the effects lasted longer than I’ve experienced with other oils and lotions.

Not to come across like a complete physical wreck (though it’s not far from the truth!), but I’ve also used the oil to treat an old soft tissue injury in my foot. It flares up on a regular basis but massaging in a few drops has helped relieve the pain.

The Weleda Arnica range also includes an ointment (€8.95) which can help with swelling and bruising (a good one for me to have in my handbag, I think!). The balm also comes in a larger 100ml size which would be perfect for runners or other sporting types.

Have you used arnica or are you a fan of any other natural remedies?  

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