Arnica bath soak - does it work?

I only really wanted the jasmine items from the recent SBC TSV & was going to flog the arnica bath soak & arnica gel on eBay but I'm now wondering if the bath soak would be worth keeping?
My feet really hurt today & I'm limping quite badly, so I'm tempted to try it but is it actually any good? I know I could send it back but I've already fallen in love with the jasmine items & don't really want to give those up! lol
(Foot problems are chronic tendon trouble/rheumatism/arthritis, if that helps?)

I am guessing that the soak might not be strong enough. When I had bad problems with my joints and particularly my feet, I soaked them in hot water and epsom salts and it helped. Two products I can recommend is Neal's Yard Seaweed and Arnica bath and the Bioforce arnica gel.:64:

Thanks for the tip Vampyre - I did think that might be the case!
I know it sounds mean but I didn't want to 'waste' the bath soak by trying it (& thus rendering it unsaleable! lol), only to find it wasn't going to help!

I know I don't want the gel as despite what SBC lady said, my googling efforts suggested it is not suitable for long-term use for chronic pain, though I forget why now.....? Err.....nope, it's gone! :30:

I'll go & sit in an Elemis bath instead then, not potent enough for my feet but I think it does help my back feel better & the smell (the Aching Muscle one) is quite strong & I personally love it! Best of all, rest of family hate it (they think it stinks!), so they leave it alone! Yay!

I'm probably one of the worst cynics ever but I have to admit that when I've ached after gardening etc - the arnica bath soak does seem to help. Maybe it's all in the mind but I do feel better afterwards for some reason. I don't suppose it would do much for more painful or long term conditions though.

As an Arthritis sufferer..it does absolutely nothing for me!

Arnica does not seem to work for everyone but for my thumb, middle finger and wrist tendon problems, as well as my bashed about foot (I know I sound like I'm falling apart!) Arnica gel works wonders!

aragorn0130 said:

Maybe it's all in the mind but I do feel better afterwards for some reason.

Click to expand...

I'm sure that's part of it with the Elemis Aching Muscle bath soak Aragorn!
It smells quite strong & the smell lasts & so I tend to really 'sink down into' a bath of it, so I expect it's partly the actual physical relaxation that helps my back feel better! (That's more muscular though, whereas feet are tendon & joint things!)
I'd recommend the Elemis for after a hard day's gardening activity too!

Origins do an excellent muscle soak but again it don't smell real good. Also a matching gel. I am for many reasons into folksy cupboard remedies like bread soda, epsom salts, ginger etc but unfortunately a lot of conditions need the heavy artillery. :64:

Nicky-j said:

Arnica does not seem to work for everyone but for my thumb, middle finger and wrist tendon problems, as well as my bashed about foot (I know I sound like I'm falling apart!) Arnica gel works wonders!

Click to expand...

I was really looking forward to trying it & then I began to waver as I tend to build up my hopes on things & then get really disappointed when they don't do anything!
Now I can't even find the beastly site that said about not using arnica gel long-term either & can only find those that say you can! (Nor can I remember what it said!) Arrgghh!

vampyre said:

I am for many reasons into folksy cupboard remedies like bread soda, epsom salts, ginger etc but unfortunately a lot of conditions need the heavy artillery. :64:

Click to expand...

What on earth can you use bread soda for? *is fascinated & totally stumped, never having heard this before!*
Off to sit in bath & ponder this mystery, you better come back & tell me though......! lol

my mum loves the arnica bath soak it helps her back lovely she says

kitten_with_claws said:

What on earth can you use bread soda for? *is fascinated & totally stumped, never having heard this before!*
Off to sit in bath & ponder this mystery, you better come back & tell me though......! lol

Click to expand...

Holy cow! Bread soda/sodium bicarbonate is one of the most versatile useful substances known to humanity and I am not joking.
Reduces joint inflammation, relieves many skin conditions, bee stings, is the only disinfectant I am really happy using in the fridge and microwave, relieves throat inflammation, helps mouth ulcers, obviously can be used to relieve acid indigestion but I never do as it can have very bad consequences, deodourises shoes and feet also hands to remove spicy smells, keeps cut flowers fresh, cleans the vase they were in, cleans the bog, remove tarnish from silver, add to toothpaste.

Seriously there must be hundreds of uses between health, household and cookery. I feel like some kind of quaint little freak now instead of my usual volatile little freak self. :64:

I don't find the bath soak as effective as the arnica gel, which I swear by for general aches, knocks and bruises.

Thanks for the handy hints regarding the uses of bicarb. My Mum has always used it for cleaning the fridge, but I didn't know about most of the others.

#12 Vampyre - well fancy that! I know you can use it for cleaning purposes (I do too, along with gallons of vinegar, I love vinegar! lol) but I have honestly never heard of it being used for medicinal things like joint inflammation etc., will have to google some recipes!

Well, I tried the bath soak (couldn't resist!) & although my foot is still throbbing away painfully, (I wasn't really expecting any miracles!), I fancy my toes feel a tad less graunchy (is that even a word? lol) & my back certainly feels less stiff, so worth it for that alone, maybe? I'll take even a small amount of relief at the mo!

Anyone thinking of trying the jasmine gel though.....do! It's delightful, very cooling & leaves your skin silky soft, though I haven't been brave enough to try it on my face! (DD gets hot, dry, itchy feet & she loved this!)
The products do feel nice 'quality', I'll give them that! Still hoping to try the cucumber gel & I'd rather try the soothing leg gel with the chamomile in than break into the litre of arnica gel I think!

There's a lovely range of eco detergents over here, very simple but effective. There's vinegar in most and I still feel like going ooooh when I add the soda to give it extra kick and it fizzes up. The bathroom one has eucalyptus in it and smells lovely even with the vinegar. KWC make sure not to get vinegar on your hands, not good at all for rheumatoid conditions, though I'm sure you're well aware of that.:64:

kitten_with_claws said:

I only really wanted the jasmine items from the recent SBC TSV & was going to flog the arnica bath soak & arnica gel on eBay but I'm now wondering if the bath soak would be worth keeping?
My feet really hurt today & I'm limping quite badly, so I'm tempted to try it but is it actually any good? I know I could send it back but I've already fallen in love with the jasmine items & don't really want to give those up! lol
(Foot problems are chronic tendon trouble/rheumatism/arthritis, if that helps?)

Click to expand...

To be honest i would keep the arnica gel because the bath soak obviously dilutes so therefore less effective. Keep the arnica gel its more useful than you would think on sore legs and feet.

kitten_with_claws said:

the jasmine gel though.....do! It's delightful, very cooling

Click to expand...

That'll be the alcohol evaporating :31: That's what make all SBC gels cooling, I think. How Alison can recommend them when she hypes other ranges for not containing it...

I'd rather try the soothing leg gel with the chamomile in than break into the litre of arnica gel I think!

Click to expand...

I get "restless legs syndrome" at night I think the symptoms vary between sufferers, in my case it's a very weak, tickly sensation in the knee joints and some of the rest of the legs, I keep having to bend my knees violently to try to relieve it. Anyway, I use the Soothing Leg Gel when I can't bear it any longer, thinking "This is a waste of time, it's not going to work"... and then I realise that it does! Whether it's the massage, though

I'm dying to get the jasmine.

clemenzina

vampyre said:

There's a lovely range of eco detergents over here, very simple but effective.

Click to expand...

Define 'over here', preferably with directions! (Unless it's another dimension, in which case scrap the directions as I definitely can't walk that far - can barely make it as far as the end of the road! lol)

clemenzina said:

That'll be the alcohol evaporating :31: That's what make all SBC gels cooling, I think. How Alison can recommend them when she hypes other ranges for not containing it...

Click to expand...

Oh! *looks faintly miffed!* Ah well, never mind, smells yummy! lol

clemenzina said:

I get "restless legs syndrome" at night I think the symptoms vary between sufferers, in my case it's a very weak, tickly sensation in the knee joints and some of the rest of the legs, I keep having to bend my knees violently to try to relieve it. Anyway, I use the Soothing Leg Gel when I can't bear it any longer, thinking "This is a waste of time, it's not going to work"... and then I realise that it does!

Click to expand...

Eh what, it works on tickly, restless legs? As you get with the dreaded sciatica you mean? *tricks over own feet in mad scramble to get to the relevant QVC page to order a pallet load of the stuff!* :11:

kitten_with_claws said:

Define 'over here', preferably with directions! (Unless it's another dimension, in which case scrap the directions as I definitely can't walk that far - can barely make it as far as the end of the road! lol)

Click to expand...

That would be a ferry or plane you'd need ........that is asumming you are over here (England, Scotland or Wales) KWC.