Ahh. Sunday mornings. They can mean only one thing: bacon.
Okay, two things: bacon and tea
Whoops, no let's make that three things: bacon, tea, and The Archers omnibus.
So welcome to the first instalment of an occasional series (probably so occasional that this is the only one), in which I critically examine the treatment choices of the fictional residents of Ambridge.
In today's omnibus, Hell-on's child falls over. There is much hysterical panic, and much bewailing the fact that she wasn't watching him properly. Apparently its hard to look after a child and gaze lovingly off into the distance in the direction of Rob Titchener's house. Who knew.
But never fear, Hell-on's mother, Pat (who doesn't appear to have noticed that her husband has been kidnapped and replaced by an interloper), is on hand to reassure her that she has done her best with the arnica.
Arguably, I'd say arnica is one of the most accepted forms of woo in the UK. Arnica cream is a standard item in many pharmacies, and I would say that many people know that it is supposed to be useful for bruises. I wonder just how many first aid boxes have a tube of arnica languishing in them, but I reckon it is quite a few.
Its also a poster boy for the sort of confusion that reigns between the public perception of homeopathy and herbal medicine. herbal arnica cream often sits side by side homeopathic versions with no explanation of the difference.
Even Nelson's seem rather confused about which modality to use, with both herbal and homeopathic arnica sitting in their "Arnicare" range of products. I can't quite get my head around this to be honest. Imagine going into an off-license and seeing two bottles of Smirnoff, one of which contains vodka and one of which contains water, though the only difference on the label is that one says Smirnoff Vodka 30C. Hmm.
Does the distinction matter? Yes, I think it does. I think its pure, outright deception to sell a homeopathic product to someone expecting a herbal medicine. One has arnica in, one doesn't.
Anyway, all of this is by the by. Obviously there is no evidence that homeopathic arnica works for bruising. It's homeopathy. It has nothing in it.
And as for herbal arnica? there's also no evidence that it works, although there is a little bit of prior plausibility, in that some of the chemicals in the arnica plant have an anti-inflammatory and anti-platelet action. There is, however, no information on how clinically significant these actions are, and whether rubbing a bit of cream into an area would get these potentially useful chemicals to the right place in any meaningful amounts.
Let's not forget that bruises are self-limiting. They go away of their own accord (and probably at the same pace), regardless of whether or not you rub some gunk into them. herbal arnica isn't risk free: the cream can cause contact itchiness, dry skin, and rash. Orally, arnica can be pretty nasty stuff, even causing coma and death in extreme cases.
So, my evidence-based advice to Helen would be: kiss it better, and leave it be. Henry is a small child, and falling over is pretty common in that age group. Don't apply an ineffective treatment which could rarely lead to side effects, and save your money.
