Boiron Arnica Montana Side Effects

Boiron USA makes arnica montana products that are used to treat bruises, stiffness and muscle soreness. Boiron, a French homeopathic company, was founded in 1932. The company acquired John A. Borneman & Sons, Inc., in Philadelphia during the 1980s, creating Boiron USA. Boiron makes arnica products that can be used topically as well as those for internal use. Before you use them, however, consult a doctor because you may experience side effects, including drug interactions.

Skin Irritation

If you use a topical arnica product, you may experience skin irritation or eczema, according to "The Essential Herb-Drug-Vitamin Interaction Guide," by George T. Grossberg and Barry Fox. If irritation is persistent or severe, you should seek medical attention, according to Drugs.com. You also need to avoid using arnica on broken skin due to risk of irritation, according to Armando Gonzalez Stuart, University of Texas at El Paso's herbal medicine research coordinator

Internal Use Side Effects

Utilizing an arnica product that you ingest can lead to gastrointestinal effects like diarrhea, advise Grossberg and Fox. Other side effects can include stomach pain, tremor or dizziness. Oral use should be supervised by a doctor because arnica is potentially toxic, according to Stuart.

If you suffer a gastrointestinal ailment, you should avoid arnica. It may worsen both inflammatory and infectious gastrointestinal ailments because it can irritate your gastrointestinal tract, according to Grossberg and Fox.

Drug Interactions

You increase your risk for bruising or bleeding if you take arnica with certain medications. These include blood-thinning medications like aspirin or warfarin. It also can interfere with medicines used to treat high blood pressure like acebutolol or losartan, according to Grossberg and Fox.

Allergic Reaction

It's possible to suffer an allergic reaction to arnica. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience difficulty breathing, tightness in your chest, swelling in your face, tongue, mouth or lips, or if you get hives or a rash. Be especially careful if you are allergic to plants in the daisy family, including ragweed and feverfew, advises Stuart.