What Is Arnica Salbe Heel S? The Heel Arnica Ointment Explained

Educational information on traditional homeopathic use only. Not medical advice.

Arnica is one of the most familiar names in homeopathy, and it appears in creams, gels, oils, tablets and ampoules from many makers. Arnica Salbe Heel S is the Heel ointment version. This guide explains what is in the tube, how the label describes it and where it fits among the other arnica products we stock.

Buy Arnica Salbe Heel STraumeel S Ointment

What is Arnica Salbe Heel S?

Salbe is the German word for ointment, so the name simply means Heel's arnica ointment. It is a single-ingredient product: the active ingredient is Arnica montana, the mountain daisy that grows in the high pastures of Europe. We stock it as one tube of 50 g.

The indication on the product page reads: myalgia after overstrain, and diseases of the arterious and venous system. Myalgia is the medical word for muscle ache. The page also summarises the traditional picture of arnica, which includes injuries of many kinds and the consequences of over-exertion such as muscular ache. We repeat the label wording rather than add to it.

What it is traditionally used for

Arnica Salbe Heel S is known to help the body improve its natural ability to heal, with some ailments, such as:

• Myalgia after overstrain
• Diseases of the arterious system
• Diseases of the venous system

These are traditional homeopathic associations, not promises of results. The product page carries the indications beside the directions.

About the plant

Arnica montana is a bright yellow, daisy-like flower. As its name suggests, it grows on mountain slopes and meadows, and it has been gathered for traditional use for a very long time. In homeopathy it is one of the best-known starting materials of all, which is why almost every homeopathic maker offers an arnica product in some form. What differs from product to product is the preparation: some use the plant in diluted form, while others, like this ointment, use the plant tincture itself.

Understanding the composition

The label gives the composition for 100 g of ointment.

• Arnica montana Ø, 10.0 g. The symbol Ø marks a mother tincture, meaning the plant extract itself rather than a diluted preparation. This is why Arnica Salbe is described in different terms from Heel's multi-dilution remedies, where each ingredient carries a D number.
• Ointment base: a hydrophilic ointment to the German pharmacopoeia standard DAB 10, made up of emulsifying cetylstearyl alcohol, ethanol, purified water, liquid paraffin and soft white paraffin.
• Alcohol: the ointment is preserved with 17.7 vol.-% alcohol.

If you like to know exactly what you are applying, that list is the whole of it. There are no other active substances. The arnica makes up one tenth of the weight, and the rest is the base.

The label notes on skin

The product page includes two notes worth reading before you buy. The contraindications are listed as hypersensitivity to arnica and hypersensitivity to constituents of the ointment base. The page also remarks that in external application, arnica may cause skin irritation. These are the manufacturer's own statements, and they are simply passed on here.

How it is used

The product page does not give a dosage line for this ointment, so please follow the leaflet inside your own tube. As with other ointments of this kind, it is for external use on the skin only, and traditionally it is spread thinly over the area. Wash your hands afterwards, and keep it away from the eyes and from open skin.

Many people keep a tube in the bathroom cabinet or the sports bag. Check the leaflet for the storage line and the date marked on the tube, and replace the cap firmly after each use.

Arnica Salbe and other arnica products

Arnica turns up in many forms, and the differences matter when you are choosing.

• Traumeel S Ointment is a Heel ointment too, but it is a multi-ingredient formula rather than arnica alone. If you are weighing the two, our article comparing Traumeel with arnica sets out the difference.
• Arnica Injeel Ampoules carry arnica in homeopathic dilution in single-dose ampoules, which is a quite different style from a mother-tincture ointment.
• Weleda Arnica Massage Balm is a balm from another well-known homeopathic maker, in a different base.
• Dr. Reckeweg R80 Arnica Oil is an oil, in a 100 ml bottle.
• Guna Tamanu Arnica Cream is a cream in a 75 ml pack.

Choosing between an ointment, a balm, an oil and a cream is partly a matter of how you like to apply it. An ointment such as this one has a richer, greasier feel than a gel, while an oil is thinner and usually used for massage. Read the composition on each page, because the bases and the strengths differ.

A short checklist before you choose

• Decide which texture you prefer: ointment, balm, oil or cream.
• Read the composition and the skin notes on the product page.
• Note the alcohol content of 17.7 vol.-% if that matters to you.
• Keep the leaflet from the tube, since it is the authoritative source for directions.

Who should take care

If you are pregnant, giving a product to a child, or taking a prescribed medicine, please speak to your doctor or practitioner before use. People who know that they react to arnica or to ointment bases should note the hypersensitivity statement above.

Frequently asked questions

Is Arnica Salbe Heel S the same as Traumeel ointment?

No. Arnica Salbe contains arnica alone as its active ingredient, while Traumeel is a combination of several ingredients.

What does Salbe mean?

It is the German word for ointment.

Does it contain alcohol?

Yes. The label states that it is preserved with 17.7 vol.-% alcohol.

What size is the tube?

Our page lists a tube of 50 g.

Can it be swallowed?

No. It is an ointment for external use, as the form makes plain.

What does the Ø symbol mean?

It stands for a mother tincture, the undiluted plant extract used as the starting point for homeopathic preparations.

Who makes it?

Heel in Germany. We supply it in the manufacturer's own packaging.

Keep reading

• Natural Remedies for Bruises and Haematomas
• Natural Remedies for Sports Injuries, Sprains and Strains
• Traumeel Ampoules, Tablets, Gel, Ointment or Drops: Which Form?
• Arnica Montana: Uses and Benefits
• Traumeel vs Arnica: Which for Bruises and Injury?
• Natural Remedies for Poor Circulation and Varicose Veins

Browse more

• Pulled muscles
• Pain creams
• Joint health remedies

Homeopathic medicines are not a substitute for medical care.