Homoeopathic arnica failed to show any advantage compared with placebo in reducing postoperative pain, bruising, and swelling in patients having elective hand surgery in results from a small randomised trial published this week.

The trial randomised 64 adults having elective surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome to three groups. The first group took three tablets of homoeopathic arnica 30C (“high potency,” 30 centesimal solutions) for seven days before surgery and for 14 days afterwards. The second group took three tablets of arnica 6C (“low potency,” 6 centesimal solutions) each day, and the third group took placebo tablets over the same time period.

Results showed no differences between the three groups in the primary …