Which remedy is indicated for bruising and trauma with muscle pain that worsens with touch; patient refuses care and feels the surface is too hard?

• A. Calendula
• B. Rhus tox
• C. Arnica
• D. Hypericum

Answer: (C)

Arnica montana is indicated for blunt trauma with bruising and muscle soreness that is highly sensitive to touch. When the injury hurts more from being touched or pressed, and the person even resists care because contact feels intolerable, Arnica is the classic match. This remedy captures the bruised, tender, “sore to touch” feeling that follows a contusion and helps address the general sensitivity and need to avoid disturbance in the injured area.

Calendula is more about supporting wound healing of skin and soft tissue rather than the specific pain pattern of bruising and tenderness to touch. Rhus tox fits injuries with stiffness and pain that improve with continued movement after a period of rest, not the initial touch-sensitive bruising described here. Hypericum targets nerve-related pain and sharp, shooting sensations, often with different injury patterns such as nerve involvement or puncture wounds.