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. . . . Rub It Better With Creams & Gels

There are plenty of topical pain medications around which claim to help ease the pain of arthritis, the big question is, do they work? You know how it is when you’ve spent an active weekend cycling, hiking or simply preparing the yard for the onset of winter, and then you find that the pain in your joints is unbearable even after you’ve taken your usual medication for your arthritis pain. Nobody wants to keep on popping more and more pills, so it’s always a good idea to look at alternative solutions to arthritis pain relief. Can these creams and gels really help to dull the pain and rub it better?

Types of Topical Pain Medication

Topical pain medications work by being absorbed through the skin, either by rubbing cream or gel onto your painful joints. Other types might come as sprays or sticky patches. This type of pain relief does work best on joints which are close to the surface of the skin, because the ingredients are absorbed through the skin to do their work. Hands and knees, therefore, are the joints which may react most favorably to being “rubbed better”.

Ingredients Used in Topical Pain Medication

Whatever type of pain relief you choose for your arthritis, the chances are that it will include some of the following ingredients;

• Capsaicin – causes the same type of burning sensation as chili peppers! Creams which include capsaicin as an active ingredient depelete the nerve cells of the chemical which sends pain messages . . . clever ploy!
• Salicylates – are a kind of rub in aspirin, containing the same substances for pain relief.
• Menthol – also produces hot or cold sensations, overriding the bodies ability to feel pain, even if it is only temporary.

Does Topical Pain Medication Work

To be honest, opinions are divided amongst these methods of arthritis pain relief. Very many people do say that these products are a real benefit and can help to relieve their arthritis pain, whilst clinical research can find only modest benefits of the same. Of course, some over the counter pain relief products do work better than others. Products which have Salicylates seem to be the most effective for a muscle ache, whilst products which have capsaicin are more suited to dealing with the pain generally associated with nerve damage.

Are Over The Counter Topical Pain Medications Safe

Capsaican does produce a burning sensation which some people might find uncomfortable, so they might be well advised to wash their hands after each application (or to wear latex gloves).  Salicylates should not be used by anybody who is allergic to aspirin, so as always, the best bet is to check with your doctor before using any over the counter products to try to combat the pain of arthritis.

Note – topical pain medications must not be used on any patches of irritated or broken skin.