Choosing the right pain relief solution is more than just choosing the right pill.

Lower back pain is the second most common cause of people having to take time off of work and affects 90% of people at some point in their life. The causes of lower back pain can be varied, from injury to muscles to pinched nerves along the spine. Pain can also arise from issues with different areas of the body including the abdomen, pelvis and the chest.

Unfortunately lower back pain does not always stay in the lower back; you may find that pain radiates into your leg. It will quite often become worse with any type of activity and may produce numbness or weakness in your back and legs.

Treating your lower back pain is important for your quality of life. If the pain is still manageable and at the self-treatment stage, you may consider a nonprescription medication such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. While these tablets may help they are not always the best treatment for pain. Both of these non-prescription painkillers can cause side effects such as nausea and dizziness and it also takes time for these medications to enter your bloodstream and relieve the pain.

Natural pain relievers such as topical cream or pain relieving patches can be a helpful alternative. These treatments are a more natural solution and can be applied straight to the area of pain. Pain relieving patches can be left on the site where you’re experiencing pain; the cream or gel in the patch will be concentrated on that area for an extended period of time for long term relief.

When choosing one of these pain relieving gels or patches look for the main ingredient to be menthol. Menthol is derived from the peppermint plant. The molecules that are present in menthol will seep into to your pain receptors and start numbing the pain almost instantly. Menthol also helps to widen blood vessels in your body which will help your blood circulation increase around the area that is causing pain.

Menthol can be combined with other natural ingredients such as camphor to provide instant pain relief that will work for several hours. You are then free to reapply the cream or patches giving you continuous relief.

Using a topical natural pain reliever can deliver quick and effective pain relief without side effects or you having to wait for sweet relief!