Targeted Muscle Pain Relief: Topical Analgesics

Muscular pain can affect all aspects of a person’s life, especially if it’s experienced on a regular or even chronic basis. And there are many forms of relief for such pain, which vary in effectiveness. Some of the more potent remedies, such as pills, may cause wariness in some patients since pills may carry unpleasant side effects.

These are the times when topical muscle pain relief is what’s called for. And it’s in these cases when topical analgesics could be just what the doctor ordered. They can be applied to painful areas in cream or gel form, or even sprays, and are absorbed through the skin. The main ingredients in analgesics can be broken down into three categories: counterirritants, salicylates and capsaicin.

Counterirritants include ingredients such as menthol or camphor which cause a cooling or heating sensation, which can briefly override the sensation of pain. It can even serve to take a patient’s mind off their pain.

Salicylates are similar to aspirin in that they share ingredients and thus help alleviate pain the way aspirin does. If you are taking blood thinners or are allergic to aspirin, be sure to consult your doctor before using topical analgesics which contain this.

Capsaicin is what makes hot peppers so spicy, and it creates a warm or tingling sensation when applied to the skin. It lessens the chemicals in the nerves which transmit pain signals, so pain is eased.

No matter which kind of topical muscle pain relief works for you, there are guidelines to which you should adhere when using any topical analgesic:

• Never apply to damaged or broken skin.
• Do not use along with a heating pad, as burns could result.
• Do not use under tight bandages.
• Be sure to wash hands thoroughly after application and avoid touching your eyes when there’s product on your hands.

Topical analgesics, such as Absorbine Jr. Plus, can provide real relief from muscle and joint pain without undesirable side effects. Life’s too short to be lived in pain, after all!