There are many varieties of over-the-counter back pain medications, including a plethora of topical analgesics, which are the focus of this article. A topical analgesic is a medication which is applied to the skin in order to provide some measure of pain relief. These medicines can be in the form of gels, creams, salves, lotions, patches or ointments. Topical back pain medicines are designed to be applied directly to the skin on the painful area. Many of these localized treatments are comparable to ice or heat therapy in their effect on back ache.
This essay serves as a buyer’s guide for topical back and neck pain relief products. We will provide a complete analysis of the pros and cons of topical back pain product usage.
Topical Back Pain Medication Indications
Topical analgesics are designed to work best for muscular back pain. Most topical analgesics may also provide some pain relieving benefits for spinal arthritis, as well. These topical products will not usually provide much relief for most other spinal sources of pain, but may help soothe the related muscular effects of some diagnoses. In order to find out if a particular topical product is indicated for your specific type of symptoms, it is always a good idea to talk to your doctor.
Topical analgesics have virtually no real risks, except for the potential for skin irritation. This makes them superior to prescription pharmaceutical drugs which are taken internally, as long as the patient is satisfied with their use.
The best part about topical products is that they can complement ice and heat therapy, as well as provide an added boost to the efficacy of a good massage.
Common Topical Back Pain Medications
There are countless styles and brands of topical back pain relief medicines. Patients may have to experiment with a few in order to find one which works best for them:
Icy and hot ointments, creams, balms, liniments, oils and salves are extremely popular and usually contain menthol and other soothing ingredients that are effective for superficial pain conditions.
Herbal medications might work on the surface or may penetrate into the deeper tissues, depending on the ingredients and specific purpose of treatment.
Sports rubs are geared towards relieving tight and sore muscles common with overuse and repetitive strain injuries.
Capsaicin cream is a particularly effective type of topical treatment which uses the concentrated ingredients found in hot chili peppers to eliminate pain. This is all-natural back pain treatment at its finest.
Topical Analgesic Results
If you have back pain caused by a muscle injury or arthritis, these pain medications might offer you excellent temporary pain relief. While not providing a cure, the cost and risk factors of topical medications are low and the potential for effective pain management is good.
I still find these products to be helpful when my back is particularly bad. When combined with a loving massage from my wife, they usually do the trick of at least allowing me to sleep during a rough night of agony.
Back Pain > Back Pain Relief Products > Back Pain Medications
