Topical Pain ReliefTopical Pain Relief

When you feel achy joints or muscles, the Topical Pain Relief thing you may think of is getting a painkiller from your local drugstore. But if the pills don’t work for you, your doctor might suggest trying a topical pain reliever. These medications come as creams, gels, sprays, patches, and foams that you apply to a painful area of the body. They essentially absorb into the skin and act on the tissue underneath to help ease or even stop pain.

Some topical treatments contain capsaicin (say: kap-SAH-sin). This ingredient is the same thing that makes chili peppers hot and can relieve joint pain in some people. Capsaicin works by depleting nerve cells of a chemical that sends pain messages. It may take days up to a couple of weeks before you feel relief. Other topical products use counterirritants, such as menthol and camphor. These substances make the skin feel cold or minty, which might block pain signals to the brain. Over-the-counter rub on treatments such as Aspercreme and Bengay contain these ingredients. Some over-the-counter and prescription treatments also contain a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). These are the same pain-relieving medications in aspirin.

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Other products containing the anesthetic lidocaine reduce pain by numbing the skin. This medicine can be found in a gel, spray, or patch that you place on the skin. It should not be used by people with liver problems or who take certain heart rhythm medicines. Some NSAID painkillers can cause serious stomach or intestinal bleeding in these people.