Effective therapeutic, analgesic patches for back pain

Many people know firsthand what back pain is. Sometimes it completely paralyzes a person, the slightest movement is given with great difficulty, sometimes nagging pain sensations accompany for a long time, reducing the quality of life. Those who felt the symptoms for the first time, consult a doctor, others, who have repeatedly encountered the problem, try to cope with it on their own. The primary task in this case is to eliminate pain and stop the inflammatory process. There are various forms of analgesics: injections, tablets, rectal suppositories, ointments, gels, patches for back pain.

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Indications of a band-aid for back pain

Using the patch is a very convenient method to help yourself get rid of unpleasant symptoms caused by degenerative-dystrophic changes in the spine. Indications for the use of patches are hernias, osteochondrosis, chronic myositis, spondylitis, subluxation of the vertebrae. You cannot count on an immediate reaction, the therapeutic effect occurs slowly due to the intake of small therapeutic doses, but the side effects are minimal.

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Release form

If earlier we were familiar with only one type of plaster - pepper, then at the present stage it exists in various forms of release:

• pain relief patches for back pain, made using:
  • nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
  • lidocaine, novocaine - local anesthetics;
  • medicinal herbs;
  • dietary supplements;
• warming patches - using mustard and pepper to achieve an irritating effect on the body;
• heat-retaining - does not contain medications, but has an internal reflective surface;
• with the use of chondroprotectors - agents that restore the cartilaginous tissue of the joints;
• combined action.

Names of medicinal patches

On the modern pharmacological market, patches are presented in a fairly wide range. To understand and choose the right one, we will list their names and brief characteristics:

• Nano-patch for back pain — an innovative development designed to relieve inflammation, pain, swelling, bruise absorption, and muscle tension. The therapeutic effect on the affected area occurs due to the metal powder, which creates magnetic and infrared fields. It is a plate with an adhesive substance applied to it, and then a protective film, which is removed before use. Plates are sold in three sizes: 7 by 9 cm, 9 by 12 cm and 11 by 16 cm. Most effective in combination therapy with other drugs of the same focus;
• Chinese plaster - products are made from a fabric base impregnated with various medicinal compounds. This can be pine resin, myrrh, drynaria, ginseng, beeswax, black ants, chili pepper, cinnamon, ginger root, menthol, camphor and other natural ingredients. The plaster is perforated, so it does not prevent air from penetrating the skin surface and does not disrupt metabolism. In addition to symptomatic treatment, it has a healing effect on the entire body, since the medicinal substances of its ingredients penetrate the bloodstream and spread through it to all tissues;
• pepper plaster - for its production, red hot pepper is used, which creates an irritating and warming effect, and belladonna, which contains tropane alkaloids, their pharmacological effect is pain relief and spasm relief. It comes in regular and perforated. The latter is more expensive, but it is preferable due to its more beneficial effect on the skin;
• Voltaren patch - diclofenac is applied to its surface - a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug: for an area of 70 cm ² - 15 mg, 140 cm ² - 30 mg. It treats inflammation, pain, swelling in case of muscle and joint damage;
• magnetic patch - the use of a biomagnetic field in combination with medicinal herbs (myrrh, gyrrhiza japonica, sophora japonica) - an innovative development of Korean and Chinese scientists, aimed at damaged musculoskeletal tissue. It is effective for back pain caused by lumbar muscle strain, intervertebral hernias, cysts on the spine, joint inflammation;
• Japanese patch - its active ingredients are methyl salicylate and menthol, the pharmacological action of which is aimed at pain relief and inflammation relief. There are several types of such products, some of them have a slight warming effect, others - a cooling effect;
• Back pain patch with lidocaine - a well-known painkiller that blocks pain signals through the pores. Directly reaching the nerve endings, lidocaine has a minimal negative impact on the body and is preferable to other forms of the drug. There are three types of such patches, including "Versatis", the concentration of lidocaine in it is 700 ml, the base is made of embossed fabric;
• Ketonal patch - warming, it contains metal powder, activated carbon, salt and water. Irritating the surface of the body, it relaxes muscles and reduces pain;
• mustard plaster - irritates the nerve endings of the skin, improves blood circulation, reducing pain.

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Pharmacodynamics

Therapeutic patches eliminate back pain, relax muscle tension, and reduce congestion and inflammation. The pharmacodynamics of the Chinese patch allows it to be applied to the cervical vertebrae in case of osteochondrosis, which leads to the restoration of cerebral blood circulation, relieves migraine attacks, and eliminates tinnitus. Warming patches activate blood flow to the areas of application, thereby providing their therapeutic effect. The mechanism of action of the Voltaren patch is based on the inhibition of the synthesis of prostaglandins, hormone-like substances that affect muscle contraction.

Lidocaine patch suppresses the increase in permeability for sodium ions, which stabilizes neuronal cell membranes, thereby blocking pain sensitivity.

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Pharmacokinetics

Patches that use natural substances have not been studied for pharmacokinetics. The active substance of the voltaren patch is excreted mainly by the kidneys, its half-life is 1-3 hours, lidocaine - 1.5-2 hours.

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Dosing and administration

Each type of patch is supplied with instructions for use. Based on the instructions contained therein, the nano-patch is applied to the skin for 12 hours, after removal the next one can be applied after 6 hours. The maximum course of treatment is up to 9 days in case of chronic pathology of the joints, spine. In inflammatory processes - from 3 to 9, and bruises, hematomas - 3-6.

A Chinese patch, including a magnetic one, is glued to the painful area, after cleaning it with alcohol or detergent, left for 2 days, the next one can be applied after 6-7 hours. Repeat from 2 to 5 weeks.

Japanese is applied for 8 hours.

The application of pepper and mustard is carried out on a degreased area after removing the protective film from it and left for a day or two. In case of severe burning, it is recommended to remove it, rather than endure it, and lubricate the skin with Vaseline. The next treatment should be carried out after some time or the patch should be moved to another place.

Voltaren patch is left on for 24 hours, the duration of treatment is no more than 14 days.

The lidocaine patch is kept on the body for 2-10 hours, "Versatis" is used once a day, the duration of wearing is 12 hours, the total duration of treatment cannot exceed two weeks. Three patches can be used at the same time.

Ketonal patch is sometimes applied to a light cloth during the daytime, as it causes severe burning. Its period of action is up to 10 hours, and it can only be used again after 24 hours.

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Application for children

The effectiveness and safety of most of the proposed patches in children has not been studied. Pepper and mustard can be recommended with confidence in the absence of a local reaction.

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Use of a band-aid for back pain during pregnancy

Studies on the treatment with nano-patch, Chinese during pregnancy have not been conducted, so this category of patients is not recommended. Warming patches: pepper, mustard, ketonal in the lumbar region can cause undesirable consequences during pregnancy. It is best to refuse the use of voltaren patch for the entire period of bearing a child and feeding it. It can cause a miscarriage, heart defect in the early stages, in the third trimester - a delay in labor or the duration of their course. This also applies to patches with lidocaine.

Contraindications

Hypersensitivity to the components used in the manufacture of the product prohibits its use. Patches are not applied to open wounds or damaged skin. Warts, sutures, neoplasms, fresh sutures are also contraindications for use. Warming patches are not recommended for patients with thrombophlebitis, high body temperature and high blood pressure. Voltaren should not be used by people with asthmatic manifestations when taking acetylsalicylic acid and other NSAIDs, open stomach ulcers. Patches with lidocaine are not suitable for elderly people over 65 years old, with diagnoses of hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver, arrhythmia, heart defects.

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Side effects of a band-aid for back pain

Medicinal patches can cause local side effects. Before using them, you need to study their composition so as not to provoke an allergic reaction to one or another component. Pepper, mustard and ketonal patches can cause a burn, voltaren - adverse reactions in the elderly, as well as those with kidney, heart, and liver diseases.

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Overdose

Due to the low dose of the medicinal substance entering the bloodstream when applied locally, an overdose is impossible.

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Interactions with other drugs

There are warnings about interactions with other drugs for those patches that use medications. Thus, the Voltaren patch should not be used simultaneously with other local nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, but lidocaine does not have such warnings.

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Storage conditions

Some types of patches are sold in packs and may not be used immediately. They should be stored in a dry place out of the reach of children.

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Shelf life

The average shelf life of such products is 2-3 years, it is indicated on the packaging of each type.

Analogues

Analogues of the described patches are other applicators with similar therapeutic effects but different pharmacological action, as well as pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory therapy in the form of tablets, injections (diclofenac, ketoprofen, ibuprofen), physical therapy (therapeutic exercises, massage, electrophoresis, darsonval).

Reviews

There are many people who suffer from back pain. Even after acute attacks have been relieved, the pain continues to make itself felt for a long time, and you need to maintain a normal rhythm of life and work. In this case, according to people's reviews, it is very convenient to use this form of treatment. The patches are thin, they are not visible under clothing, they do not leave marks on it and do not restrict movement, they are odorless, do not cause addiction and, due to the point of application, are virtually incapable of causing unwanted side effects. It is difficult to name which patch is the best and most effective, since everything is individual. Having relieved the pain that does not allow movement with applicators with painkillers, you can resort to warming ones. Feeling warmth during the day means relaxing muscles and experiencing comfort.

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