Topical pain relievers are definitely worth considering if you are experiencing chronic pain or significant side effects from oral pain medications.
Side Effects From Standard Pain Pills
Over time, patients who are taking standard pain relievers may experience one or more of the following:
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Depression
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Fatigue
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Heartburn
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Nausea
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Skin rash
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Ulcers
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Upset stomach
Organ damage is also a possibility, since anything taken by mouth needs to be processed by the liver and kidneys. If you take acetaminophen (Tylenol) over a long time, it can be toxic to the liver. Other pain relievers, such as ibuprofen and naproxen can be hard on your kidneys and cause kidney problems. Long-term use of opioids can lead to changes in mood (depression), as the brain’s natural ability to produce dopamine becomes impaired.
Benefits Of Topical Pain Relief Cream
Choosing a topical pain relief cream gives you a number of advantages over an oral pain medication, including:
Pain Relief Directly Where It Hurts
When you use an oral preparation, you have the flexibility to apply the cream exactly where you are experiencing the discomfort. Oral medications need to enter your bloodstream and be processed by your organs.
Relief Starts More Quickly Than With An Oral Pain Reliever
The pain-relieving ingredients in a topical pain relief preparation don’t need to travel through the digestive system and bloodstream before reaching the area where you are in pain before they start to work. For this reason, transdermal (topical) pain creams or gels can start to work quickly to give you the relief you need. When you’re in pain, every minute that you have to wait for relief seems longer than normal.
Fewer Side Effects And Can Use More Often