When you’re in pain, you want to do everything you can to make it stop ASAP. Still, it’s understandable that you may be wary of taking medication. That’s why plenty of people turn to pain relief pads for help.
The idea behind these pads is simple: They contain a topical anti-inflammatory and, when you place the pads on areas that hurt, the ointment seeps in right where you need it most.
Pretty much anyone who experiences muscle and joint pain can benefit from these, Dr. Medhat Mikhael, pain management specialist and medical director at the Spine Health Center at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, Calif., tells Yahoo Life. However, he lists off people with muscle strains, sprains, joint pain due to arthritis, tight spastic muscles due to stress, back pain caused by major strain, and neck pain due to whiplash injury, as benefiting the most.
Many of the pads contain arnica, a natural anti-inflammatory, although some feature methyl salicylate, which also has good anti-inflammatory properties, Mikhael explains.
Overall, there isn’t a lot of research out there on these pads, but “anecdotally, people have reported pain relief from them,” Dr. Joshua Scott, a primary care sports medicine physician at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles, tells Yahoo Life. Basically, many people are using these to combat pain and loving them.
Interested in trying out pain relief pads for your muscle aches and pains? These are the top-rated options out there.
Penetrex
Penetrex works by getting to the root of your pain with a variety of anti-inflammatory agents. “Arnica oil in the Penetrex reduces the inflammation with added B6 that can be helpful for some nerve regeneration,” Mikhael says.
Salonpas
Salonpas says its bestselling patches can work for up to eight hours of pain relief. Simply apply them to where you need them, and go about your day. “SalonPas has methyl salicylate that gets metabolized to salicylic acid,” Mikhael explains. “That has a good anti-inflammatory effect, together with levomenthol as a soothing agent.”
Absorbine Jr.
Absorbine Jr. patches use menthol, along with herbal ingredients, to help take out your pain. They promise to give you localized relief for up to eight hours. “They last all day, or all night,” a reviewer said.
Bengay
For people who love Bengay but hate dealing with the messy cream, there are these pain-relieving patches. Just like the cream, the patches feel cool when you first apply them and then target pain with concentrated heat. “I’ve been using these pain patches for years, mostly on my lower back for arthritis. It is immediate pain relief. Works all day!” shared a happy customer.
Tiger Balm
Tiger Balm is known for tackling pain, and its patches are no exception. Simply stick them where you have pain and let the patches go to work. “These have been a lifesaver for my bad back! They stay on well and work for hours!” shared a fan.
Aspercreme
For those big areas of pain, there are Aspercreme XL patches. These are designed to go to work on spots like your back to help provide relief and desensitize your nerves. They’re also odorless: A big perk with users. “These patches are fantastic! They work better than the prescription 5% lidocaine patches I have,” said a five-star reviewer.
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
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