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Topical pain relief cream is a great option to treat targeted pain and has many benefits over traditional pain relief pills. Here’s what to know.
When you feel pain, the goal is to make it stop. You don’t think about whether a pain relief pill or a topical cream will work best. You ask your doctor for help; they prescribe something, you take it for relief.
You are not alone. Millions of people struggle with chronic pain and seek treatment. Doctors offer prescriptions but don’t always let you know you have options. Below, we explain the difference between topical creams and pills for pain relief. We also give you 11 benefits of choosing the cream over pain pills.
Topical Pain Relief Cream
When you see the word topical, you can know that it means something is applied to the skin. In this case, a pain relief cream. To apply, you squeeze a small amount into your hand and rub it onto the skin closest to the pain you experience.
For example, if your pain is in your knee, rub the topical cream directly onto your knee.
This process is different when taking oral pain relief medication.
Traditional Pain Relief Pills
When taking a pill orally for pain, you swallow the pill, and it must pass through the digestive system before it enters the bloodstream and is distributed to the point of pain. Pain pills are often coated with an ingredient that protects the main ingredients from being dissolved by stomach acids. They can be harsh on the stomach lining and can take between thirty and forty minutes to feel relief.
This is not the only benefit of choosing a cream over a pill, however.
Benefits of Topical Pain Relief Creams
While both pills and topical creams work and are needed by those who have pain, there are some benefits to choosing topical pain relief cream.
Benefit #1
Topical pain relief creams are applied directly to the target area of pain. The pain relief chemicals are absorbed through your skin and send them to the spot that hurts.
Benefit #2
Topical creams provide pain relief quicker than oral pain medications since they do not have to pass through the digestive system.
Benefit #3
Topical creams only affect the area to which it is applied. Pain pills, on the other hand, affect your entire body. Because pill ingredients enter the bloodstream, it is distributed to all body parts. In addition, pain pills are sedating, which is why your thoughts, reflexes, speech, and other actions are slowed when taking a pain pill.
Benefit #4
Topical creams protect your stomach, digestive tract, and internal organs from damage caused by the long-term use of pain pills.
Benefit #5
Topical creams offer longer periods of pain relief than pills. Most pain pills last between four to six hours. Topical creams can last eight or more hours.
Benefit #6
Topical creams can treat more than one type of pain. For example, if you have neuropathy, topical creams can often reduce inflammation and alleviate this pain, whereas pain pills cannot. Also, topical creams can treat conditions like sports injuries or strain, musculoskeletal pain, arthritis, post-surgical pain, accident- and injury-related pain, idiopathic proctodynia, vulvodynia.
Benefit #7
People who take pain-relieving pills quickly build a tolerance to the drug. Tolerance means taking more and more medications to produce the same effects felt when you first took the drug. For example, if you are prescribed opiates for pain, you will likely be ordered to take one pill every four hours. However, within a few days, you may notice that you are not getting the same amount of relief by taking just one pill every four hours.
Instead, you need two pills every four hours. The longer you take pain pills, the higher your tolerance will build. Tolerance can build enough to cause your body to become dependent on them. Eventually, you can become addicted to pain pills.
With topical pain relief cream, there is a low risk of tolerance, dependence, or addiction.
Benefit #8
Topical creams offer fewer side effects than oral pain medications. Pain pills can produce stomach problems, drowsiness, clouded thinking, slowed movements, and blurred vision. Topical creams only affect the area in which you have pain.
Benefit #9
Topical pain relief creams do not interact with other over-the-counter or prescribed medicines you may be taking. Pain pills can have devastating interactions. For example, if you take an opiate for pain and take a benzodiazepine for anxiety, your respiratory system can stop working.
Benefit #10
Topical creams offer pain relief to people who are unable to swallow pills. As a result, they do not have to worry about a pill getting stuck in their throat or getting choked on their medicine.
Benefit #11
Topical pain relief creams can be compounded at your local pharmacy.
Compounding Topical Pain Relief Cream
The process of compounding is when your pharmacist uses to create medicines of all kinds, including topical creams. Compounding is a science. It’s like choosing specific ingredients, developing a recipe, and creating a product that is unique to each person.
By choosing compounded pain creams, you will work with your pharmacist by providing the necessary information. For example, your pharmacist will want to know if you have allergies to any ingredients, if you prefer odorless or scented, how thick you prefer your creams, and if you wish to add beneficial ingredients mixed into your cream.
With compounding of pain relief medications, numerous medicines can be compounded into creams other than pain medicines. Examples include muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatory products, hormone therapy, corticosteroids, antiviral medications, anesthetics, antibiotics, antifungals, and scar cream.
Where to Start
Your first step in getting unique compounded topical pain relief cream is to talk to your pharmacist. He or she will help you understand the process of compounding and can explain further why it is a better, safer option than pain pills.
Your pharmacist will verify information about allergies, currently prescribed medications, and current over-the-counter medications you are taking.
If the topical pain relief cream you need requires a prescription, your pharmacist can communicate directly with your doctor to create the best product to relieve your pain.
Together, your treatment team can develop a topical cream that is an excellent alternative to pain pills.
