Warming ointments are used, as a rule, for local therapy of some pathological symptoms of the musculoskeletal system. They include a variety of natural ingredients that have a pronounced analgesic effect. After applying such an ointment to the area of inflammation, pain, swelling and stiffness of movements disappear. Warming drugs do not have a pronounced toxic effect and are very convenient for use at home. They are relatively inexpensive, affordable, and combine well with other medicines.
Mechanism of action of warming ointments
Due to the fact that warming ointments have a thermal effect on inflamed areas of the body, various biochemical processes are triggered - the rate of enzymatic reactions increases, metabolism is activated, the lumen of arteries, veins and capillaries expands, as a result of which blood flow increases, which leads to entry intoaffected areas of oxygen, biologically active and nutrients. Under the influence of heat, muscle relaxation occurs, and the extensibility of connective tissues increases.
The effect of the active components of warming ointments for muscles is as follows:
- After applying these medicines to the skin, the gradual absorption of medicinal substances into damaged tissues begins.
- Active substances are able to penetrate the membranes of pain receptors and bind to them. This effect occurs approximately 15 minutes after application.
- Blocked receptors do not detect pain from joint structures or muscle fibers.
- The transition of nerve impulses from highly sensitive nerve endings to the brain and central nervous system is disrupted.
What can I combine them with?
Warming ointments for joints and muscles can be combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as with glucocorticosteroids and muscle relaxants. This allows you to reduce the doses of medications and minimize the negative effects of their use.
Drugs with a warming effect do not contribute to the relief of the inflammatory process, but only stop its spread. The use of such drugs is not able to slow down the subsequent destructive and degenerative disorders that occur in the articular tissues.
Classification
When choosing warming ointments, it must be taken into account that they can be a drug or biologicallyactive additive. For medical products, the presence of more than one or two active substances in the composition is not typical. They do not affect each other's action, but seem to complement each other, reinforcing and prolonging the main therapeutic effect.
Dietary supplements tend to be high in ingredients (up to 10 or 15). In such cases, the clinical efficacy of these agents is based on a combination of mild pharmacological actions of various herbal extracts and essential oils.
Warming ointments for muscles and joints can be classified as follows:
- Medications "Viprosal", "Nicoflex", "Efkamon", "Apizartron", "Finalgon", "Kapsicam", "Nyatoks".
- Dietary supplements Zhivokost, Arthro-Active, 911, Comfrey, Dikul's Balm, etc.
Composition
Warming ointments for local use are also subdivided depending on what active ingredients they contain. For example, Nayatoks and Viprosal contain snake venom, and Apizartron contains bee venom. In addition, many ointments contain extracts of hot red pepper, and they are also characterized by a distracting effect. External painkillers containing menthol, camphor, and turpentine also have this effect.
Essential oils
To improve absorption and increase the direct warming effect, manufacturers often add various essential oils to the ointment base, whichobtained, as a rule, from shrubs and coniferous trees:
- tui;
- juniper;
- fir;
- ate;
- pines;
- cypress.
Cosmetic oils in the composition
Fast transepidermal absorption is provided by some cosmetic oils. They also contribute to the penetration of active substances into the subcutaneous fat layer, muscles, synovial fluid and ligaments. Peach, wheat germ, almond, grape seed oils improve the condition of the skin. Due to the aseptic action, they are able to prevent the penetration of pathogens into the foci of the inflammatory process.
So which warming ointments to choose?
The most effective warming ointments
The best therapeutic effect is typical for those ointments that belong to the category of medications. They rarely cause local and systemic reactions. In most cases, traumatologists, rheumatologists and neuropathologists prescribe the following warming agents to patients:
- "Nicoflex", which is a combination drug containing hot pepper extract, as well as ethylene glycol salicylate. This medicine has a local irritating effect, promotes the resorption of edema and strong pain relief.
- Warming ointment for muscles and joints "Viprosal" - a medical product that contains gum turpentine, camphor, viper venom and salicylicacid. The drug improves blood circulation in inflamed tissues, eliminates pain of varying intensity.
- "Finalgon" is a medicine whose active ingredients are nicoboxyl and nonivamide. This remedy is characterized by analgesic, antispasmodic and warming therapeutic activity. What are the best back warming ointments to buy?
- "Efkamon" - a pharmacological preparation, which includes camphor, eucalyptus oil, cloves and mustard seeds, methyl salicylate, capsicum extract and menthol. This tool improves local blood circulation, has an analgesic, distracting and locally irritating effect.
- Warming and analgesic ointment "Kapsicam" is a multi-component drug, which includes racemic camphor, benzyl nicotinate, dimethyl sulfoxide, turpentine and nonivamide. This drug is able to have a distracting and analgesic effect, improve microcirculation.
- "Apizartron" is a medicine whose active ingredients are allyl isothiocyanate, bee venom and methyl salicylate. The tool is used, as a rule, to reduce swelling and the intensity of pain. This warming neck ointment is great.
- Nayatoks is also very popular. It contains eucalyptus oil, methyl salicylate, camphor and dried cobra venom. This composition of the drug provides an anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antiseptic effect.
Warming ointments for children can also be found on sale.
Not all products can be used for small patients. If the baby has a cold, severe cough and runny nose, turpentine ointment, "Vicks", "Doctor Mom" is prescribed. With the help of turpentine ointment, inflammation is removed. It is indispensable for bronchitis to get rid of cough. But at high temperatures is contraindicated. "Doctor Mom" consists of natural active ingredients, which is why the product is safe for children. It can be used as an independent drug at an early stage of the disease and in combination at later stages.
Vicks ointment has a local irritant effect, so that the cough passes quickly. It is used for children over two years old. It is also prescribed only in the absence of elevated body temperature. Such ointments are made on the basis of turpentine and certain essential oils. Application area - neck, chest and back.
Indications for use
Warming ointments for joints and muscles are often used by athletes before training to prepare for excessive physical exertion. In the field of traumatology, they are used to restore tissues damaged due to bruises, sprains, dislocations, torn ligaments and tendons. However, they can be used only on the third day of treatment, after the acute inflammatory process has been removed. A one-time application of a warming ointment is also practiced to eliminate pulling joint pains during sudden changes in temperature. However, the main, widest range of usessuch drugs - chronic pathologies of the spine and joints, as well as:
- Arthritis, including rheumatoid.
- Thoracic, lumbosacral and cervical osteochondrosis.
- Osteoarthritis.
- Gonarthrosis.
- Lumbago.
- Intercostal neuralgia.
- Sciatica.
- Intervertebral hernias.
Symptoms of these ailments
One of the most common clinical symptoms of these diseases is acute pain during relapses and exacerbations. In most cases, to eliminate them, specialists resort to the use of glucocorticosteroids, NSAIDs or analgesics. However, the regular use of warming ointments for joints and muscles can prevent the onset of pain. The frequency of relapses gradually decreases due to increased blood supply to pathological areas. Can warming ointment be applied to injured skin?
Contraindications for use
The main contraindication to the use of this category of ointments is individual intolerance to the substances that make up them. This warning about careful use is also found in the annotations for all medications. However, it is especially relevant when it comes to warming medicines, since almost all of their components are chemical compounds that are highly allergenic.
Often the manufacturer indicates the name of medicinal herbs in Latin on the packaging of the medicinelanguage, and some components of Chinese preparations (for example, pinnatifid gynura) are not at all known to patients of rheumatologists.
Sensitive skin
In people with sensitive skin, the use of some warming ointments can provoke a variety of allergic reactions, even chemical burns. Therefore, before applying, it is necessary to test them for safety - a small amount of the drug is rubbed into the area of \u200b\u200bthe bend of the elbow or wrist. If after a few minutes the skin is not reddened or swollen, then you can use this remedy.
For what diseases of the joints is it not recommended to use them?
These drugs are not used to treat patients with the following conditions:
- Infectious and inflammatory pathologies of the skin, which are accompanied by suppuration of the tissue. Due to irritation of highly sensitive nerve endings, a slowdown in the regeneration process can be observed.
- Infectious lesions of the joints. These pathologies are characterized by hyperthermia in inflammatory foci. The use of warming ointments in this case can lead to an even greater increase in temperature. As you know, such a factor favors the reproduction of various pathogenic bacteria.
Warming ointments should not be applied to areas of injured skin, for example, with an open wound, cracks, scratches, as this can cause a significant increase in pain,burning sensation, skin itching. In addition, the ingredients of the drug can enter the bloodstream, which sometimes provokes side effects.
Unwanted consequences
In some cases, after applying a warming ointment, certain allergic effects occur. Clinically, they manifest themselves, as a rule, in the formation of rashes, swelling and redness of the skin. If this occurs, immediately rinse off the ointment under running water. In order to neutralize the absorbed substances, wipe the skin with napkins soaked in vegetable oil. Irrational use of warming medications can cause the development of some systemic reactions in the form of cephalalgia, drowsiness, dyspepsia, etc.
Acute allergic reactions will help eliminate the antihistamine medication. If shortness of breath or dizziness occurs, you can drink Loratadin, Zyrtec, Suprastin or Tavegil.
Uses
Such funds should be used in the initial stages of pathological processes or to prevent exacerbations. The ointment is applied to the area of pain 3 times a day with rubbing movements. Gel-based products are well absorbed without additional rubbing. To minimize side effects, do not apply products to large areas of skin.
Warming ointments are not recommended to be used under a bandage, as this can lead to the development of a chemical burn. To enhance the effect, the imposition of light fabric is allowed,which is well breathable.
