The patch is an easy-to-use, affordable, effective and safe dosage form for people with back pain. He cannot cure the disease or remove the cause of discomfort because. This is just an important part of comprehensive treatment. The effect of the patch is designed to eliminate or reduce the painful symptoms of the disease and improve the quality of life of the family without resorting to a medical professional, taking injections that are harmful or painful to the lining of the gastrointestinal tract with many side effects and contraindications. Without negatively affecting other systems and organs, the back pain patch delivers the drug to the correct location, provides sufficient concentration for the development of therapeutic effects, and acts directly on the source of pain.
The nature and type of plasters
Patches are a relatively new drug form associated with transdermal therapeutic systems.
Its distinguishing feature is a unique structure with many advantages:
- Easy to use, easy to wear - invisible to others, maintain freedom of movement, comfortable treatment (depending on product type and desired effect, the patch can be used on the skin from 1 hour to 2-3 days);
- Rapid penetration of the active ingredient through the upper layers of the skin into the superficial blood vessels begins to act purposefully and more quickly than the oral administration form;
- When applied to the skin, provides systemic action, but the substance is absorbed into the system of the inferior or superior vena cava, bypassing the liver and digestive tract, and does not undergo complex biochemical transformations (primary hepatic and gastric metabolism), in which the drug is broken down and generally loses its pharmacological activity;
- Enables slow release of active ingredients on the surface of the dermis, providing longer exposure times. This happens because the drug is continuously supplied to the body at a rate that results in a constant and near-therapeutic minimum level of the drug in the bloodstream;
- Absence of withdrawal syndrome leading to abrupt termination of the application;
- The ability to combine with other medications, physical therapy procedures and treatments;
- The controlled release and prolonged action of the back pain relief patch can reduce the frequency of dosing of prescribed medications. This, in turn, minimizes the presence and magnitude of systemic and local side effects, cumulative effects of long-term repeated use, and avoids possible diminished pharmacological effects.
Due to its benefits, transdermal therapy is rapidly gaining popularity. Dozens of medical tapes containing various active substances are officially registered in the world. All existing patches for back pain can be grouped according to composition and exposure principles. This division is conditional because when the effects of one active ingredient complement the effects of another, many of them act through multiple mechanisms and produce complex effects. In the pharmaceutical market, there are numerous domestic and foreign manufacturers.
In pharmacies, you can find products from the following brands, which specialize in topical, fully ready-to-use medicines in patch form:
- stimulating behavior;
- With heat reflective coating, dry heat;
- with non-steroidal or other anti-inflammatory drugs;
- Add herbs and oils;
- Substances based on chondroprotective action;
- local anesthetic pain relievers;
- nanotechnology.
Overview of the most popular back patches
The development and implementation of transdermal therapeutic systems changed the idea of patches as simple injury protection stickers. The presence of a drug depot makes the patch an important element in the symptomatic treatment of low back pain and an alternative to parenteral and oral administration. There are many reasons for back pain and heaviness. This can be due to musculoskeletal system problems, internal organ disease, body overload, hypothermia, nervousness, chronic infections, back injuries, stress, age-related changes.
In order not to make the situation worse, the pain cannot be ignored and it rarely goes away on its own. Treatment should be timely and effective - an integrated approach is required. Depending on the type and severity of pain, possible reasons for its occurrence, and physical characteristics of the body, your doctor may prescribe one or the other.
Which medical sticker is better can only be determined after an investigation and thorough examination by an expert, because. They differ in principle of action and mission. Brief description and features of the most commonly used pain relief patches for back treatment:
- Pepper - the most popular, well-proven. Cheap and efficient. Liquid Patch Gels are clear, hypoallergenic, and hold firmly. After 2 minutes, I felt a heat wave while applying the gel film. Stickers based on capsaicin (an extract made from hot chili peppers) improve blood flow and metabolic processes in the affected area, reduce muscle tone, have local stimulating, warming, antispasmodic and antispasmodic effects. They relieve pain from distraction, which is replaced by a mild burning and tingling sensation. Aggressive and can irritate the skin. For radiculitis, rheumatism, joint syndrome, back neuralgia, low back pain, spinal muscular pain.
- A thermal paste containing a group of substances (turpan sand, coke, salt, activated carbon, iron, and mineral powder, etc. ), which can be heated to 40-58 degrees in just 20 minutes in contact with air, and maintain an optimal temperature of 7-12 hours. This subgroup is costly and has a relatively long list of contraindications. Disposable stickers anesthetize, provide even heating, increase blood circulation, and relax deep muscle fibers that run continuously tense along the spine. Warm patch helps with rheumatism, osteochondrosis, myositis of the lumbar spine or other back muscles, chronic osteoarthritis, sciatica.
- Plaques containing diclofenac are representative of NSAIDs. They act quickly and do not irritate the skin. They are characterized by significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. The effect is long lasting. Eliminates pain associated with swollen inflammatory processes. Synthetic components of non-steroidal structure may cause unwanted side effects (risk increases with prolonged patch therapy). Often they bring relief in the acute phase of the disease: inflammation, degenerative changes in the spine, sciatica. The back and joints are also shown as a means of quick recovery from overwork, injuries, sprains.
- A highly targeted tape containing Glucosamine, Chondroitin Sulfate and Neurotropic Vitamin B1. The complex of active ingredients involved in the synthesis of connective tissue increases the production of cartilage matrix, protects the cartilage from damaging factors, helps restore the translucency, and stimulates tissue regeneration. The drug is of natural origin, is expensive, and provides nutrients and anti-inflammatory substances. Its action is designed to eliminate the cause of pain syndrome. This type of patch is recommended for deformities of the spine, degenerative dystrophic changes.
- Local anesthesia is given with lidocaine, which is a combination of two anesthetics. A powerful pain reliever that provides skin anesthesia and lasts 120 minutes after the strip is removed from the skin. For neuropathic back pain before injection or topical surgery.
- Novelty products made with special technology. They consist of minimally sized bioactive substances deposited on a polymer substrate that can easily penetrate the epidermis, reach the site of pain, generate radiation in the infrared region of the spectrum, and generate a constant magnetic field. The combined effect of nanoparticles results in increased local blood flow, improved lymphatic drainage, pain relief, inflammatory response, deedema, muscle relaxation and functional recovery. The patch is indicated for pain in the area of violation of sensitivity, cervical, lumbar spine in the context of nerve compression, sciatica, spondyloarthropathy, osteochondrosis and other spinal pathologies.
- Stickers based on medicinal plants - they are also known as Chinese patches. They are not official drugs, they are registered as products belonging to the categories of hygiene and hygiene products and cosmetics. The manufacturer emphasizes the efficacy and safety of the herbal patch due to the large number of useful natural substances that form the basis of the medical board. There are many variants of tape, and their reviews are mostly positive. Among the drawbacks, frequent allergic reactions and a large number of fakes are noted. Wide range of applications, including osteochondrosis in any part of the spine, sciatica.
how to use
All back pain patches are for external use only. They cannot be reused and must be disposed of after being removed from the skin. After removing the protective strip, apply the product to a well-cleaned dry skin surface in the disturbed area and leave it active for the time specified by the manufacturer.
The directive states:
- Pepper cream can be applied to the skin, providing a healing effect for 2 days. May irritate skin and cause severe burns. Reapply only after a short break. The gel patch is applied in a thin layer to the problem area without rubbing and waiting to dry completely. The formed film was removed within a day.
- Thermal patches are rarely applied directly to the bare body, because the perceived temperature can reach high values, so manufacturers recommend that they be fastened to fairly dense underwear. After opening the bag and removing the patch, remove the protective film. Must be used in full immediately - no cutting! The maximum usage time per day is 10-12 hours.
- Patches containing NSAIDs should only be worn for 24 hours. The maximum allowable daily dose is 30 mg. The duration of the course of treatment should not exceed 21 days.
- An anesthetic patch is applied to the skin in the area of greatest pain. They can cut and glue 3 pieces at the same time on different parts of the body. Application time - 1-5 hours, then the effect diminishes. Allow at least 12 hours between repeated applications. It is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of this treatment - if no positive results are observed after 2-4 weeks of regular use, the course of treatment should be completed.
- Patches with chondroprotective agents require prolonged use. Recommended regimen: Week 1 - use 24/7 (when reapplying, it is advisable to move the patch slightly so as not to unnecessarily obstruct skin breathing), week 2, then - use every other day. The manufacturer's instructions promise that noticeable changes will occur after 3 months of treatment, and in order to consolidate the results achieved, it will be necessary to extend the treatment for at least 3 months.
- Nanotechnology plasters are used for short courses: acute pain - 3-9 days, chronic disease exacerbation phase - 9-15 days. After a week off, you can repeat the treatment. The duration of the tape on the skin is limited to 12 hours, after which the skin must be rested for at least 6 hours. The treatment effect is often accompanied by a mild burning sensation and hot flashes.
Use contraindications
If we compare different types of patches, with the safety of the treatment as a criterion, then a modern development of high quality is the most desirable. The list of contraindications to their use is limited to the presence of open wounds, warts, large moles at the site of plate fixation, skin diseases, and pregnancy (due to the lack of sufficient clinical data to demonstrate safety in fetal development). The next safest patch is Nano Patch GS, which is contraindicated in pregnant and breastfeeding women, children and adolescents aged 0-18, and individuals with individual intolerance to the constituent ingredients. Heat patches should also not be used in people with diabetes or those who have undergone heart surgery.
The list ends with patches with NSAIDs that have the following contraindications:
- Hypersensitivity to non-steroidal substances, auxiliary components of the drug;
- aspirin triad;
- Kidney, liver dysfunction;
- Chronic course of cardiac insufficiency;
- erosions, ulcers of the gastrointestinal tract;
- worsening of porphyria;
- Elderly or Child Age - 0-15 years old;
- 3rd month of pregnancy or breastfeeding.
analog
The above is an exhaustive list of patches on the pharmaceutical market that have no analogues in this dosage form. Other medicaments, ointments and gels, sprays for the skin, including the same active substances, have the closest effect.
Back pain is a cause for immediate medical attention, and self-medication in any way can lead to the development of serious pathologies.