For those who suffer from back pain, the patch is an easy-to-use, affordable, effective and safe dosage form. It can not cure the disease or eliminate the cause of discomfort because. This is just an important link in the treatment complex. The effect of the patch is aimed at eliminating or alleviating the painful symptoms of the disease, improving the quality of life at home, without the help of a medical professional, taking harmful or painful pills for the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract. Injections that have many side effects and contraindications. Without adverse effects on other systems and organs, the back pain patch delivers the healing substances to the required location, providing sufficient concentration to develop a therapeutic effect and a point effect directly on the source of the pain.
Properties and types of plaster
A patch is a relatively new form of medication associated with the transdermal therapeutic system.
Its distinctive feature is the unique structure, which has a number of advantages:
- Ease of use, ease of carrying - invisibility to others, maintaining freedom of movement, comfort of treatment (depending on the type of product and the expected effect, the tincture can be on the skin for 1 hour to 2-3 days);
- The active elements rapidly penetrate into the superficial blood vessels through the upper layers of the skin, beginning to act purposefully and more rapidly than in oral forms;
- Systemic effects are provided when applied to the skin, but the substances are absorbed into the inferior or superior vena cava system, bypassing the liver and digestive tract, and do not undergo a complex of biochemical transformations (primary liver and gastric metabolism). In which the therapeutic substances decompose and usually lose their pharmacological activity;
- Ability to slowly release active ingredients on the surface of the dermis, ensuring a long period of exposure. This occurs due to the continuous supply of the drug to the body at a rate that creates a level of constant and minimal therapeutic concentration of the drug in the blood;
- Absence of withdrawal syndrome with abrupt end of application;
- Ability to combine with other medications, physiotherapy procedures and treatment methods;
- Controlling the release and prolonged action of the spinal analgesic patch allows to reduce the frequency of taking the prescribed medication. This, in turn, reduces the systemic and local side effects that are characteristic of prolonged repeated use, the presence and magnitude of the cumulative effect, and avoids the possible attenuation of the pharmacological effect.
Because of its benefits, transdermal therapy has quickly gained popularity. Dozens of medical adhesive tapes with various active ingredients are officially registered in the world. All existing varnishes for the treatment of back pain, depending on the composition and principle of exposure, can be divided into groups. This division is conditional because many of them act by several mechanisms and produce a complex effect when the influence of one active component complements the work of another. Patches of local and foreign manufacturers are presented in the pharmaceutical market.
In pharmacies you can find products of the following brands, which specialize in the production of dosed, completely ready-made medicines for external use in the form of patches:
- Irritating action;
- With heat-reflecting coating, dry heat;
- With nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or other anti-inflammatory drugs;
- With the addition of medicinal herbs and oils;
- Based on substances with chondroprotective action;
- Analgesics with local anesthetics;
- Nanotechnology.
An overview of the most popular spots on the spine
The development and introduction of transdermal therapeutic systems has replaced the idea of a patch as a simple sticker that protects against injury. The availability of the drug reservoir has made the patch an important element for the symptomatic treatment of low back pain and an alternative for parenteral and oral administration. There are many causes that can cause pain and heaviness in the back. It can be caused by problems of the musculoskeletal system, diseases of the internal organs, physical overload, hypothermia, stretched nerves, chronic infection, spinal cord injury, stress, age-related changes.
In order not to aggravate the situation, the pain can not be ignored, it rarely goes away on its own. Treatment should be timely and competent - an integrated approach is needed. Depending on the type and severity of the pain, the probable causes of their occurrence, the physiological characteristics of the body, the doctor may prescribe one or another drug.
Only a specialist, after a survey and thorough examination can determine which medical sticker is better because. They differ in the principle of operation and tasks. Brief description and characteristics of the most commonly prescribed analgesic spots for spinal treatment:
- Pepper - the most popular, well-proven. Cheap and effective. Liquid patch gels are transparent, hypoallergenic, securely attached. When using gel tape the increase in heat is felt after 2 minutes. Capsaicin-based stickers (extract made from hot capsules) improve blood flow, metabolic processes in the affected area, reduce muscle tension, have a local irritant, warming, antispasmodic and laxative effect. They relieve pain due to the distraction effect, while the pain is replaced by a slight burning and tingling sensation. Aggressive, can irritate the skin. Indicated for sciatica, rheumatic diseases, arthralgia syndrome, spinal neuralgia, lumbago, myalgia of the spinal muscles.
- A category of thermal plastics containing a set of substances (turf sand, coke, salt, activated carbon, iron and mineral powder, etc. ) that can heat up to 40-58 degrees in just 20 minutes in contact with air and maintain an optimum temperature of 7-12 hours. This subgroup has a high cost and a relatively long list of contraindications. Disposable stickers anesthetize, provide uniform heating, increase blood circulation, and relax tense deep muscle fibers that flow along the spinal column. Warming tincture helps with rheumatism, osteochondrosis, myositis of other muscles of the waist or spine, chronic osteoarthritis, sciatica.
- Patch masses with the inclusion of diclofenac are members of the group of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They act quickly without irritating the skin. They are characterized by pronounced anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. The effect is long lasting. Eliminate pain associated with the inflammatory process of edema. The synthetic composition of the nonsteroidal structure leads to the likelihood of adverse reactions (the risk increases with prolonged treatment with the patch). They usually bring relief in the acute periods of the disease: inflammation, degenerative changes of the spine, lumbosciatica. Also shown for back and joints as a means of rapid recovery from overwork, trauma, stretching.
- Highly targeted adhesive 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 cartilage from harmful factors, helps to restore the hyaline layer and stimulates tissue regeneration. The drug is of natural origin, expensive, supplies nutrients and anti-inflammatory substances. Its action is aimed at eliminating the underlying cause of pain syndrome. This type of patch is recommended for deformed, degenerative-dystrophic changes of the spine.
- A local anesthetic in combination with lidocaine, which is a combination of 2 anesthetics. Strong analgesics, provide skin anesthesia, the effect lasts for another 120 minutes after removing the treatment strip from the skin. Used for neuropathic pain in the spine, before injections or superficial surgery.
- Innovations produced using special technologies. They include the smallest amount of bioactive substances deposited on a polymer base that can easily penetrate the layers of the epidermis, reach the painful site, generate radiation in the infrared region of the spectrum, and create a permanent magnetic field. The combined effect of the nanoparticles is to increase local blood flow, improve lymphatic drainage, relieve pain, inflammatory reactions, remove swelling, relax muscles, and restore function. Spots are shown against the background of impaired sensitivity, pain in the cervix, nerve in the lumbar region, sciatica, spondylarthrosis, osteochondrosis and other pathologies of the spine.
- Stickers based on medicinal plants - they are also called Chinese spots. They are not officially a medicine, they are registered as belonging to the category of sanitary and hygienic products and cosmetics. Manufacturers emphasize the effectiveness and safety of herbal varnishes due to the huge amount of beneficial natural substances that form the basis of the medical plate. There are many variations of adhesive tapes and the reviews from them are mostly positive. Disadvantages include frequent allergic reactions and a large number of fakes. The range of application is wide, includes osteochondrosis of any part of the spine, sciatica.
How can I use it
All back pain varnishes are for external use only. They are not subject to re-use, they must be discarded after removal from the skin. After removing the protective strip, the product is applied to a well-cleaned dry skin surface, on the affected area and left to act for a period of time specified by the manufacturer.
The instruction states that:
- Pepper plaster can be applied to the skin, providing a therapeutic effect, for 2 days. May irritate skin and cause severe burns. Re-use is possible only after a short break. Apply the gel tincture on the problem area in a thin layer, without rubbing, waiting for complete drying. The formed film is removed during the day.
- Thermal stains are rarely attached directly to the naked body, as the perceived temperature can reach high values, so the manufacturer recommends attaching them to fairly dense underwear. After opening the packing bag and removing the patch, remove the protective film from it. It must be used immediately and completely - it is forbidden to cut! The maximum duration of use is 10-12 hours per day.
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are only allowed for 24 hours, with a maximum daily dose of 30 mg. The duration of the course of treatment should not exceed 21 days.
- Anesthetic patches are applied to the skin for maximum pain. They can be cut, glued to 3 different parts of the body at the same time. Time of use - 1-5 hours, then the effect weakens. The interval between repeated uses is at least 12 hours. It is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of such treatment - if after 2-4 weeks of regular use no positive results are observed, then the course of treatment should be completed.
- Patches with chondroprotectors require long-term use. Recommended mode: the first week - daily, use for an entire hour (when re-applying it is desirable to move the plant slightly so as not to interrupt the skin breathing too much), the second week and then - every other day. The manufacturer's instructions promise that visible changes will appear 3 months after the start of treatment and to enhance the effect achieved it is necessary to continue therapy for at least 3 months.
- Nanotechnology plastics are used in short courses: acute pain - 3-9 days, stage of exacerbation of chronic disease - 9-15 days. After a one-week break you can repeat the treatment. The duration of continuous adhesive tape on the skin is limited to 12 hours, after which the skin should rest for at least 6 hours. The therapeutic effect is often accompanied by a slight burning sensation and fever.
Contraindications to use
If we compare different types of patches as a criterion for treatment safety, then high quality modern developers are most preferred. The list of contraindications for their use is limited to the presence of open wounds, warts, large carpets in the areas of plate fixation, skin diseases and pregnancy (due to the lack of sufficient clinical data confirming the safety of fetal development). The next safest patch is Nano Patch GS, the treatment of which is prohibited for pregnant and lactating women, children 0-18 years and adolescents, and individuals with individual intolerances to the components. Thermal patches should also not be used in patients with diabetes or who have undergone heart surgery.
The list is closed with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which have the following contraindications:
- Hypersensitivity to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs);
- Aspirin triad;
- Impaired renal, liver function;
- Chronic course of heart dysfunction;
- Erosion, gastrointestinal ulcers;
- Exacerbation of porphyrin disease;
- Elderly or children - 0-15 years;
- 3rd trimester of pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Analogs
The above is an exhaustive list of patches on the pharmaceutical market, they have no analogue in this dosage form. Other preparations for dermal use, ointments and gels, sprays, including the same active ingredient, have the closest effect.
Back pain is a reason to consult a doctor immediately, self-medication by any means can lead to the development of serious pathology.