How does menthol help arthritis

And because it causes fewer side effects than NSAID pills, it may be preferable for older people or those with heart or kidney problems. It contains the ingredients camphor and menthol, which create a cooling sensation and help to relieve muscle and joint pain. Research finds that Tiger Balm helpful for relieving muscular aches. And people who are on blood thinners should avoid formulations that contain the ingredient methyl salicylate. Bengay arthritis cream is used to relieve muscle and bone pain.

It contains salicylates, camphor, and menthol. Bengay reduces inflammation and has cooling and warming effects. Shop for Bengay non-vanishing gel online here. Icy Hot contains menthol and salicylates. It provides an initial cooling sensation followed by heat.

Icy Hot is also available in a vanishing gel, so the menthol scent disappears quickly. Shop for Icy Hot non-vanishing cream online. It contains salicylates but no counterirritants. It may also be a good choice if your skin is sensitive to counterirritant ingredients. The active ingredient in Capzasin-HP arthritis cream is capsaicin.

Its warming sensation is much milder than the one you feel when you eat peppers. Still, you should stop using this cream if you find that capsaicin irritates your skin.

The active ingredient in Sportscreme is salicylate. This scented cream has a thicker consistency than most other creams, so it takes a little more rubbing to massage it into the skin. Although arthritis creams are OTC products, you still need to use them properly.

Follow these steps to help ensure your arthritis cream is safe and effective. With so many arthritis pain relief creams on the market, it can be hard to know which is right for you. This content does not have an Arabic version. See more conditions. Arthritis pain: Treatments absorbed through your skin. Products and services. Arthritis pain: Treatments absorbed through your skin Learn about the various types of topical pain medications available for pain relief.

By Mayo Clinic Staff. Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references Rodriguez-Merchan EC. Topical therapies for knee osteoarthritis.

Postgraduate Medicine. Meng Z, et al. Topical treatment of degenerative knee osteoarthritis. The American Journal of the Medical Sciences.

Arthritis Foundation. Accessed June 11, Deveza LA, et al. Management of knee osteoarthritis. Accessed June 12, Back pain treatments. Majeed MH, et al. Pharmacological treatment of pain in osteoarthritis: A descriptive review. Current Rheumatology Reports. A: Over-the-counter topical pain relievers often include methyl salicylate also known as oil of wintergreen.

This ingredient gives topical pain relievers that minty smell and creates a cooling sensation when applied to the skin. Methyl salicylate is often used as counterirritant, which basically acts as a distraction to pain points. Depending on the product and the other ingredients in it, these rub on treatments may also contain a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug NSAID.

Some topical pain relievers also contain capsaicin, which is a compound found in chili peppers and is responsible for producing a warming sensation. Other products may contain menthol, also known as mint camphor, which causes a cooling sensation and can trick the mind into thinking that the skin or body temperature is dropping. In return, this cooling feeling desensitizes the nerve endings. Like ice or cold packs, menthol decreases arterial blood flow.

A: Topical pain relievers work best on acute musculoskeletal pain, rather than chronic pain. So if you have a nagging sore neck or pulled a muscle in your shoulder , you might benefit from slathering on a layer. Discomfort and pain associated with cancer has also been shown to improve from topical pain relievers.