Topical Vs Oral Medications

Each year, the Global Pain Index provides a global, cross-sectional & representative assessment of the state of pain in the world (PDF). The report captures the perceived immediate impact of pain on individuals’ everyday lives, their health, their feelings, emotions, motivations and behaviours from their experience at a global and country level. In 2020:

• 93% of the global population suffered from pain;

• 34% of the global population are in pain every day;

• 20% of chronic pain persists in people under 30 years old;

• 72% of affected people believe pain decreases their quality of life;

• 77% of affected people wish they could control their pain better;

• 76% of affected people want to learn more about how to manage their pain;

• 65% cannot be happy when experiencing pain;

• 30% of pain sufferers visit a doctor for treatment and 23% of those that visit a doctor are dissatisfied with the treatment;

• 25% will use natural remedies to help with pain management;

• 6% of affected people take Cannabidiol based treatments.

With 76% of individuals suffering with pain wanting to learn more about how to manage their pain, we are hoping that this blog and the white paper that forms the basis of this introduction (PDF) may increase awareness of the pain phenomenon and educate individuals about emerging and innovative treatments involving Cannabidiol.

We want to connect with individuals that want to learn more and recommend that they try topical medications as opposed to oral pain relief as it is safer and faster. We would also like to introduce them to a new natural alternative that has been independently reviewed incredibly well for getting rid of pain and recommend that they try HEMPE Hot & Ice gels.

What is a NSAID?

By definition, a NSAID is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. These drugs reduce inflammation in the body which in term helps with pain reduction. Examples include aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and celecoxib. They also work well to treat pain caused by arthritis, inflammation, fever, and other conditions such as menstrual cramps.

You can take NSAID's orally or topically - this blog is going to recommend taking NSAID's topically rather than orally especially for long term use.

What is the difference between oral pain relief and topical pain relief?

Oral pain relief refers to medications like pills that are swallowed to reduce pain. Oral relief takes longer to set in as the active ingredient has to deliver to the whole body and it has to go through your gut. For example, if you have a sore knee the active ingredient is also delivered everywhere else in your body as well as the knee.

Topical NSAID's are pain relievers that work directly on the affected area by applying them directly to the skin. This is called topical application. Some common examples include cold, heat, ice, or compresses and lotions. Topical NSAID's are are slowly becoming more accepted and more popular as they are just as effective but significantly safer for long term use.

Why are topical pain relievers better than oral pain medications?

So much of the pain suffered today is chronic pain - things like joint pain, musculoskeletal pain, neuropathic pain and arthritis pain are acute pains that recur often. Oral pills and oral NSAIDs have become the most common method of pain treatment. But they are not necessarily the most effective.

There are several key reasons that it may be better to take topical NSAID's than oral NSAID's:

  • Topicals precisely target where the relief is needed - if you have a sore elbow, you rub the gel and therefore the topical analgesics or pain relievers directly onto your sore elbow. When taking oral medication, the active ingredients have to pass through your gut and be delivered all around the entire body.
  • Topicals are safer- topical gels and creams do not have to pass through your internal organs as pills do. This makes topical pain relievers to be much safer for long term use. As an aside, they also cause less stomach upset.
  • Topical products work faster than oral NSAID's- especially when the painful muscle or joint is close to the skin. Instead of the pill having to digest through your gut first, the active ingredients are delivered right away for immediate relief from pain.
  • Topical NSAID's can treat various types of pain that are not effectively dealt by oral medication - things like inflamed tendons and muscle pain are reached more easily by topical treatments.
  • Over time, the body can become accustomed to the pain-relieving effects produced by oral pills and topical products offer an effective alternative.
  • Oral pills are prone to misuse - due to drug intolerance and side effects and this is avoided with using topicals instead.
  • Topical formulations deliver a higher concentration of the pain ingredients to the right places they don't have to distribute to the entire body.
  • Low or no systemic drug levels from topicals means fewer or no side effects and absence of drug drug interactions. Very rarely associated with any adverse events.

There are instances where oral pain relief might suit a consumer better but we believe that topical medication should be the prevalent safer and faster choice for most customers that have aches or pains in the muscles, joints or body.

Are Topical NSAID's safe to use?

The topical form of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are considered to be far safer than oral forms of pain relief. But as with oral treatments, they should only be used for relatively short periods of time as many of the topical treatments contain diclofenac which taken over time may also lead to adverse events.

Is there a natural alternative to topical diclofenac that would be safer to use in the long term?

Yes, there is a strong natural safer alternative. 

Derived from plants - HEMPE Hot and Ice gels are a powerful natural alternative that offer a carefully researched combination of the very best ingredients that nature can offer - CBD, Clove Leaf Oil, Cypress Oil, Eucalyptus, Laurel Leaf Oil, Lavender, Mentha Arvensis, Pinus Sylvestris and Vitamin E.

Check out the ingredients and what they do here. The gels do not contain topical diclofenac, so are certainly worth a try if you're seeking fast and effective relief from painful muscle or joint ailments.

Do Topical NSAIDs work for arthritis and musculoskeletal pain?

The best way to relieve arthritis or musculoskeletal pain is to take steps to prevent further damage to your bones and joints. If you suffer from either you have probably tried exercise, weight loss and perhaps even hot and cold patches. But sometimes even the best efforts aren’t enough to keep your pain ratings under control.

If you experience chronic pain, it is definitely worth trying a topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug such a cream, gel or rub. We strongly recommend trying our Hempe Hot gel or another topical gel. 

To Sum it Up

Pain is a pervasive threat to feelings of wellbeing for many people in our society.

People are suffering from pain for a myriad of reasons including arthritis pain, neuropathic pain, chronic knee pain & sports injuries. 

At the moment the most popular way to combat this pain is through the use of oral NSAID's or oral pain medication pills. Repeated use of oral treatments may carry certain adverse effects. 

Topical analgesics are pain reliefs that are rubbed into the skin in the form of gels or creams etc.We recommend that sufferers examine the use of topical pain reliefs instead of oral reliefs because they are faster, safer, less addictive and get more of the active ingredients to the required place.

At the very least it makes sense to consider taking topicals to see what beneficial effects occur instead of taking pills. There is another strong natural option - Hempe Helps!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.