Pepper patch for back pain can be used by patients suffering from osteochondrosis, radiculitis, and various lesions of the lumbar and thoracic region. This remedy effectively provides treatment for various diseases. The action appears very quickly, and the effect lasts for a long time. Pepper has a warming and local irritant effect.
The application process is very simple, because the product is used for various lesions of the lower back and other parts of the back. Pepper patch is popular among athletes; it helps eliminate the consequences of serious injuries. The undoubted advantage of the product is the minimal list of contraindications.
Therapeutic effect, does it help?
Back pain can be considered a symptom of serious diseases, therefore, if discomfort is detected, you should not hesitate and self-medicate. If the pain syndrome manifests itself with noticeable frequency or bothers the patient constantly, it is worth contacting a doctor, undergoing an examination and clarifying the cause of its occurrence.
Depending on the etiology, pain is distinguished:
- muscular nature, provoked by spasm;
- inflammatory;
- traumatic;
- arising from pathologies of internal organs.
The most common cause of pain is muscle strain. It often occurs in people with sedentary jobs or jobs that require constant standing.
Pepper patch will help with muscle spasms
Lumbar pain occurs in people who abuse physical activity, in particular heavy lifting. Discomfort in the lumbar region also worries women in the early and late stages of pregnancy. In this case, the use of the patch is not recommended; the active substances can be absorbed into the systemic bloodstream and cause harm to the fetus.
Attention! Before you start using pepper patch to eliminate back pain, you need to accurately determine the cause of its occurrence. If it consists of diseases of the internal organs, such a remedy will not be effective.
What is pain anyway?
And for what sins does nature torment people? The official IASP (International Association for the Study of Pain) definition is: “Pain is an unpleasant sensory or emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage.” Let's translate it into human.
Normally, pain is an important and useful thing for survival. This is a clear signal to the brain from some part of the body or from an internal organ: “Hey, pay attention, there is a serious problem here, something needs to be done. Fast!". This signaling system allows a person to avoid too serious injuries and damage: if you feel unpleasant, you will try not to further interact with the cause of your troubles. This means that you are more likely to remain safe and almost unharmed. This is how everything happened during evolution.
The withdrawal reflex is a healthy biological response to acute pain.
But in the unhealthy body of an oncological patient (as well as a patient with cardiovascular disease or HIV, or, for example, tuberculosis), pain loses its useful signaling function and, on the contrary, interferes with both basic therapy and palliative care. The patient becomes depressed and loses the strength necessary to fight the disease. Chronic pain syndrome turns into an independent pathology that needs to be treated separately.
This is why more than a million people in Russia require pain relief every year. Moreover, from 400 to 800 thousand of them (according to various estimates) need opioid analgesics.
Indications for use
The list of diseases for which the use of a patch is justified includes:
- cervical, lumbar and thoracic osteochondrosis;
- intervertebral hernia;
- radiculitis;
- myositis;
- pinched nerve;
- lumbago;
- sprains that cause muscle spasms;
- neuralgia.
Pepper patch helps relieve pain in osteochondrosis, radiculitis and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system
Pepper patch anesthetizes, warms, soothes pain and stops the inflammatory process.
Pepper, which is the main active component, irritates the skin and normalizes blood circulation in the affected area. Due to this process, regeneration is accelerated and tissue nutrition is restored.
The product quite quickly helps eliminate pain in the affected area if used according to indications. The advantage of such a device is that, unlike many medications, it begins to act instantly, that is, immediately after gluing. An important advantage is safety, which is confirmed by the absence of restrictions on use in pediatric practice.
Reviews
There are very good reviews of the product on the Internet. The drug has a wide spectrum of action, does not cause side effects, and can be used by pregnant and lactating women. Many are attracted by the low cost of the drug.
Pepper patch is a cheap and easy way to get rid of pain in various areas of the body, cure even a chronic cough or improve the condition of your figure.
Reviews of Pepper patch for weight loss:
“I have used this patch several times. At first nothing happened, I already thought that the product would not help, but within a week results began to appear, the cellulite tubercles decreased very noticeably, the skin began to look better”;
“I understand that in any case, cellulite cannot be completely removed. But it is certainly possible to make the skin more elastic and smooth, since the ingredients in the patch have a inflammatory property, which improves microcirculation. I tried it and liked the effect”;
“ I have a feeling that I found what I was looking for, and it’s not expensive at all. The effect is amazing: at first the heat is intense, then the skin turns red, and in the end blood circulation improves significantly, fat accelerates and burns.”
Main contraindications
Pepper patch is a medicine, so there are contraindications to its use:
- individual sensitivity to the components of the composition;
- children under 7 years of age (some manufacturers set their own age limit and do not recommend choosing a remedy for treating children under 12 years of age);
- skin damage (wounds, abrasions, burns);
- skin diseases;
- increased body temperature;
- ulcerative lesions;
- purulent wounds;
- psoriasis;
- predisposition to allergic skin reactions.
The product should not be used for any damage to the skin.
Before you start using this product, you should consult a doctor. He will tell you which method will help relieve back pain with minimal health risks.
The active substance of the drug does not come into contact with other medications, so cross-reactions are excluded.
Side effects may occur during use:
- burning at the site of application;
- increased pain syndrome;
- itching and redness of the skin;
- local increase in body temperature in the area of application;
- rash;
- allergic reaction.
Be sure to read: Pain under the right shoulder blade from the back: what is it, 15 causes, treatment for aching, strong, sharp, sharp, nagging and dull pain
If any side effect occurs, the patch should be immediately removed from the skin. Do not wash the area with water. To eliminate irritation, you need to apply Vaseline oil or use baby cream. You can wash off the remaining active ingredient after eliminating acute symptoms.
How is cancer pain treated, or where does the pain management ladder lead?
Probably, every doctor considers those drugs that turned out to be the most effective in his personal practical experience to be more correct and successful. But any oncologist, trying to relieve pain, must remember the WHO recommendations for the treatment of cancer pain.
These recommendations were built in the form of a three-step “ladder” back in 1986, and since then the main postulates have remained unchanged.
First stage. For mild pain, they begin with non-narcotic analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and drugs (NSAIDs/NSAIDs). These are the usual over-the-counter paracetamol, ibuprofen, aspirin, etc. For muscle and joint pain, diclofenac and others are prescribed.
The mode of action of NSAIDs is that they block the enzyme cyclooxygenase, reducing the synthesis of prostaglandins, thereby reducing the sensitivity of pain receptors.
Such drugs do not cause addiction or dependence, but in large dosages they can harm the gastrointestinal tract, so the dose cannot be increased endlessly and uncontrollably, so as not to complicate the situation with gastric bleeding.
Second stage. Further, if the pain intensifies, codeine and tramadol are prescribed. These are “light” opiates. They act by attaching to opioid receptors in the central nervous system and replacing endorphins there.
Endorphins are neurotransmitters, one of whose functions is to inhibit the transmission of weak pain impulses from the spinal cord to the brain. This allows us not to cry in pain every time we put our elbows on the table or jump from a height of half a meter. But with intense pain, the production of endorphins decreases. Opioid receptors are released, nerve impulses are not inhibited, and the person experiences pain.
This is how an inhibitory interneuron usually behaves - it releases endorphins to block the incoming nerve impulse so that the brain “does not pay attention”
Tramadol is taken together with analgin, paracetamol and other first-stage medications - the effect is complex: simultaneous effects on both the central and peripheral nervous systems.
It is important that tramadol, although it is an opiate, is a non-narcotic analgesic . It is easier for the patient to receive it and does not need to be afraid of potential addiction.
Third stage. The doctor and his patient find themselves at this stage when weak opiates no longer help him. Strong opiates come into play, the main one being morphine. Strong opiates bind to opioid receptors much more reliably than weak ones, and therefore act more powerfully. However, this effect comes at a cost: these drugs can already cause addiction - but only if they are used incorrectly and uncontrollably.
Therefore, they begin to climb to the third stage just as gradually. Buprenorphine or fentanyl, which are 50% and 75% effective compared to morphine, are prescribed and administered strictly according to schedule, starting with the minimum dose. Under the supervision of a doctor, subject to the recommended dosages and frequency of administration, with a gradual increase in “power”, the likelihood of developing pathological dependence is extremely low.
It is important that at each stage so-called adjuvant , that is, auxiliary, therapy can be used. Adjuvant drugs do not relieve pain on their own, but in combination with basic analgesics they either enhance their effect or neutralize side effects. This group includes antidepressants, corticosteroids, antiemetics and anticonvulsants, antihistamines, etc.
Composition and types of pepper patches
The main active ingredient present in the pepper patch is the extract - capsaicin. Due to its activity, a therapeutic result is achieved. Local irritation allows you to obtain an analgesic effect. An undoubted advantage is that the active substance is not absorbed into the systemic circulation and does not provoke general reactions. The maximum risk is the high likelihood of developing allergies.
A piece of patch contains capsicum extract as an active ingredient, but the composition also contains other components:
- rubber;
- lanolin;
- Vaseline oil;
- belladonna extract.
Attention! The composition may be slightly changed by the manufacturer depending on the technology used.
The listed components provide an analgesic effect and quickly relieve inflammation. Due to such activity, pain is eliminated quickly, but not for long. According to reviews from patients with osteochondrosis, the course must be repeated several times a month to permanently eliminate pain. In some cases, a patch is only a temporary solution to the problem; examination and comprehensive treatment are a necessity.
Pepper patch is only a temporary measure for illnesses
Ready-made drugs
Domestic brand of plasters - Doctor Peretz
On pharmacy shelves you can find a lot of pepper plasters that have an analgesic effect:
- Medrull;
- Dr. House;
- Ekoplast;
- Leosan pepper;
- Pepper Assistant;
- Doctor Peretz.
The price of most patches is affordable for every average person.
Patch tolerance test
Before applying the pepper patch, you need to check your body for tolerance to the individual components of the product. Such actions will help avoid dangerous consequences during treatment. The warming effect should not be too intense. If an acute burning sensation occurs after application, an allergic reaction or skin burn may occur. Such conditions are quite dangerous and difficult to treat.
To test for susceptibility, you need to take a standard piece (2x2 cm) and apply it to your wrist. The reaction should appear within 2 hours and should not be ignored. Changes in skin color, itching and burning sensation are indications for immediate removal of the strip. If after this time the skin turns red or even purple, do not use the product. A section of the product must be removed and a baby cream or a special anti-burn or anti-allergic agent applied to the skin. Pantestin, Panthenol or Fenistil will do.
How to do an allergy test
If symptoms of a local allergic reaction occur, take an antihistamine or apply it to the skin. If such actions are ineffective, you should seek qualified medical help.
The medicine can be used if a slight sensation of warmth appears in the area of application, and the skin has slightly changed its shade to pink. Such signs indicate a natural reaction of the skin to an irritant in the form of red pepper extract. After the test manipulation, lower back pain can be safely eliminated using this remedy.
Attention! If pain and intense burning occurs during use, the strip should be removed immediately. Severe discomfort indicates the development of a negative reaction.
Release form
The product is produced in the form of a strip of fabric with or without perforation, with a uniform layer of adhesive mass on it and a specific smell. The color of the mass ranges from yellow to brownish-brown. The patch has a protective film (or paper) that must be removed before use. The size of the patch is 6 by 10 cm or 10 by 18 cm.
The drug is also sold in the form of two strips of fabric with adhesive paste, glued to each other with the front side. The medicine is in bags, in cardboard boxes, 1, 2, 4, 10, 20, 40 or 80 pieces.
Where should I glue it?
Before using a medicinal product, you need to study the rules for its use, namely:
- Before application, the skin is treated with an alcohol-containing liquid.
- Remove the film from the patch and try to apply it evenly to the affected area.
- If the pain is traced in different parts of the spine. The product can be cut into pieces and pasted over all affected areas.
- The product is kept on the skin for no more than 2 days.
If back discomfort persists after removing the patch, you can repeat the application. It is worth using a new sticker; it is applied to another area of skin located in close proximity. Repeated application to the same place is unacceptable.
Areas of application for osteochondrosis and other diseases
The area where the pepper patch is applied depends on the reasons for its use. You should consider the list of the most common indications for use:
- If osteochondrosis affects the spine or lumbar region, the sticker is applied to the areas of maximum pain. The instructions do not recommend making an applique in the center of the back. Because capsaicin, which is the main component, can damage nerve roots.
- For sinusitis and other lesions of the nasal sinuses, a small piece of the sticker is applied to the area between the eyebrows. The patient should take into account that the skin of the face is quite sensitive, so the adhesive strip should be worn for no more than 3-56 hours.
- Women often use the device to combat cellulite in the thighs and to eliminate obesity. Reviews do not confirm the effectiveness of the product. The technique is effective only when the girl does additional physical exercise, then the patch helps achieve the sauna effect.
- For coughs that occur due to bronchitis or other respiratory diseases, pepper patch is also used in pediatric practice. Children tolerate the treatment process less well and irritation occurs more often, which is why experts do not recommend using the technique at home.
Be sure to read: Pain under the shoulder blade: 25 reasons, how to identify the disease by symptoms, what to do, how to treat it, how to relieve it
Where should you apply pepper patch for back pain?
Before using the patch, you need to determine the disease. If the cause of back pain is various pathologies of internal organs, heating can harm the patient's health. Self-medication in such cases is unacceptable. The patient urgently needs to be shown to a doctor and his medical history determined.
Be sure to read this good article:
TOP 12 therapeutic patches for back and lower back pain: pepper, Chinese, Japanese, magnetic
How much should I wear?
The effectiveness of the active component of the product remains for 2 weeks after opening the sealed packaging and removing the protective layer. This condition is not key to determining the duration of wear. Leaving the product on the skin for a long time can cause severe burns.
According to the instructions, the product should be kept on the skin for no more than 2 days.
This time is enough for its activity to manifest itself. If the pain syndrome has not been eliminated or has arisen in another place, it is worth using a new strip, because it is almost impossible to remove the old one without damaging the skin and preserving the active layer.
The maximum duration of wearing a pepper patch is 2 weeks, but every 2 days you need to change it to a new one and re-stick it to another place. If after a course of therapy the effect does not appear, you should consult a doctor to clarify the cause of the pain.
The main pain is the imperfection of the system
The problem of insufficient provision of strong analgesics to patients with serious diagnoses is one of the most, excuse me, painful problems in Russian oncology in particular and palliative medicine in general.
Yes, you will say that in our private clinic all these processes are well established; patients and their relatives do not have to spend weeks trying to “knock out” the required stamp on the prescription from the doctor, and then win a free package of the drug from the pharmacy. But our doctors have worked in public hospitals for many years, and every week we receive patients who have just come from there, so the gravity of the situation is clear to us.
After the suicide of Rear Admiral Apanasenko in 2014, some progress began, but not everything was as rosy as promised.
Many doctors simply do not want to prescribe because they are afraid. Everyone remembers the high-profile case of Alevtina Khorinyak. She was completely acquitted, but many are also afraid of being put on trial for allegedly “illegal trafficking.”
Patients, in turn, are afraid to take tramadol, considering it something similar to heroin. We hope that the part of the article where we explain about the WHO “ladder” has somewhat organized this information in the minds of citizens.
To ensure that there is no more fear, and therefore potential unnecessary pain, let us explain the procedure required to obtain a narcotic drug.
How to remove it painlessly?
To ensure uniform adhesion and tight adhesion of the patch to the skin, manufacturers use a fairly dense adhesive solution. It saturates the entire treatment plate, so removing it after use is not always easy and completely painless.
It is not recommended to remove the patch with a sudden movement
Attention! Do not try to tear off the sticker with a sudden movement. The skin under the treatment device is irritated, so unnecessary mechanical impact can further injure it. Damage to capillaries located a short distance under the skin is possible.
Damage can be prevented by following simple rules:
- remove the adhesive plate smoothly;
- You should first lie in a warm bath so that the sticker soaks thoroughly;
- You can apply a little of any oil to the patch and wait about 15 minutes after application.
Such simple manipulations will prevent damage to the skin; the patch can be removed without traumatizing the skin. After removing the sticker, the skin should be well coated with baby cream or any composition that has a soothing effect. This will help avoid discomfort in everyday life.
Patients of different age categories can use the pepper patch for back pain, but before using it you need to pass a tolerance test, otherwise there is a risk of developing an acute allergy.
The product is effective for radiculitis and osteochondrosis, helps relieve pain due to lower back fatigue.
It is often used by athletes during the rehabilitation period after serious injuries. In this case, the patient should receive additional consultation from a specialist. The use of the device in case of serious pinched nerve is unacceptable. The warming effect may cause partial immobility or decreased sensitivity.
Pepper exhibits its effect immediately, at the place of use there is a feeling of warmth, perhaps slight discomfort. The effect lasts for a long time, treatment of the disease is provided around the clock. The main advantage of this method is its simplicity and safety, but despite such criteria, consultation with a doctor is necessary.
