Voltarol or tiger balm for joint pain relief?

Shinamae, At risk of being told off it could be that a firm mattress is not necessarily good for older people. Try adding a comfortable topper such as the Dormeo Octaspring, which I find makes a firm mattress more comfortable.

A dear friend of mine used Voltarol, was prescribed it but also topped up with it from Boots for knee pain. She became addicted to it as it helped her pain so much but damaged her kidneys. She died a couple of years ago as a result. Please be careful. Cream and gel seems ok compared to tablets but can bet harmful.

I'm a fan of exercise and stretching afterwards for pain. It has worked on persistent pain in my hips, burstitus and knee pain when walking. None of which I have any longer as a result of walking 10,000 steps a day in lockdown- however long it took me.
It has helped reduce stiffness and preserved or extended my range of motion. It works by boosting production of synovial fluid, the lubricant inside the joints. Synovial fluid helps to bring oxygen and nutrients into joints. Exercise helps keep your joints "well-oiled.". This is far better than putting on or taking pain killers which just treat the symptoms and not the problem.
If your GP says its long covid you could certainly use the stretching.

Gentle exercise is the best thing. Getting joints moving helps ease pain. Tried and tested....

MayBee70. Even topical creams can cause as much damage as tablets. Prescription strength Voltarol in particular and in general anything containing anti inflammatory agents.

Can I ask if you’ve seen your GP ? I’ve no wish to be an alarmist but I started with pain in my knee joint 12 months ago - nothing worked and after being referred to a specialist I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Am now on medication which has sorted out the pain and is helping prevent the spread. I’m not saying your pain will be this, but all the same, it’s worth having it checked out because if it is some form of arthritis all the painkillers in the world won’t help until you get the right treatment, and rheumatoid arthritis in particular can spread throughout your joints unless you get prompt treatment. In the meantime avoid anything with anti inflammatory medication in it - which Voltarol has. Eventually it gives you stomach problems - my late husband took Diclofenac on prescription for joint pain and ended up in hospital with a stomach bleed. Tiger Balm is good and someone upthread mentioned Bee Venom, which is available from Amazon - also good.

I tested a product for Beauty Bible early last year called Mio
Muscle Motivator Revitalising Gel.
I have arthritic knees and shoulders and pain in the top of my arms. I have tried many gels, Swiss green muscle and most of the ones I've seen advertised. This was the best by far. I have bought it since then. It is much cheaper if you buy it on an Amazon regular order which I have recently subscribed to. I have great hopes for better mobility, although the warmer weather of the past few days has helped. We've also just had our second jabs and actually feel better than before we had them. Very odd, I expected a negative reaction and it's been two days now.

grandtanteJE65

Shinamae please ask your GP this question, not us.

We do not know why you have joint pain, nor are we qualified to tell you what to use.

My stiff knees reacted favourably to two large glasses of water, drunk in the course of the forenoon, which told me I wasn't getting enough liquids in the course of a day.

I feel I can safely recommend you try my cure too, but anything else is a matter for your G.P.

I have spoken to my GP and he seems to think it might be long Covid. I was just asking for opinions on pain relief gel not a diagnosis of the problem. I am trying to up my water intake and cut my coffee down..thank you

MayBee70

I don’t think topical creams cause the problems that tablets do.

They are not recommended if you're taking blood thinners, so I assume they're just as effective as oral Ibuprofen and therefore will cause the same problems.

I use Pernaton Gel, it's a green lipped mussel extract gel for joint massage and it's has a naturally occurring glucosamine. I find it helps my hip and the back of my neck and shoulders.

Annaram1

It could be that your mattress is at fault. If it is more than 10 years old it may be time to buy a new one. There are lots on the market and many are advertised on TV. I have got a Dormeo topper and find I don't get as many aches and pains as before. I've also noticed adds for Emma and Simba mattresses.

My mattress is less than a year old and is a firm one and very comfortable for me

minxie

Muscle flex which is just a miracle in a tube

This intrigued me. It's Musselflex (made from mussels) and seems to have good feedback so I've just ordered some. I'm hoping it will help me sleep better as I've been having leg and hip pain at night.

It could be that your mattress is at fault. If it is more than 10 years old it may be time to buy a new one. There are lots on the market and many are advertised on TV. I have got a Dormeo topper and find I don't get as many aches and pains as before. I've also noticed adds for Emma and Simba mattresses.

Shinamae please ask your GP this question, not us.

We do not know why you have joint pain, nor are we qualified to tell you what to use.

My stiff knees reacted favourably to two large glasses of water, drunk in the course of the forenoon, which told me I wasn't getting enough liquids in the course of a day.

I feel I can safely recommend you try my cure too, but anything else is a matter for your G.P.

Tbh I found Deep Heat as good as anything.

Glad this question was asked as it made me look in the cupboard for Tiger Balm and found China Balm and have put it on as my knee very painful awaiting x ray in May.

I have Polymyalgia Rheumatica and OA in knee so cannot use NSAID... was recommended Flexiseq by PMR forum.. its brilliant and OTC at Boots or Amazon. The other recommendations are Arthriex from Boots, also OTC: it took about a month to work. Just fantastic. Glucosamine 1500 mgm and specifically used for knee arthritis. Good Luck?

I hope this helps someone, as an alternative to medications.

In my 50s I had to give up all exercise because of the pain and huge swelling in my knees which were being regularly drained and sometimes injected with steroids. I tried everything then on the market and also an elimination diet on which I lost 1.5 stone and I was low weight before I started. Nothing helped but then a gym with a pool opened very near me and I joined in order to exercise in the water, though I could ill afford the fees. The swelling and pain in my knees began to fade and within a year I was swimming with ease and even able to walk to the gym and back. I returned to work, swimming every day before work at 6.30 am and 7 am at weekends.

Thanks to present circumstances I have had more pain this last year than for 2 decades and am longing to get back to regular swimming to sort it all out.

DH uses 'dog oil' from Holland and Barrett. This will not interfere with any medication.

I have just bought some locally produced organic apple cider vinegar and I’m going to try that with a mixture of cinnamon and honey and hot water. I will drink it through a straw because the vinegar can attack the enamel on the teeth....

Yes Icanhandthemback Tumeric in capsule form is what I take.I also did try the cannabis oil paid about £80 for it but ended up giving it to my daughter-in-law because I got no effect from it....

Have you tried Turmeric as a Golden Paste or Capsules. It is supposed to be very good. There is also CBD oil (needs to be good quality from a reliable source) which you can use as a topical balm or as drops/capsules which can be very effective. There is no "high" involved and is perfectly legal.
My ASD grandson has been helped with the CBD Gummy Bears which help his speech and behaviour enormously. Honestly, if I hadn't seen it for myself, I wouldn't have believed it. His Health Workers/Therapists/Educationalists are aware and are encouraged by the results.

I also recommend the Glucosamine and Choindroiton, which I was told to start taking about 10 years ago by an orthopedic Surgeon.
I had pain in my knee which was so bad, I was limping but after taking a high dose, within 3 months the pain had totally gone. I take them every day snd have recommended to a few people, who were amazed to get the same results.
Definitely worth a try!

I also bought these, not cheap, have been using them for a couple of months and not at all effective and I didn’t realise you have to take two at a time!!

I’ve tried most of the items mentioned (Voltarol, mint-powered gel etc., hot-pepper-powered paste) for my arthritic knee, with varying results. Recently I ordered knee patches which were advertised on Facebook - 'Heaven Knee Relief Patches'. The ingredients are: wormwood, reticulate millettia, saline cistanche, davallia mariesii, chain fern, wild celery, safflower, spignet, corydalis, and borneol. They all seem to be used in Chinese medicine, about which I don’t know much, but am keeping an open mind. Will be happy to report, once they arrive…