Want Heat? That's About All You Will Get with Salonpas Pain Relief Patch

I sometimes get aches and pain, and believe this to be an age related thing. I hate using Ben Gay, or any of the other ointments that smell, and then once you have put your clothes on, they stink of it too.

About a month ago Walgreens had the Salonpas Pain Relief Patch on sale at $5.99, and then I received $6 back in the form of a register coupon. I had initially thought that it would be good for my husband, as he has pain in his back, side, and legs.

I brought it home and it states on the back to ask a doctor before using it if:
"You are allergic to topical products, the stomach bleeding warning applies to you, you have high blood pressure, heart disease, or kidney disease, you are taking a diuretic."

Well Len has high blood pressure, heart disease, and kidney disease, so we asked his G.P. This doctor didn't give us an answer but changed his darvocet to another pain pill. Yes, we now have that to deal with, as he has had many heart attacks, heart rhythms, etc.

Back to the Salonpas Pain Relief Patch. On the front of the box it says that they are 'Ultra thin comfort stretch'. They are for a 'stiff neck, sore shoulder, backache, joint pain'. 'Effectiveness confirmed in clinical trial'.

My neck has been aching for a few days now, so I thought it was worth giving them a trial myself. I pressed the back of the box, and the flap lifted up. I then put my hand in and pulled out a foil pack. There is a tear line along the top, so I opened them up. Inside were 5 patches.

The patches are two and three quarters of an inch x three and fifteen sixteenths of an inch. I took one out, and looked at the instructions on how to use it, on the front of the foil pouch.

I held the patch in front of me with the plastic side towards me. I then pushed it slightly back, so that the tear line down the middle started to come away. I held the two pieces of plastic in my hands, and then had the difficult job, of putting it on the back of my neck.

First my wispy bits of hair got in the way, then my gold neck chains. When I finally got it on it had stuck together in one place, so it ended up not being even. If this had been on my shoulder, arm, leg, side, etc., I wouldn't have had this problem.

As soon as the backing was off I could smell the menthol. I figured that I wouldn't be going out, because I hate to be near someone that has this strong smell around them. Within a minute of putting it on I could feel the heat coming from it.

After an hour my neck left really warm. Two hours later it was time for bed, so I kept the patch on. The patch can stay in place for up to 8 to 12 hours. I knew that it would see me through all night, and in the morning I would remove it.

It states that you can use up to 2 patches a day, and not to use them for more than 3 consecutive days. These are only suitable for adults 18 years and older.

The active ingredients in an individual patch are:
menthol 3% Topical analgesic.
methyl salicylate 10% NSAID Topical analgesic.

So when I got up I twisted my neck to see how it felt. I didn't feel any relief from the stiffness. I could still smell the menthol, and couldn't wait to get it off. I asked Len to pull it off for me, as I really couldn't see what I was doing. It came off easily and he threw it away.

I had been wanting to try the pain relief patches for a long time, and was hoping that it would do me some good. I didn't feel that it eased the neck area at all, and have to say that if I had paid for it, I would have thought it to be a waste of money.

This product is FDA approved as a non prescription pain relieving patch.

After using it I noticed that it has a "Stomach bleeding warning" as it contains NSAID. "The chance is small but higher if you:
are age 60 or older, have had stomach ulcers or bleeding problems, take a blood thinning or steroid drug, take other drugs containing a NSAID, have 3 or more alcoholic drinks every day while using this product, take more or for a longer time than directed".

There are even more warnings with the Salonpas Pain Relief Patch, so the 4 I have left will not be used. I will cut them up before putting them out in the garbage, as I wouldn't want them to get into small hands.

I am sure you will have lots of questions about this product, so for further information go to http://www.salonpas.us/.

Manufactured by Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Co. Inc.,
Japan Saga Tosu.
Made in Japan.