Back pain is a problem faced by people of different ages and professions. It causes discomfort, limits the activity of life and can occur at the most unexpected moment. In some cases, you can get out of this situation by using a back pain patch or kinesiotape. The main thing is to choose a quality one and apply it according to the instructions.
Why does back pain appear?
Before choosing medicinal patches, it is necessary to accurately determine the cause of back pain. Conventionally, such reasons can be divided into 3 groups:
- The most common is muscle pain. They appear as a result of strains, injuries, overexertion, sedentary work, prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position, and so on.
- Another reason is degenerative pathologies of the spine (spondyloarthrosis, intervertebral hernias, osteochondrosis, etc. ). Back pain in this situation occurs due to pinched nerves.
- Diseases of the internal organs sometimes provoke the appearance of pain. For example, renal colic is associated with severe lower back discomfort.
The back pain patch can be used regardless of the reason for the discomfort. But it is necessary to understand that for the treatment of serious diseases, problems with the insides, organs and spine, additional measures of influenza will be required.
What is the benefit of a back patch?
The main task when using a patch is to relieve symptoms. That is, this is only an auxiliary measure that will help alleviate the condition, but will in no way replace drugs in severe cases. However, pain relief patches are popular for several reasons:
- Drugs in the composition of the anesthetic patch penetrate the skin in minimal doses, only affect the inflammatory focus. At the same time, the circulatory system and the gastrointestinal tract are not involved in any way, and the damage to the body is minimized.
- More practical to use than gels, rubs and ointments. Therefore, it can be used in any situation without getting your hands and clothes dirty. Plus, you can always carry it with you, because the patch takes up some space in your bag.
- There are patches on the market that use only natural ingredients, so they are harmless and can be used even without a doctor's recommendation.
How does an anesthetic patch work?
In the treatment of injuries, all auxiliary means are aimed at eliminating pain, improving blood circulation and lymphatic outflow, and relieving inflammation. In addition, this effect is achieved thanks to several active substances. At the moment, there are several types of patches on sale: irritating, reflective, analgesic and combined action. Each of them has the correct effect, but it is necessary to choose the appropriate version of the patch based on the situation, the condition of the skin and the tendency to allergic reactions.
Irritating patches on the back
The therapeutic effect of such drugs is similar to warming ointments. A chili and mustard extract is used as the main component, which is applied to every inch of the fabric base. In contact with the skin, the main active ingredient irritates the nerve endings and receptors, causes a strong blood flow to the affected area, and because of this, the pain decreases. Thanks to the warming effect, a person feels better and lasts for several hours. Normally, after applying the patch, a pleasant warming heat is felt, the pain decreases. But if you feel a strong burning sensation, you need to remove it, wipe the remnants of the product from the skin with oil and rinse with water.
But such a patch should in no case be used in case of damage at the application site, as this will only aggravate the situation. Also, the patch should not be used at high body temperature, in children and pregnant women.
Reflective plaster
If your back is stretched, you can use a heat reflective patch. Indeed, it does not contain medicines: only a reflective surface is applied inside. Thanks to this, in the place where it hurts, the heat is retained and the heating effect is enhanced. Attach it to your underwear. The main advantage is that the patch can be used without any harm to the body.
Pain relief strips
The principle of operation of such a patch is similar to the action of gels and ointments. The drug, applied to the inner surface of the patch, is absorbed into the skin, relieves pain and helps relieve inflammation. But as a basis, several active substances are used:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory patches can effectively relieve pain, as they neutralize free radicals and reduce inflammation. But you can use them for no more than two weeks and, if possible, take them only in acute pain, as they cause side effects.
- The anesthetic patch uses a substance that blocks the surface receptors of the skin so that the pain subsides. This type of patch is used as a pain reliever in the acute phase of the disease.
- Herbal patches are made based on the principles of alternative Chinese medicine. The healing effect is provided by a complex of medicinal plants in certain proportions: the composition contains concentrated extracts from them. The use of such patches is practically harmless, with the exception of the possibility of allergies, since the composition contains natural ingredients.
Nanoplastics: a novelty in the regenerative medicine market
A relatively new pain reliever is a type of dietary supplement-based patches. Bioactive substances are applied on a multi-layered polymer base, obtained by grinding plant products into nanoparticles. Reviews of the patch are ambiguous, but it is believed that such minute details penetrate the skin and have a direct effect on the center of inflammation.
Combined action products
When creating plasters, two effects are combined - anesthetic and warming. The advantage is that when the strip is glued, the pain is simultaneously stopped, blood circulation increases, and the inflammation disappears. Various combinations of active ingredients can be found on sale, so the contraindications for patches depend entirely on the composition chosen.
How to use patches correctly?
There are no fundamental requirements and complex application schemes for applying a patch. The back at the application site must be dry and clean, without injuries, open wounds and burns. The only difficulty is that it is necessary to accurately determine the localization of discomfort sensations, since the size of the patches is not very large. If it is quite difficult to determine the localization, for example, if the back "shoots in several places, it is possible to apply several stickers at once - on one and on the other side of the spine.
Next, you need to remove the protective film and attach the strip to the selected area. Keep in mind that most plasters are incompatible with the use of water-based treatments. Therefore, while wearing the patch, you should take a shower carefully.
The course of treatment depends on the disease, its stage and complex additional measures. For example, if you periodically "disappear" to your lower back, you can have a supply of emergency care patches - taking a full course is pointless. And in case of chronic diseases, a number of measures are required in addition to the use of thermal adhesives.
Which one to choose?
Before choosing patches, it is necessary to find out the reason for the appearance of unpleasant symptoms: the doctor will select a scheme for the use of drugs and the duration of use. There are situations when urgent help is needed - in this case, use patches, but choose the safest ones. If the discomfort intensifies and does not go away, or the pain becomes constant, be sure to consult a specialist.
At the pharmacy or in a shop, you can pick up several patches at the same time. Contact specialists who will help you choose only the best drugs from trusted manufacturers, constantly filling the assortment with new products. If you have difficulty in choosing the remedies, you have not found the product of interest in the catalog or you are interested in the products of a particular brand, contact the consultants of the online store for help.