For those suffering from back pain, the patch is an easy-to-use, affordable, effective and safe dosage form. He is not able to cure the disease or eliminate the cause of discomfort because. this is just an important part of the treatment complex. The effect of the patch is aimed at eliminating or relieving the painful symptoms of the disease, improving the quality of life at home, without resorting to the help of a doctor, taking pills that are harmful to the lining of the gastrointestinal tract or painful injections that have many side effects andcontraindications. Without adversely affecting other systems and organs, the back pain patch delivers medicinal substances to the right place, providing sufficient concentration for the development of a therapeutic effect and a point effect directly on the source of pain.
Properties and types of plaster
The patch is a relatively new form of medicine related to the transdermal therapeutic system.
Its characteristic feature is a unique structure that has a number of advantages:
- ease of use, ease of use - invisibility to others, preservation of freedom of movement, comfort of treatment (depending on the product type and the expected effect, the patch can sit on the skin from 1 hour to 2-3 days);
- active elements penetrate rapidly into superficial blood vessels through the upper layers of the skin, begin to act purposefully and more rapidly than in forms for oral administration;
- when applied to the skin, a systemic effect is achieved, but the substances are absorbed into the system by the inferior or superior vena cava, bypassing the liver and digestive tract and do not undergo a complex of biochemical transformations (primary liver and gastric metabolism), where medicinal substances degrade and normallylose their pharmacological activity;
- the ability to slowly release active ingredients on the surface of the dermis, resulting in a longer exposure period. This is due to the continuous supply of the drug to the body at a rate that creates a constant and close to the lowest therapeutic concentration level of the drug in the bloodstream;
- the absence of an abstinence syndrome with a sharp end to the application;
- the ability to combine with other medications, physiotherapy procedures and treatment methods;
- the control of the release and the prolonged effect of the patch for the relief of back pain allow for a reduction in the frequency of administration of the prescribed medication. This in turn minimizes the systemic and local side effects characteristic of prolonged repeated use, the presence and magnitude of the cumulative effect and avoids a possible attenuation of the pharmacological effect.
Due to its benefits, transdermal therapy quickly gained popularity. Officially, several dozen medical adhesive tapes with various active substances are registered in the world. All existing patches for the treatment of back pain, based on the composition and the principle of exposure, can be divided into groups. This division is conditional, pgamange of them acting by several mechanisms and producing a complex effect when the influence of an active component is supplemented by the work of another. In the pharmaceutical market, patches from domestic and foreign manufacturers are presented.
In pharmacies you can find products of the following brands that specialize in the production of dosed, completely ready-to-use drugs intended for external use in the form of a patch:
- annoying action;
- with heat-reflecting coating, dry heat;
- with non-steroidal or other anti-inflammatory agents;
- with the addition of medicinal herbs and oils;
- based on substances with chondroprotective effect;
- painkillers with local anesthetic;
- nanotechnology.
Overview of the most popular back patches
The development and implementation of transdermal therapeutic systems has changed the idea of the patch as a simple injury-protective sticker. The presence of a drug reservoir has made the patch an important element in the symptomatic treatment of low back pain and an alternative to parenteral and oral administration. There are many causes that can cause back pain and heaviness. It can be due to musculoskeletal problems, diseases of the internal organs, physical overload, hypothermia, pinched nerves, chronic infection, back injury, stress, age-related changes.
In order not to aggravate the situation, the pain can not be ignored, it rarely goes away on its own. The treatment must be timely and competent - an integrated approach is necessary. Depending on the type and severity of the pain, the probable causes of their occurrence, the physiological properties of the body, the doctor may prescribe some drug.
Only a specialist is after an examination and a thorough examination able to determine which medical sticker is better because. they differ in the principle of action and tasks. Brief description and characteristics of the most commonly prescribed painkillers for back treatment:
- Pepper - the most popular, well-tried. Cheap and efficient. Liquid plastic gels are transparent, hypoallergenic, securely fixed. A wave of heat when applying the gel film is felt after 2 minutes. Stickers based on capsaicin (an extract made from hot peppers) improve blood flow, metabolic processes in the affected area, reduce muscle tension, have a local irritating, warming, antispasmodic and dissolving effect. They relieve pain due to a distracting effect, while the pain is replaced by a feeling of slight burning and tingling. Aggressive, may irritate the skin. Indicated for radiculitis, rheumatic diseases, arthralgic syndrome, neuralgia of the back, lumbago, myalgia of the back muscles.
- A category of thermal patches containing a set of substances (Turfan sand, coke, salt, activated carbon, iron and mineral powder and the like) capable of heating up to 40-58 degrees in just 20 minutes in contact with airand maintain the optimum temperature for 7-12 hours. This subgroup has a high price and a relatively long list of contraindications. Disposable labels anesthetize, provide uniform heating, increased blood circulation, relaxation of constantly tensed deep muscle fibers running along the spine. The heat patch helps against arthritis, osteochondrosis, lumbar myositis or other back muscles, chronic osteoarthritis, sciatica.
- Patches with the inclusion of Diclofenac are representatives of the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They work quickly without irritating the skin. They are characterized by pronounced anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. The effect is long lasting. Eliminate pain associated with the inflammatory process of swelling. The synthetic composition of the non-steroidal structure causes the likelihood of unwanted side effects (the risk increases with long-term treatment with the patch). Usually they bring relief in acute periods of the disease: with inflammation, degenerative changes in the spine, lumboischialgia. Also shown for back and joints as a means of providing quick recovery after overexertion, injuries, sprains.
- A highly targeted adhesive tape containing glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate and neurotropic vitamin B1. The complex of active ingredients involved in the synthesis of connective tissue increases the production of cartilage matrix, protects cartilage from harmful factors, helps restore the hyaline layer and stimulates tissue regeneration. The drug is of natural origin, is expensive, provides nutrients and anti-inflammatory substances. Its action is aimed at eliminating the cause of the pain syndrome. This type of patch is recommended for deforming, degenerative-dystrophic changes in the spine.
- Local anesthetic with lidocaine, which is a combination of 2 anesthetics. Strong analgesics, gives dermal anesthesia, the effect persists for another 120 minutes after removal of the treatment strip from the skin. Used for neuropathic back pain, before injections or superficial surgery.
- News made using special technologies. They include bioactive substances of the smallest sizes deposited on a polymer base, which can easily penetrate the layers of the epidermis, reach a sore spot, produce radiation in the infrared region of the spectrum and create a constant magnetic field. The result of the combined effect of nanoparticles is an increase in local blood flow, an improvement in lymphatic drainage, relief of pain, inflammatory reactions, removal of edema, muscle relaxation and restoration of functions. The patches are indicated for violation of sensitivity, pain in the cervix, lumbar region on the background of a pinched nerve, sciatica, spondylarthrosis, osteochondrosis and other pathologies of the spine.
- Stickers based on medicinal plants - they are also called Chinese patches. They are not officially a medicine, they are registered as products belonging to the category of sanitary and hygienic products and cosmetics. Manufacturers emphasize the effectiveness and safety of herbal patches, which are due to the huge amount of useful natural substances that form the basis of the medical plate. There are many variations of self-adhesive tape, and reviews from them are mostly positive. Among the shortcomings are frequent allergic reactions and a large number of counterfeits noted. The scope is wide, includes osteochondrosis of any part of the spine, sciatica.
How to use
All back pain is for external use only. They can not be reused after they have been removed from the skin, they must be disposed of. After removal of the protective strip, the product is applied to a well-cleaned dry skin surface in the disturbing area and left to work for the period specified by the manufacturer.
The instruction says that:
- Pepper patch can be on the skin, giving a therapeutic effect, for 2 days. May irritate skin and cause severe burns. Re-application is only possible after a short break. The gel patch is applied to the problem area with a thin layer without rubbing and waits for complete drying. The formed film is removed in one day.
- Thermal patches are rarely attached directly to the naked body because the perceived temperature can reach high values, so the manufacturer recommends fixing them on fairly tight underwear. After opening the packaging bag and removing the patch, remove the protective film from it. It must be used immediately and in its entirety - it is forbidden to cut! The maximum usage time is 10-12 hours per. day.
- NSAID patches should only be used for 24 hours. The maximum permitted daily dose is 30 mg. The duration of the treatment should not exceed 21 days.
- Anesthetic patches are applied to the skin in the area of maximum pain. They can be cut, glued at the same time 3 pieces on different parts of the body. Application time - 1-5 hours, then the effect is weakened. The interval between repeated applications is at least 12 hours. It is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of such treatment - if after 2-4 weeks of regular use no positive result is observed, the course of treatment must be completed.
- Patches with chondroprotectors require long-term use. Recommended treatment: the first week - daily use around the clock (for re-application, it is recommended to move the patch a little so as not to inhibit the skin's breathing unnecessarily), the second week and then - every other day. The manufacturer's instructions promise that visible changes will occur after 3 months of treatment, and to consolidate the effect achieved, it is necessary to extend the therapy by at least 3 more months.
- Nanotechnological patches are used in short courses: acute pain - 3-9 days, the stage of exacerbation of a chronic disease - 9-15 days. After a one-week break, you can repeat the treatment. The duration of the continuous stay of the adhesive tape on the skin is limited to 12 hours, after which the skin must rest for at least 6 hours. The therapeutic effect is often accompanied by a slight burning sensation and heat flushing.
Contraindications to use
If we compare different types of patches using treatment safety as a criterion, high-quality modern developments are the most preferred. The list of contraindications for their use is limited to the presence of open wounds, warts, large birthmarks on the plate fixation sites, skin diseases and pregnancy (due to lack of adequate clinical data confirming the safety of fetal development). The next safest patch is Nano Patch GS, which is banned from treatment by pregnant and lactating women, children and adolescents aged 0-18 years and people with individual intolerance to the ingredients. Thermal patches should also not be used in patients with diabetes mellitus or who have had heart surgery.
The list is closed with patches containing NSAIDs, which have the following contraindications:
- hypersensitivity to non-steroidal substances, excipients of the drug;
- aspirin triad;
- kidney, liver dysfunction;
- chronic course of cardiac dysfunction;
- erosion, gastrointestinal ulcers;
- exacerbation of porphyrin disease;
- elderly or children age - 0-15 years;
- 3rd trimester of pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Analogs
The above is an exhaustive list of patches in the pharmaceutical market, they have no analogues in this dosage form. Other dermal drugs, ointments and gels, sprays, including the same active substance, have the closest effect.
Back pain is a reason to consult a doctor immediately, self-medication can in any way cause the development of a serious pathology.