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Arthritis pain: Treatments absorbed through your skin
Content
What are topical pain medications?
What types of ingredients are used?
How well do they work?
Are they safe to use?
Are there topical pain products available by prescription?
How well do they work?
Opinions differ on the effectiveness of over-the-counter topical pain medications. While many people say these products help relieve their arthritis pain, scientific research reveals only modest benefits.
Some products work only slightly or no better than a placebo in relieving arthritis pain. Capsaicin might be more effective when used with other treatments, such as pills containing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).