The Best Topical Pain Relievers Recommended by an Acupuncturist
When you are in pain you want to grab something that can address your pain in the moment and that’s where topical pain relievers can come in handy.
This list of my favorite topical pain relievers will help you address various aches and pains such as back pain, neck pain, shoulder, arm or knee pain when you can’t get in for an acupuncture treatment or need to address pain between treatments.
I keep these tucked away in my bathroom for those moments when I or my family need them.
Because not every pain is the same, I like to have a variety of topical pain relievers at my disposal so I can grab what I need when I need it.
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The Best Topical Pain Relievers
Boiron Arnica Gel
Boiron Arnica Gel is one of my go-to topical pain relievers for whenever I have a simple ache or pain, stiffness, or a soreness from a bruise.
Arnica is a plant-based homeopathic remedy that uses the Arnica Montana plant so it is a natural pain reliever.
I use this for minor muscle pain or stiffness, as well as any achiness or swelling and especially for any bruising. It’s also a great topical pain reliever following an injury or workout.
The Boiron Arnica Gel is super easy to apply from their flip-top bottle and absorbs quickly and is non-greasy. It’s also unscented and paraben-free which is a plus.
Real Time Pain Relief
The Real Time Pain Relief cream is made with 17 natural ingredients, including aloe vera, willow bark, MSM, calendula, arnica, glucosamine, emu oil, witch hazel, German and Romance chamomile and more.
What’s just as important is what is NOT in this pain-relieving cream. Unlike other pain relievers, Real Time Pain Relief does not have parabens, SLS or artificial dyes.
I love this topical pain reliever because it is non-greasy and rubs easily into the skin so I don’t have to worry about it staining my clothes.
It’s also a perfect choice for anyone who doesn’t like menthol smelling pain relievers. I love its fresh scent which is not overpowering.
Use it for any aches, pains or muscle soreness and stiffness.
Phuel Foam
Phuel foam is a great topical pain reliever for muscle soreness and stiffness, especially after a workout or any physical activity.
Its main ingredient is magnesium sulfate which helps to relieve muscle tension.
I’m a big fan of magnesium supplements and this foam is an easy and convenient way to apply the pain-relieving effects of magnesium right where you need it.
Phuel Foam also includes aloe vera juice, colloidal silver and grapefruit extract among its ingredients.
It’s also backed by clinical studies that show Phuel has been proven to:
Reduce delayed onset muscle soreness
Release muscle tightness
Increase flexibility
Reduce exercise-associated muscle cramps, and
Decrease the rate of perceived exertion
Phuel is also a great choice for anyone looking for a pain relieving topical that does not smell like menthol. Instead, it has a light green apple scent.
DoTerra Blue Stick
The DoTerra Deep Blue Stick harnesses the pain-relieving effects of essential oils in a convenient pain-relieving topical stick.
Made with the essential oils of Deep Blue Soothing Blend and Copaiba and other natural ingredients, this topical stick provides relief of minor aches and muscle and joint pains associated with back pain, arthritis, sprains, strains and bruises.
I love that it comes in a stick which makes it super easy to apply, especially over large areas such as the low back or glute muscles.
This is a great option for a topical pain reliever to have with you on the go as the stick is easy to keep in a purse, backpack or briefcase.
It is non-greasy and moisturizing with a cooling effect. It does however have a strong menthol smell since it is made with plant-based menthol, methyl salicylate and camphor.
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DoTerra Essential Oils
If you don’t want to use the DoTerra Deep Blue stick, there are several other essential oil options that make great topical pain relievers when mixed with a carrier oil such as coconut oil.
You can use these oils individually or I like to create my own blend in a roller with fractionated coconut oil so that I can roll on each of these oils to any areas of inflammation, sore muscles or pain at the same time and gain all of their benefits at once.
Using these essential oils, you’ll also gain from all of their respective properties in addition to their pain-relieving properties which is an added bonus!
Copaiba – Copaiba is great for pain, inflammation, arthritis, muscle cramps, tendonitis, and is anti-inflammatory and analgesic.
Copaiba contains the highest levels of β-caryophyllene (BCP) among currently known essential oils. An irregular cannabinoid and sesquiterpene, BCP is a potent constituent within copaiba essential oil. BCP selectively binds to CB2 receptors in the endocannabinoid system (ECS)—a signaling and regulating system comprised of enzymes, receptor sites throughout the body, and endocannabinoids produced by the body.
Frankincense - Frankincense has multiple properties but is overall regenerative and anti-inflammatory.
Lemongrass - Lemongrass is anti-inflammatory, analgesic and regenerative.
Marjoram - Marjoram is great for tendonitis, carpal tunnel, arthritis, muscle cramps and sprains and is anti-spasmodic.
Volteran Arthritis Pain Gel
The Volteran Arthritis Pain gel is a topical pain reliever clinically proven to relieve arthritis pain, improve mobility and reduce stiffness, aches and pains.
Volteran, however, is not a natural topical pain-relieving ointment. It is a is a topical NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) gel made with Diclofenac that is often used to treat arthritis pain. It falls in the same class of drugs as naproxen (Aleve).
Diclofenac works by temporarily blocking the production of pain-signaling chemicals called prostaglandins.
You can try this pain-relieving topical gel if you cannot take oral NSAIDs or are looking for something stronger to address your pain.
Tiger Balm Pain Relieving Patches
Tiger Balm is a topical pain-relieving remedy that has been around for over 100s of years. It is made of powerful herbal blends that include camphor, menthol, capsicum extract, methyl salicylate and essential oils.
Cassia Oil, Cajuput Oil, Clove Oil, and Dementholized Mint Oil are essential oils found in the Tiger Balm ointment formula and Eucalyptus Oil is found in the Tiger Balm Patch & Liniment products.
Whenever I tweak my low back, I reach for these Tiger Balm pain relieving patches. They are soft, flexible and super easy to apply and painless to remove.
Each box includes four patches and I have found that one patch can give me sufficient pain relief for an entire day.
If you don’t want or need a patch, you can also apply the traditional Tiger Balm ointment itself. I like the non-staining Ultra Strength Tiger Balm or the Tiger Balm rub or Tiger Balm spray.
Zheng Gu Shui
Zheng Gu Shui is a 500-year-old topical analgesic Chinese herbal liniment that relieves minor aches and pains, and pain stemming from injury or fatigue.
It is also used for fractures, inflammation and swelling, or bruising.
Its ingredients include camphor, menthol, alcohol, and Japanese Knotweed among others.
From a Chinese medicine perspective, Zheng Gu Shui penetrates down to the bone level.
It moves blood, increases circulation, decreases inflammation, eases pain, strengthens connective tissues, speeds bone regrowth, and shortens injury recovery time.
Because it is a dark liniment, you do have to be careful with application that it does not spill and stain any clothing.
I found it super helpful to use when I was recovering from a broken bone.
Phototherapy Patches
While not lotions, creams or ointments, phototherapy patches are part of my first line of defense when it comes to pain relievers.
The Lifewave phototherapy patches are super easy to use as you just stick them on your skin and let them get to work!
Their mechanism of relief is using the body’s own infrared light to stimulate pain relief, reduce inflammation and promote stell cell production to help reduce aches, pains, muscle soreness and inflammation in the body.
These phototherapy patches look like stickers and are about the size of a quarter. They do not use any chemicals or medications but work naturally with the body to promote healing.
My favorite patches for addressing pain include:
I use the Aeon patch quite a bit as it reduces inflammation in the body and relieves stress which is often a component to acute and chronic pain.
I also often suggest the use of the X39 patch and X49 patch which are the most powerful of the patches as they activates stem cell production, reduce pain and inflammation and repair collagen in all tissues.
Do you have a favorite topical pain reliever that you like to use? Share in the comments below!
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