Back pain is a problem faced by people of different ages and professions. It causes discomfort, limits life activity, and can occur at the most unexpected moment. In some cases, you can get out of this situation by using a back pain band-aid 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 consequence of stretching, injuries, overexertion, sedentary work, prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position, etc.
- Another reason is degenerative pathologies of the spine (spondyloarthrosis, intervertebral hernias, osteochondrosis, etc. ). Back pain in this situation occurs due to compression of the 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 internal organs and the spine, additional measures of influence will be required.
What is the advantage of a back patch?
The main task when wearing 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 medications in severe cases. However, pain patches are popular for several reasons:
- Drugs in the composition of the anesthetic patch penetrate the skin in minimal doses, affect only the inflammatory focus. At the same time, the circulatory system and the gastrointestinal tract are not involved in any way and 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. Also, you can always take it with you, because the patch takes up a bit of space in the 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 flow, and relieving inflammation. In addition, this effect is achieved thanks to different active ingredients. At the moment, there are several types of plaster on sale: irritant, reflective, analgesic and combined action. Each of them has the appropriate effect, but you need to choose the appropriate version of the patch depending on the situation, the condition of the skin and the tendency to allergic reactions.
Irritating back patches
The therapeutic effect of such drugs is similar to that of hot ointments. As the main component, an extract of hot red pepper and mustard is used, which is applied to every centimeter of the base of the fabric. When in contact with the skin, the main active ingredient irritates the nerve endings and receptors, causes a strong blood supply to the affected area and, therefore, reduces pain. Thanks to the warming effect, a person feels better and lasts for several hours. Normally after applying the patch, a pleasant warmth is felt, the pain subsides. 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 not be used in any case in case of damage to the application site, as this will only aggravate the situation. Also, the patch should not be used at elevated body temperature, in children and pregnant women.
Reflective plaster
If your back is stretched out, you can wear a reflective heat patch. In fact, it does not contain drugs, only a reflective surface is applied inside. Thanks to this, in the place where it hurts, heat is retained and the warming effect is enhanced. Attach it to your underwear. The main advantage is that the patch can be used without damaging the body.
Strips for pain relief
The principle of operation of such a patch is similar to the action of gels and ointments. The medicine, applied to the inner surface of the patch, is absorbed into the skin, relieves pain and helps relieve inflammation. But different active substances are used as a basis:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory patches can effectively relieve pain by neutralizing free radicals and reducing inflammation. But you can use them for no more than two weeks, and if possible take them only in case of acute pain, as they cause side effects.
- The anesthetic patch uses a substance that blocks receptors on the surface of the skin so that pain can decrease. This type of patch is used as a pain reliever in the acute phase of the disease.
- The herbal patches are manufactured according to 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 of them. The use of such plasters 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 patch based on dietary supplements. Bioactive substances are applied on a polymer base in several layers, obtained by grinding plant products into nanoparticles. The patch reviews are ambiguous, but those tiny details are believed to 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 stops simultaneously, the blood circulation increases, and the inflammation disappears. Various combinations of active ingredients can be found on sale, therefore the contraindications of the patches completely depend on the chosen composition.
How to use the patches correctly?
There are no fundamental requirements or complex application schemes to apply a patch. The back at the application site must be dry and clean, without wounds, open wounds and burns. The only difficulty is that you need to accurately determine the location of uncomfortable sensations, since the size of the dressings is not very large. If it is difficult enough to determine the location, for example if the back "is shot in several places, then several stickers can be applied at the same time, on either side of the spine.
After that, you need to remove the protective film and put the strip on the selected area. Please note that most plasters are incompatible with the adoption of water treatments. Therefore, while wearing the patch, you need to shower carefully.
The course of treatment depends on the disease, its phase and complex additional measures. For example, if you periodically "shoot" in your lower back, then you may have a supply of plasters for emergency care; taking a full course is pointless. And in the case of chronic diseases, a set of measures is necessary in addition to the use of thermal adhesives.
Which to choose?
Before choosing patches, you need 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 where help is urgently 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 with a specialist.
In pharmacies or stores, you can pick up several patches at the same time. Contact specialists who will help you choose only the best drugs from reliable manufacturers, constantly replenishing the assortment with new products. If you have difficulty choosing remedies, did not find the product of interest in the catalog, or are interested in the products of a certain brand, please contact the online store consultants for help.