3 Things That May Interact With Your Pain Cream

If you suffer from chronic pain, or if you have recently sustained a sprain or muscle pull, your doctor may have recommended that you use a prescription topical pain cream. This type of medication penetrates your epidermis to bring you an effective alternative to oral pain medications. While considered safe, there are a few things that may interact with your topical pain prescription. Here are three things that may have a negative impact on the effectiveness of your prescription topical medication and what you can do about them:

Taking Aspirin

Many topical pain creams contain the same active ingredient that is found in aspirin. If you take a daily aspirin to prevent a heart attack or stroke, make sure your tell your healthcare provider before using topical pain creams.

Taking oral aspirin with a topical pain ointment that contains aspirin may lead to high levels of aspirin in your bloodstream which may raise the risk for abnormal bleeding. Aspirin is a potent anticoagulant whether you take it orally or through the dermal route. If you take aspirin on a regular basis, your doctor can recommend a different pain cream that does not contain any components of aspirin.

Allergies

People who have allergies often develop skin symptoms such as itching, hives, redness, and inflammation. If you experience problems with your skin as a result of your allergies, you may need a lower dosage of your topical pain ointment so that it doesn't further worsen your skin condition. While most topical pain relievers are very safe and gentle on the skin, your skin may be especially sensitive to the effects of topicals, and when coupled with existing allergies, an interaction may develop.

While lower doses are often still effective in treating mild to moderate pain, it may be less effective in treating severe or intractable pain. If you have allergies, make sure you take your oral antihistamines prescribed by your healthcare provider to help minimize skin manifestations so that your physician will not need to reduce your dosage of your topical analgesic medication.

Psoriasis

If you suffer from eczema or psoriasis, talk to your doctor prior to using a topical pain medication. If the source of your pain is in the same area in which you have psoriatic plaques, the topical medication may not work as well because plaques and scales from psoriasis may make it difficult for the cream to penetrate the top layer of your skin.

Topical pain creams work by dermal absorption, and if this route of administration is somehow impeded because of toughened or thickened skin, you may not experience the desired analgesic effect. If you have skin problems, your doctor may be able to prescribe a stronger concentration of topical pain cream to relieve your pain.

If you take aspirin, have psoriasis, or suffer from allergies, let your doctor know before you start using prescription pain cream. Doing so will help ensure that you are prescribed the safest and most effective dosage and type of topical medication. To learn more about topical pain creams, visit websites like medpaincream.com.