If you get sore muscles once in a while, you can take acetaminophen or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) like aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen to help ease the discomfort. Just be cautious about using NSAIDs regularly. Long-term use can interfere with your muscle's ability to repair itself, Goldfarb says.
Simple muscle aches and pains can be relieved with anti-inflammatory medicines like ibuprofen and diclofenac. Diseases affecting the joints – for example, rheumatoid arthritis– can be treated with medicines that affect the immune system, like methotrexate and leflunomide.
If you have mild-to-moderate pain, paracetamol is often the best painkiller to try first. But NSAIDs such as ibuprofen can be better for pain associated with inflammation. You can switch to a different painkiller if the first one you try doesn't ease your pain.
Voltaren Emulgel helps with the relief of localized traumatic inflammation and pain such as muscle pain. Sports injuries and strains due to overuse are the most common causes of muscle pain. Here we look at how to identify and treat muscle pain.
Differences between Voltaren and other pain relievers
Studies have found diclofenac to be more effective than other NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, celecoxib, and naproxen in reducing pain. Researchers also concluded it was more effective than paracetamol (Tylenol), a non-opioid painkiller.
For example, you should not use Voltaren: If you have any heart issues or are at risk for adverse events such as heart attack and stroke. If you have allergies to this drug or other pain or fever aids such as aspirin. Before or after heart surgery3.
Because ibuprofen has a strong anti-inflammatory effect, it is more effective than paracetamol at controlling certain types of pain, including rheumatoid arthritis, period pain, and muscular injuries. Ibuprofen is also available in a variety of forms.
“The main takeout is that paracetamol is safer, because of those groups that are slightly more at risk, but if there's an inflammatory component, then you're better off taking ibuprofen,” Hamish says. Taking either medicine consistently over a long period isn't wise, particularly as you get older.
Paracetamol – Paracetamol is a medicine you can buy over the counter at your local pharmacy. It's used to help ease mild to moderate pain, including headache, migraine headache, muscle aches, period pain, toothache, and aches and pains caused by the common cold or flu.
Magnesium is essential for proper muscle function and acts to relieve tight, sore and cramped muscles. It controls muscle contraction and acts as a muscle relaxant. It can therefore be vital in the treatment of back pain and cramps by relaxing back muscles, kidney stress and muscular tension.
A cup of Epsom salt, when mixed in a warm tub of water, works like magic for the aching muscles. Soak the aching muscles in the water till it cools down. You can do this three times a week for relief. People suffering from a heart problem, high blood pressure or diabetes should consult a doctor before trying this.
There are no over-the-counter (OTC) muscle relaxants in the United States. But some OTC medications can help muscle issues (like soreness), such as NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and acetaminophen.
Research shows diclofenac is the strongest and most effective non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine available.10 Diclofenec is sold under the prescription brand names Cambia, Cataflam, Zipsor, and Zorvolex. It is also available as a topical gel, Voltaren, which is available over the counter.
Naproxen. Naproxen (Aleve) is the most powerful anti-inflammatory pain reliever available without a prescription. It is especially effective for sprains, sunburns and arthritis and other conditions. Similar doses of Naproxen tend to last longer than other non-prescription pain relievers.
In conjunction with hot/cold therapy, you could try a pain relief option such as Nurofen Express 200mg Liquid Capsules. To help relieve muscle pain caused by exercise or stress: Gently stretch the affected muscle and keep moving with some gentle exercise.
Is it safe to give paracetamol and ibuprofen together at the same time? The quick answer is yes, you can.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Naproxen and Ibuprofen are very effective for relieving muscle pain in various scenarios.
Opioids do provide relief by blocking pain. But as a result, your body reacts by increasing the number of receptors to try to get the pain signal through again. So when the drug wears off, you will experience more pain for about three days.
Having said that, there is very little difference between the majority of Nurofen products and a standard ibuprofen product - especially because the doses of the active ingredients are the same in both products.
Panadol Extend is a sustained release formulation of paracetamol that is gentle on your body and provides long-lasting relief. It can provide up to 8 hours of relief of pain associated with osteoarthritis, backaches, mild to moderate joint and muscular aches such as sprains, strains and sports injuries.
Older adults may be at greater risk for stomach/intestinal bleeding, kidney problems, heart attack, and stroke while using this drug.
For superficial joints – like hands, wrists and even knees – it can be very effective. However, the joints of the cervical spine in the neck, and most of the shoulder joint, are deeper than the Voltaren can penetrate. Voltaren is not appreciably absorbed into the blood, so all of its actions are local.
You also shouldn't use it for more than 21 days. If you feel you still need it after that, it's time to check with a healthcare provider. Now, you may be asking, “Why can't I use Voltaren gel on my back or shoulder?” This is because it hasn't been well-studied on these body areas.