Another Simple Alternative Topical For Pain Relief Other Than Topical Magnesium That Works Very Well For Me

As some of you may have gathered by now, I like to experiment with different things for health or pain relief and mag oil is very useful as a topical pain reliever and muscle relaxant, but another one I like to use is topical ibuprofen which is not commonly found in the US, so I make my own version at home very easily.

I take just about any common body lotion and prescription ibuprofen. The reason I use prescription ibuprofen is because the prescription pills have no color coating while the store bought pills generally have a color coating that will color the lotion and discolor clothing and bedding or anything else that you happen to rub against. I take one cup of lotion and if I want it to be scent free, I generally will use Cetaphil Lotion and if I want it to have a scent, I will use Olay Quench body lotion. I take 14 prescription ibuprofen tablets that are 400mg each or I use 7 tablets if it is the 800 mg strength. Store bought ibuprofen is generally 200mg per tablet or softgel.

I throw the tablets into a "bullet type" blender and grind them up into a super fine powder and I add this powder to the cup of lotion and stir this mix. I then put the lid on the container and shake well. I let it sit overnight and shake well the next day and start using it for most pains I get by applying it to the painful area. I usually get relief in about 5 minutes or less.

This topical mix has benefit over oral ibuprofen because significantly less is sent into the general circulation and the topical application is much less likely to cause gastric issues than the oral version while allowing higher local tissue concentrations to be reached, in the painful area, levels that are higher than the highest standard dose oral ibuprofen can reach.

I have also used naproxen in place of the ibuprofen, which for me works better for pain relief, but being allergic to naproxen, I can't use that version. I have also tried aspirin in place of the ibuprofen and I think they work similarly, but what I found is that with the aspirin, as my body heats up, the aspirin seems to take on the smell of vinegar because of the acid content of the aspirin I assume. One advantage to the aspirin mix is that since aspirin is antiviral, it can be very helpful for shingles because it significantly slows the replication process of the virus while offering pain relief in the area of the lesions.

The first time I made the ibuprofen topical, so as to not waste money or too much time on something that may not work, I just took a store bought ibuprofen "soft gel capsule" , punctured it with a round pointed toothpick and squeezed the contents into a half ounce of lotion and mixed it. I applied this mix to a painful area and it worked well, so I made the larger container of lotion with a pump top. Oddly, these type of lotions are more commonly available outside of the US even though ibuprofen is quite popular here.

I have used this for pains of all types and it has worked very well for sprains also. I had a friend who lost his balance in my driveway and fell, but he twisted his ankle while trying to keep his balance. His ankle quickly swelled to twice its normal size and he couldn't walk on it. He applied the ibuprofen lotion to his ankle and within 5 minutes it was back to normal size and he could walk on it again! I asked him what it felt like and he said it felt like he had injured it, but the pain was reduced to almost nothing and he could walk on it with just minor discomfort.

Obviously this is not something that anybody should try without consulting and getting the approval and supervision of their doctor or health care provider in case the person can not tolerate it or it might interfere with any drugs being taken. And while talking to your doctor , that would be a good time to get a prescription for the ibuprofen!

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/236...

painphysicianjournal.com/li...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/207...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/105...

Art

[MBAnderson]

easilly, While you're mixing up potions at home, I'd like something to make me 30 years younger and look like Brad Pitt. Oh, I'd like to be rich, too.

I emailed Dr. C and he got back to me in 2 hours, so I'm on my way.

Thanks for all you do.

Marc

[Hidden in reply to MBAnderson]

MBA,

Wow, you must have been reading my mind, I was already working on it and I should have that potion ready in about two hours!😂😂😂 I will have to change my forum picture to a picture of Brad Pitt!😂😂

Glad to hear you are "on your way"! Keep us posted.

Art

[Kia17]

Art

And a remedy for making me look like George Clooney please but a few decades younger.😂

Thanks

Kia

[Hidden in reply to Kia17]

Im on it, Kia!

Art

[Kia17]

I noticed one of the main reasons for pain is knots in neck and shoulder area. Pain reduces significantly if you take care of those knots.I have an electric massager and use that after my workout specially for the neck and shoulder and it works very well.

[Hidden in reply to Kia17]

The topical mag oil is very effective for this situation because it relieves pain and relaxes the muscles also. Perhaps applying before your workout will prevent them from getting started in the first place!

Art

[Kia17 in reply to Hidden]

I will try

Thanks Art

[Hidden in reply to Kia17]

Kia,

Your new forum picture is toooooo gooood!!!

[Kia17 in reply to Hidden]

I like it too, Thanks.I was thinking to suggest PwPs in this forum who benefits from Thiamine to change their profile pictures to something related to B1.

[Hidden in reply to Kia17]

Maybe I'll take B-2 for my picture. I can also change my name to riboflavin......it has a nice ring to it , don't you think! 😂😂

Art / Riboflavin

[Kia17 in reply to Hidden]

Art

Sounds great. I reserve the “ B3” Or Niacin username and avatar for our dear friend Gio before it’s been taken.😊

Anyone interested in B6 or B12?

[Hidden in reply to Kia17]

We can call him Nick.......short for Nicotinamide

[Kia17 in reply to Hidden]

Nick is even better. Sold out then.

[Gioc]

Very interesting, thank you very much Gio

[Kia17 in reply to Gioc]

Great profile image

Thanks Gio

[Hidden in reply to Gioc]

Gio,

You just snuck that in when nobody was looking......very sly!!!😊

[Smythy]

Hi what lotion do you use to add the ibuprofen to ?

[Hidden in reply to Smythy]

If I want it to have little to no scent, I use Cetaphil lotion. If I want to have a scent, then I use Olay Quench body lotion, but I have used Vaseline Intensive Care lotion and Lubriderm also.

Art

[Despe in reply to Hidden]

Art, all these lotions you mentioned have a lot of harmful chemicals. Functional Medicine Doctor suggested avoiding all these lotions and buy organic with only 2-3 ingredients. Actually, she suggested coconut butter. I am so terrified of all these chemicals we have been using and ingesting all these years.

[Hidden in reply to Despe]

Despe,

Yes, there are many chemicals in many products we apply topically and many of the potential effects are as yet unknown. I picked common lotions that are typically available and my thinking is that if you are already using a lotion, then you aren't altering what you normally do, but if the lotions are a concern because of the chemicals in a particular lotion, then you would not likely be using that lotion anyway and then the organic options would be worth looking at.

Another option I have tried that also worked and did not have a long list of chemicals in it was vodka. I used the same ounces of vodka as I did for the lotion mix and the same amount of ibuprofen. I added sweet orange essential oil to act as a transdermal penetration enhancer. I put these three ingredients in a regular glass blender and ran at high speed for 3 minutes. I put this mix in a mason jar and from this mason jar I refill a two ounce spray bottle that is pocket or purse size. I spray this mix directly on painful areas and it works effectively also.

I have also used aloe vera gel, listerine, glycerine, and witch hazel to good effect with the ibuprofen. Many things will work, its just a matter of choosing a carrier that is acceptable to you and of course your doctor's approval is needed for these options as well as the lotion to protect yourself from drug interactions and to make sure it is safe for you!

These things can usually be worked around, you just have to give it some thought and consideration about what you want to end up with.

Art

[Despe in reply to Hidden]

Thank you, Art! As usual, very creative and helpful. You're a valued member of HU.

My husband's only complaint is his knees' ache, not quite pain.

[Hidden in reply to Despe]

Despe,

Some times these dull aches in a knee or knees, originates in the lower spine area from pressure on nerves which travel down into the leg. If applying ice packs to the lower spine consistently seems to calm the pain in the knees, this is likely the case and so you may have to apply a topical to more than just the knees.

Art

[Despe in reply to Hidden]

Thanks, Art, will do. He has been suffering from lower back pains since he was young, playing b-ball and racquet ball. He has also had knee surgery at a younger age to remove a piece of broken cartilage. Guess PD accentuates pains from past injuries.

[munchybunch]

I didn’t know much about mag oil. Which brand do you use pls??

[Hidden]

munchybunch,

I make my own, it is way cheaper than buying a commercial product.

Here is a useful post about magnesium and PD that explains how to make it yourself.

healthunlocked.com/parkinso...

How is your husband doing on thiamine?

Art

[Opt8]

Thank you! I m starting heavy neck pain and am looking for something a little stronger than the magnesium oil. I will try this! ⚘

[Hidden in reply to Opt8]

Please let us know how it works for the neck pain!

Art

[HeartSong]

Thanks, Art, for posting this. (I love to experiment, too, and only occasionally do I get myself in trouble.) I think this would be considered a transdermal delivery system. Am I correct? We need some kind of alternative delivery system so our precious GI tracts can rest and do what they were designed to do -- digest and assimilate nutrients from food. I will try your method with aspirin, since that's what I have in the medicine cabinet.

On a related note, assuming you take carbidopa/levodopa, have you ever experimented with mixing up a topical ointment of that? I think there is a carbidopa/levodopa patch in the clinical trials pipeline, but wouldn't it be great if PWP could just mix up some kind of potion with powdered C/L tablets and a liquid, rub it on their skin, and it go directly to the brain and bypass the GI system? (Several years ago, that was the delivery system I used for hormone replacement therapy - although, a compounding pharmacy mixed it for me. The liquid was some kind of gel and the hormones were added to that. I rubbed a teaspoon full on my skin twice a day (measured from a syringe). Subsequent testing revealed that it did balance my hormones, and I didn't have to assult my GI tract with more pills.)

[Hidden in reply to HeartSong]

HeartSong,

You're welcome! Other countries sell ibu cream, but here in the US, not so much. Mag oil is effective for some people for pain, stiffness and cramp relief as well as muscle relaxation, but some people find the ibu lotion a bit more effective for pain relief.

I don't have PD so have never tried the experiment you describe. I would think it would be very difficult to get accurate topical delivery of Sinemet and I suspect accuracy would be very important for acceptable symptom control.

Art

[Gioc]

Art thank you, I always read your posts gladly even if I do not physically need them. I always find them very interesting.

[Kia17]

Hi Art

What do you think about this magnesium?

MagTech™ Magnesium Complex

naturalstacks.com/products/...

Kia

[Hidden in reply to Kia17]

Hi Kia,

It looks like a pretty good magnesium supplement and it contains two forms of magnesium shown to target the brain which would be useful with PD. The glycinate is also well absorbed. The price seems on the high side ($2.35+/day) as magnesium supplements go at well over two dollars per day, making it one of the most expensive magnesium supplements as it requires 6 per day so you need two bottles per month or $70 plus shipping and tax if any? Six pills per day in addition to your other supplements and meds may be more than some people will be able to keep up with. The magnesium l threonate is the most expensive form in this supplement .

The mag supplement that Dr. C recommended for you(Aximagnesio?) seems like a good mix also, but I don't know what that one costs by comparison.

My current magnesium is the magnesium taurate plus the topical mag oil which are both fairly cheap. I am moving away from the magnesium l threonate as soon as I use up what I have as I feel there are not enough human studies to justify it yet and it is an expensive form.

Art

[Kia17 in reply to Hidden]

Art,

Thank you for your review. Pricewise it will be almost 1.00 USD a day.

I have been taking Aximagnesio for almost 9 months and that is more pricey than MagTech™ Magnesium Complex.

Thanks again

Kia

[Hidden in reply to Kia17]

Kia,

I'm confused with what you just said. If the Aximagnesio is only $1.00 dollar per day how is that more than the MagTech at $2.35+ per day?

Art

[Kia17 in reply to Hidden]

Art

No, the MagTech™ Magnesium Complex cost $1 a day. One bottle of 30 days serving is $34 while Aximagnesio for 30 days supply is almost $50 plus shipping cost from Italy.

Kia

[Hidden in reply to Kia17]

Kia,

You have to scroll down the page to read the following:

...............................................................................................................................

Suggested Use

Take 2 servings per pay, preferably 1 serving in the afternoon and 1 serving in the evening, or as directed by a healthcare practitioner.

U.S.A manufactured in a GMP facility. Natural Stacks proudly uses only the highest quality ingredients.

...............................................................................................................................

Each serving is three capsules and it takes two servings per day or 6 capsules to get you to the RDA of 400 mg magnesium per day. The way they make it appear in their ad is misleading as they make it sound as though you only need three capsules per day, but you actually need three capsules per serving , but you need two servings per day. The bottle contains 90 capsules which means it will only last about 2 weeks and will require two bottles per month at roughly $70 per month plus tax and shipping. 70 /3 0 = $2.34 per day plus tax and shipping.

Art

[Kia17 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Art

Kia

[Hidden]

Recently in another post, I have discussed another topical and oral pain reliever alternative called Arnica Montana, but in a homeopathic form which I have found to be quite effective and because of the mega dilution process involved in the homeopathy process, is likely to have a very good safety profile. I have found a very good homeopathic topical rub as well as oral pellets and both have worked very well for me in my recent experiments with these two.

This is the rub that I tried to good effect. The drawback that I found is that it does not smell very good coming out of the tube, but fortunately that smell goes away quickly after application and does not linger. :

amazon.com/Natra-Bio-Arnica...

I also tried these arnica 30x pellets that worked quite well also:

amazon.com/Hylands-Homeopat...

I found that both products were quite useful for pain relief in my case.

I know that some people are not believers in homeopathic anything because of the tremendous dilution process involved in the different formulations. As you may have already figured out, I am not one of those people.

Generally speaking, homeopathy is not well understood and requires very individualized treatment based on yourself, but the topical and oral arnica montana based homeopathy products seem to be less individualized. Both of these products are also supposed to be useful for faster healing of bruises. Given the safety profile of these two, I will continue to use them in the future also! The topical rub is applied directly to the problem area while the oral pellets, which are tiny, are placed under the tongue at the rate of 4 pellets per dose and four doses per day or 16 pellets total per day.

In any case, I didn't have to break the bank in order to try these two and I am glad that I did because they will always be part of my regular favorites. I gave a bottle of pellets to my sister who has muscular dystrophy (FSH) and a lot of pain from it. She said that these oral pellets are more effective than 800 mg doses of ibuprofen and medical marijuana and are very gentle to her sensitive system! She said she will be using these as needed from this point forward because they also help relieve muscle tension very effectively for her and don't require swallowing or water! Just pop them under the tongue and let them dissolve, that's it! We both got relief within 10 minutes of taking the pellets.

I don't know if these will work for everybody the same, but it is always important to get your doctors approval and monitoring to make sure that either of these two forms of arnica would be compatible with all meds that you take!

Art

[ParkinsonSpouse]

Thank you!