Analgesics, better known as painkillers, are drugs or medications taken to relieve pain. However, prolonged use of drugs may cause side effects, which is where topical analgesics came into the play. Present in a variety of forms such as creams, gels, sprays, and even skin patches; topical analgesics reduce both acute pain (such as muscle aches, strains, sprains, tendinitis, and acute back pain) and chronic pain (such as osteoarthritis and low back pain) with faster and direct relief, and less side effects than their tablets and capsules.

How do pain relief creams work?

They are applied directly to the painful area (usually on the skin), where they are absorbed and act in the specific area. Common ingredients present in topical analgesics are:

Counter irritants: Menthol, Methyl salicylate, capsicum and camphor. These ingredients function by creating a less severe pain and local irritation of the skin to counteract the initial pain, which leads to a reduction in pain sensitivity (the body’s ability to sense the pain).
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID): This relieves pain by reducing inflammation. Common examples include diclofenac, piroxicam, ibuprofen, indomethacin, and ketoprofen.

Pain relief gels or Topical analgesics, can be divided into two categories based on the sensation they produce when applied on the skin.



1. Hot gels: They produce an initial cooling sensation when applied due to the methanol but shortly develop into a burning sensation.



2. Cold gels: These provide a stronger cooling effect without any burning sensation.

Choosing a topical pain relief gel can be quite daunting with so many options, below we will be listing the top ten pain relief creams / topical analgesics in Nigeria in no particular order.




1. Neurogesic Ointment

Containing both methyl salicylate and methanol, this hot gel is quickly becoming a household name among patients with chronic pain.

2. Fastum Gel

This colourless cold gel contains ketoprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs). It reduces pain and inflammation while providing a cooling sensation.

Want to guess what the rest of the popular pain relief creams are? See HERE

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