NSAID gel like Voltaran or similar for ankle pain relief

[oldcarguy]

Looking for something like a  NSAID gel ,  Voltaran (diclofenac) or ??? for ankle pair relief .

There was a show on BBC about pain relief  and Voltaran , I had never heard of it in the USA , 

But it seemed like a good idea to just rub it on my ankle instread of taking asprin etc that would go thru my whole body!

 

So is this worthwhile ? Is there a Thai brand ?

And are there other NSAID in gel form that go thru your skin ?

 

Thanks for your advise

 

[carlyai]

Voltaren is OK for what you want, but I read somewhere it had a bad wrap if used for a long time.
It still can cause stomach problems in some people.
I'm not sure of the Thai name, probably Voltaren.

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[Sheryl]

Voltaren brand gel is readily available here. All pharmacies have it even small ones.

Also widely sold here are salicylate patches (Salon pas etc). These you may even find in 7-11.

What exactly is wrong with your ankle?

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[oldcarguy]

Foot doctor said flat feet and I was turning my ankle inwards as there was no support there , 

Thats what was causing the pain

[Sheryl]

OK.Well voltaren cream or salicylate patches may be of soem help but of course what you really need is arch support or orthotics.

[cooked]

Don't forget to ask for Woltaren, if you ask for Voltaren they'll tell you "no have".

[oldcarguy]

2 hours ago, cooked said:

Don't forget to ask for Woltaren, if you ask for Voltaren they'll tell you "no have".

I just showed then Sheryl's spelling !

[dddave]

DIFELENE is another brand available locally featuring diclofenac , ointment or tablet. 

[wpcoe]

On 4/2/2019 at 9:04 AM, carlyai said:

Voltaren is OK for what you want, but I read somewhere it had a bad wrap if used for a long time.
It still can cause stomach problems in some people.
I'm not sure of the Thai name, probably Voltaren.

Can someone clarify if that applies to the Voltaren gel?  I have been advised by two doctors not to rely on taking Voltaren tablets frequently as they will stress the liver, but I thought a topical gel would avoid that (and stomach problems.)

[uhuh]

Topical gel will not affect the liver,  will have no effect on the stomach and no effect on your ankle. Actually it doesn't have any effects. Because it does NOT go through your skin,  it just rests there.

But people swear by it, and it's cheap. 

So doctors will recommend it to keep the patient happy. 

 

Try a cooling pad, same effect but reusable.

[Sheryl]

The gel will not affect liver and is unlikely to cause stomach issue. But it is not as strong as the rablet as absorption is limited. Absorption is NOT nil. But it is certainly much less than with tablets.

 

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[Bang Bang]

I am recovering right now from an ankle rolled running about 10 days ago. I did apply Voltaren regularly the first few days but my sense is an ibuprofen 400 daily helped more. I would stay away from diclofenac if possible, stuff's hell on the stomach.

 

Meloxicam (Mobic tablets) are very good for arthritic inflammation - again handle with care.

[madmen]

Diclofenic (DIFELENE here)is strong and it works but take it only with a full meal and not just a salad. 30 baht for 10 its dirt cheap to

[adammike]

Diclofenic is a great anti-inflammatory and pain killer it comes in doses 12.5 to 100mg.High doses long term have been implicated in heart attacks that's why you can't buy it otc in the UK anymore,use with a antacid if you get stomach problems.I can get Voltarin 12.5 here in the Netherlands and I bring some 50s back from thailand.i normally take a diclofenic with a paracetamol or co-codemol and only now and again, it works.

[cooked]

Just as' for Woltaren, otherwise you'll be told 'Mai me'.


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[SteveK]

On 4/23/2019 at 8:47 AM, uhuh said:

Topical gel will not affect the liver,  will have no effect on the stomach and no effect on your ankle. Actually it doesn't have any effects. Because it does NOT go through your skin,  it just rests there.

But people swear by it, and it's cheap. 

Almost right. Volatrol (or Voltaren) when applied topically does get into the blood stream, but at much smaller amount than when taken orally, so is considered safe for the stomach (which is the primary issue with NSAIDS, not the liver).

 

In the UK voltarol tablets and cream are many times more expensive than ibuprofen tablets or gels. And you won't be able to notice a clinical difference between 400mg ibuprofen and 50mg diclofenac, so I would always recommend ibuprofen, cheapest generic ones possible.

 

And for a topical preparation, I would always get the cheapest 10% ibuprofen gel instead of 1% diclofenac (Voltarol/volatren) - it's just marketing and brand names tying to get you to spend more on something that does the same thing.

 

Naproxen, on the other hand is markedly better than either, but that only comes as tablets. I had a very swollen knee after walking for 8 hours in Las Vegas and could hardly move, one 500mg naproxen and I was ready to go out again.

Edited April 26, 2019 by SteveK

[uhuh]

4 hours ago, SteveK said:

Almost right. Volatrol (or Voltaren) when applied topically does get into the blood stream, but at much smaller amount than when taken orally, so is considered safe for the stomach (which is the primary issue with NSAIDS, not the liver).

I admit I was oversimplifying.

Pharmacytimes.com July 16, 2015: “the average peak plasma concentration with recommended use of Voltaren gel (4 x 4 g per day applied to 1 knee) is 158 times lower than with the oral treatment.”

Edited April 26, 2019 by uhuh

[goldmagpie]

An orthopedic surgeon friend said the gel would work well for pain right underneath the skin. I had just such an application, and he was all for it.