Which active ingredients should contain a good joint ointment?

If there are problems with the musculoskeletal system, especially when the joints hurt, one of the effective ways of treatment are ointments, gels and creams. For example, with injuries small vessels are affected, tissue hypoxia occur and the penetrability of capillaries increases. Blood flow is disturbed, tissue nutrition worsens, tissue healing (regeneration) slows down.

What can give us ointment for the joints? First of all, anesthesia and the removal of inflammation. Accordingly, puffiness decreases, blood microcirculation improves, tissue regeneration in traumas is stimulated. Almost all the agents of this kind give an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect. Divide them into two large groups: ointments warming up and, conversely, cooling.

Heating Ointments

A warming ointment for the joints locally increases the blood filling of the tissues, thus increasing the heat exchange. Hyperemic (warming) agents are used for bursitis, myositis, radiculitis, neuritis, lumbago and other diseases. They are also good for bronchitis. They are very popular among athletes experiencing increased physical exertion, after which the muscles may ache. It is recommended to massage with warming ointments before training. All athletes know about it.

It should be borne in mind that any warming ointment for joints and muscles can cause allergies, because in it, as a rule, there are quite active substances. Therefore, before use, it is necessary to check the new remedy at the elbow bend or in the popliteal fossa region. One more caution. Many themselves assign themselves this or that ointment in the hope of finding one that is ideal and will help. You should be careful not to abuse those ointments containing non - steroidal anti - inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Cooling Ointments

Cooling ointment for joints, as a rule, is used for injuries. Such ointments do not show an irritating effect, so they can be applied immediately after the injury, you do not need to rub the product into the damaged joint, just simply spread it neatly on the surface of the skin and leave it alone, waiting for the agent to soak.

Of course, such remedies do not actually cool the skin, but simply soothe the damaged area and create a feeling of coolness. They usually contain analgesics, anticoagulants, menthol, essential oils and sometimes alcohol.

In most people, most problems occur in the knee joints. With chronic diseases, you can use a special heating ointment for knee joints. In such ointments, as a rule, various active substances are present.

Active components of ointments for joints

Methyl salicylate is often used, it is a derivative of the usual aspirin. It is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, it anesthetizes and relieves inflammation due to inhibition of the production of COX, the main enzyme involved in the synthesis of prostaglandins. Ketoprofen refers to the same NSAIDs (nonsteroidal drugs), and the mechanism of action is identical, as well as in ibuprofen, indomethacin, diclofenac. The latter exhibits, perhaps, the most powerful anti-inflammatory effect.

In addition, these ointments can contain the following substances.

• Bee venom. It has an anti-inflammatory effect, but it is much less powerful than NSAIDs, it expands capillary vessels, thereby improving the oxygen supply to tissues and accelerating the disintegration of metabolic products, which, in fact, cause pain.
• Snake venom is similar in effect to a bee.
• Extract of pepper or mustard also heats the diseased skin area, enhancing blood flow.
• Menthol has a slight analgesic and antiseptic effect, irritating the nerve endings and bringing a sense of coldness.
• Camphor partly anesthetizes and acts as an antiseptic.

In recent years, a great popularity has become the use of horse ointment for joints. Some doctors are strongly against this, others do not see anything terrible. This ointment has the same components only in a much higher concentration, therefore it helps better, as it seems to many. But increased doses of active substances can adversely affect other organs. So, with horse ointment you need to be more careful.