It’s important to apply the right pain therapies for every type of discomfort
From babies to adults, pain is an unfortunate part of life, and for some people experiencing chronic pain, it can have a sustained and significant impact on their quality of life. Managing pain is key, and this is taken very seriously by all healthcare professionals, with the local community pharmacy playing a crucial role.
There are a range of trusted over the counter pain relief medications. For babies and toddlers there is Calpol, which many parents reach for when their child is in pain.
Calpol Infant Suspension provides soothing relief from pain and fever in children, when they need it most. It starts to work on fever in just 15 minutes but is still gentle on delicate tummies. Trusted by parents for over 50 years, Calpol Infant Suspension is gentle enough to use from 2 months. The Calpol Vapour Plug and Nightlight is also available. This releases soothing lavender and camomile vapours that comfort a child through the night and help with clear and easy breathing.
The trusted products of the Nurofen range are also available. Nurofen for Children provides effective relief for children suffering from pain, fever, cold and flu. A liquid medicine, it starts to work in just 15 minutes and lasts for up to 8 hours for fever. It is available in a range of forms, including Nurofen for Children Six Plus.
Easofen for Children also contains the painkiller ibuprofen for babies, toddlers and children aged from 3 months to 12 years. This strawberry flavoured oral suspension is pleasant tasting and the dosing syringe included means it is easy to measure and administer. It provides pain and fever relief for children. It can be used for the relief of teething pain, earache, headache, sprains and strains, sore throats and cold and flu symptoms. It is suitable for babies over 3 months or weighing more than 5kg.
Another ibuprofen product is Nurofen Sinus & Pain Tablets. It provides non-drowsy relief from the symptoms of sinus pain, headache, fever, and eases the pain of sore throats. Combining ibuprofen and paracetamol, Nuromol Dual Action Pain Relief starts working faster than standard ibuprofen and lasts longer than standard paracetamol alone for pain relief. It starts to absorb in 5 minutes and provides up to 9 hours of relief, from mild to moderate pain.
Disprin is another well known and trusted brand. Containing aspirin, which reduces pain and inflammation and is effective in relieving headache, toothache, back pain and period pain, it also reduces temperature and fever.
There is also the Anadin range for adults, which includes tablets, capsules and soluble tablets. Anadin provides tailored pain relief with ibuprofen, paracetamol and aspirin products available.
One of these is Anadin Original. It is developed with a dual action formula, aspirin and caffeine, to effectively relieve headache or migraine. Aspirin targets the source of pain while the caffeine helps speed up pain relief. It treats headache, migraine, body and muscular aches, period pain, toothache, sore throat, and the pain and fever associated with cold and flu.
Panadol is one of the world’s leading paracetamol-based pain relievers. Panadol Extra Film-Coated Tablets has up to 30% more powerful pain relief than standard paracetamol, and can start to work in as little as 10 minutes, based on the absorption. It contains a combination of active ingredients – paracetamol and caffeine which is clinically proven to provide more effective pain relief than standard paracetamol tablets. Panadol Baby is one of the products available. An oral suspension product, Panadol Baby is suitable for babies and children from 2 months to 12 years, and is effective for teething pain, sore throat, toothache, and colds and fever.
There are also many trusted products from the Solpadeine range. Solpadeine Max Tablets contain a dual action formula of paracetamol and codeine for effective pain relief, with the paracetamol relieving pain symptoms and the codeine blocking messages from pain receptors. Solpadeine Max Tablets are suitable for migraines, headache, backache, rheumatic pain, period pain, dental pain, strains and sprains and sciatica. There are also products from Paralief and Buplex. Sinutab tablets, used to relieve the symptoms of nasal congestion when combined with pain or high temperature, are also available.
Teething is part of any baby’s natural growth, but it can be a very difficult time for both baby and parent as the teeth cause discomfort and pain as they break through the gums. Specific pain relief products are available to treat the symptoms of teething. Calpol Teething Gel is one. It has a mild anaesthetic, which numbs the gums, and also contains a gentle antiseptic that can help prevent infection. It can be taken alongside Calpol Infant Suspension if pain and fever relief are also needed.
One of the best known pain remedies for a sore tooth is clove oil and there are a wide variety of clove oil brands in pharmacies. There is also Bonjela for teething and treating mouth ulcers. It is a fast-acting gel that creates a protective film on a baby’s gums to help relieve teething pain, discomfort and inflammation. Bonjela Adult is also available. This aniseed-flavoured gel is used for the relief of pain, discomfort and inflammation caused by common mouth ulcers and cold sores. It helps to fight minor mouth infection, and aids the healing of sore spots and ulcers due to dentures and braces.
With the summer here, people are looking forward to getting out and active again, however, picking up an injury while playing sports or doing an exercise is almost inevitable. They can come in a variety of forms, some of the most well known are runner’s knee and tennis elbow.
As with anything, prevention is better than cure and the local community pharmacy staff can sign post to exercise classes or healthcare professionals such as physiotherapists which will help treat and prevent sports injuries.
They can also provide advice for treating some of the most common injuries like sprains and strains, such as RICE therapy, which can be done at home.
This involves:
- Rest – stop any exercise and try not to put any weight on the injury.
- Ice – put an ice pack on the injury for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours.
- Compression – wrap a bandage around the injury to support it.
- Elevate – keep the area raised on a pillow as much as possible.
Painkillers such as ibuprofen and paracetamol, as well as a range of other over the counter pain medications, are also available to deal with discomfort and pain caused by injuries.
Deep Heat and Deep Freeze products are some of the best known treatments for sports related aches and pains and are a staple of many people’s kit bag.
Deep Heat products work by generating penetrating warmth in aching, injured and sore muscles. Deep Heat Pain Max Strength can be used before and after exercise and contains ingredients that provide pain-relief plus heat. Similarly, Deep Freeze products can be used for sprains, strains and minor sports injuries, sharp, shooting muscle and joint pain. Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Patch and Deep Freeze Pain Relief Cold Gel are also suitable for the relief of muscular back pain in pregnancy.
Deep Heat and Deep Freeze sprays are some of the most popular sports injury treatments and many athletes use them even before events. In its iconic red can, Deep Heat Spray is a pain relieving, warming, spray to be used on the skin. It is recommended for the relief of pain in muscles, tendons, joints or bones, lower back and thigh pain, sprains or strains. It can be used before and after exercise. Deep Freeze Cold Spray works like ice, delivering an instant burst of targeted cooling to areas, such as the back, neck and shoulder, legs and feet. There are also a range of Deep Heat and Deep Freeze patches to use on affected areas.
Biofreeze products are also very popular, providing fast acting cold therapy treatment. These products come in a spray, gel, and patches and are readily available from the community pharmacist.
Another popular cream, particularly for athletes, is Ovelle Menthol & Wintergreen Cream. Becoming increasingly popular, it is used for the symptomatic relief of muscular pains, lumbago, rheumatic pain, fibrositis and strains.
Other products available over the counter are from the Voltarol range. Voltarol Emulgel P brings targeted and localised relief from pain and swelling in muscles and joints. Voltarol Emulgel P contains an anti-inflammatory drug called diclofenac which targets the source of pain and has been used as a pain reliever for over 30 years in Ireland. Diclofenac gets through the skin barrier as well as offering a cooling effect to ease the painful areas of the body. It provides a triple effect by relieving pain at source and reducing inflammation which helps speed up recovery.
There are also a range of Epsom salt products such as Ultrapure Laboratories Epsom Salts Gel with arnica. This is a natural fragrance-free gel infused with aloe vera designed to support natural muscle recovery. It is suitable for professional athletes, those doing endurance training, adults and teens suffering from muscle and joint pain, and people with no time or access to Epsom salt baths.
There is also Ultrapure Laboratories Epsom Salts infused with Lavender Essential Oil. This is an effective and natural way to relax and unwind after exercise or simply a busy day. Soaking in an Epsom salt bath allows the magnesium sulphate ions from the salt to absorb through the skin which may help alleviate muscle soreness. Both Epsom Salt and Lavender Essential Oil naturally help the body to relax and promote restful sleep.
Diclac Relief 1% Gel is also a popular and trusted brand. It is an anti-inflammatory gel used for pain relief and to reduce inflammation. Diclac Relief is suitable for use with injured or damaged joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments and in local soft tissue bruising.
As well as creams, sprays and pain relievers, the community pharmacist has a range of supports and insoles to help prevent injury and pain. There are also a range of devices which can treat muscle pain, such as deep tissue massage guns, which work to relieve soreness and stiffness. TENS machines are also available and work to help ease aches and pains including back and shoulder pain.
