The Science Behind Topical Pain Relief: Why Some Ingredients Work Better Than Others

When people are in pain, they want something to help, and fast. While there are certainly a range of topical pain relief options out there, they’re not all the same. Knowing what works and why can save people time and money.

The Physiology of Skin Absorption

Skin is not a barrier, but a selective bouncer. In order to work, topical ingredients have to penetrate the layers of skin and make their way to the areas that need help, muscles, joints or nerves.

Skin absorbs small molecules better than big ones. This is part of the reason that most natural ingredients work well as topical pain relievers; they tend to be naturally small enough to work well. The skin absorbs oil-based ingredients better too; skin is made of lipids (fats). Water based products tend to just sit on the skin without doing anything.

Skin absorbs ingredients better when it’s warm. Rubbing in a topical agent works better than dabbing it on; rubbing creates friction and heat, and opens blood vessels to help aid absorption.

Ingredients That Count

Not all topical pain relief ingredients are created equal. Differences often lie in how they work to relieve pain and how they work to reduce inflammation.

Menthol and camphor work as counter-irritants. They provide a cooling or warming sensation that helps distract from pain itself. While this sounds purely psychological, these ingredients also bind to nerves and send conflicting messages to the brain. For mild muscle or joint pain, sources like those found at https://barbaraoneill.com/collections/pain-relief-salves, offer topical agents that combine multiple different but effective botanical ingredients that work on pain in different ways.

Arnica works traditionally for a reason. It contains compounds called sesquiterpene lactones. These reduce inflammation on a cellular level and inhibit swelling. Arnica is effective in bruising and in exercise induced muscle pain in particular, and it works best when applied immediately after injury.

Capsaicin, the compound found in hot peppers, works differently by depleting the amount of substance P (the neurotransmitter that transmits pain). The downside here? It takes several days of application for capsaicin to build up enough to be effective, and it burns. Most people stop before it can provide pain relief.

Carrier Oils are Important

Salves are made with a carrier oil. These oils are an important part of the product, so they’re not just filler.

Some oils absorb well but feel greasy (coconut), some replace skin oil and leave no residue (jojoba), and some leave a barrier that makes the product last longer (shea butter). Combining these properties is the goal in creating an effective product.

Here’s a fact that most people don’t think about, some carrier oils have their own anti-inflammatory properties. Olive oil contains oleocanthal, a compound that works similarly to ibuprofen to fight inflammation. Hemp seed oil contains omega fatty acids that calm irritated skin. The carrier oil is part of the solution; it’s not just a vehicle.

The Problem With “Easy” Solutions

Pre-made solutions found in pharmacies often have synthetic ingredients that produce short-term fast acting responses, but not long-term relief. They tend to focus on immediate sensation rather than lasting results.

Many pre-made options also tend to contain preservatives, fragrances, and stabilizers, all of which can easily irritate already-affected skin. The last thing someone needs when their skin is already irritated due to injury is more irritants.

Plant-based alternatives often contain compounds that work well together (synergistic effects), along with other compounds (entourage effect). Isolated synthetic compounds do not.

What to Look for in Good Ingredients

It’s important to read ingredients, but it’s just as important to know what you’re reading.

Products that list “fragrance” can contain up to several dozen undisclosed chemicals. “Natural flavors” is just as vague and doesn’t mean anything.

Look for names of the actual plants in the formulas rather than vague references such as “mountain daisy extract.” “Arnica montana” is much more reputable. And remember to look at the place of the ingredient on the list, this matters. Ingredients are listed in order from greatest to least amount in a formula. If an ingredient is towards the end of a long list, there’s not much of it.

Quality matters when it comes to sourcing too. Organically grown herbs have denser compounds than conventionally grown that have been compromised by pesticides and chemicals. Cold-pressed oils retain more than heat-pressed oils.

Be Realistic

Topical products can help mitigate mild pain, soreness from mild injuries, or localized inflammation, but they aren’t going to cure a ruptured disc or even reverse arthritis, anyone claiming otherwise needs to be avoided.

The best approach combines topical help with movement, heat and/or cold, hydration, and addressing the actual source of the pain (if there is one).

With quality topical products, however, people can experience good relief without side effects associated with oral medications, and understand how/why they work so they can make better choices about what to slather on when injuries occur.