Voltaren Oral, Cream Or Both? Anti – inflammatory creams, what about fisiocrem?

By now it should come as no surprise that voltaren is a product commonly used for pain, swelling, bruising, muscular aches,

osteoarthritis, stiffness and inflammation. But when should we really be using it, and do we use the tablets or cream?”

When to use (Voltaren) Diclofen Tablets?
Most evidence can show effective analgesic properties in the short term. Therefore, injuries such as acute ligament sprains, muscle strains, and tendon injuries. However, length of treatment should always be kept as short as possible, with consideration of the specific type of injury, level of function, and pain.
If you have no other co-existing medical issues 1 box (10 days as per instructions) of the tablet is okay – Any longer get assessed by your Physio to determine how else, you can self-manage the pain

Cream Vs Tablet
The topical cream has show to be just as effectives as a dosage of 50mg 3 times daily. Although the oral tablet is rapidly absorbed after administration and has a short half-life of 1–2 hours there can be serious side effects of the drug.

Can You use Both?

For short periods it is okay. However if you can manage without the tablets you will have a much better progression in the healing process. Voltaren should just be used when there is pain. Research shows that NSAIDs (Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs) suppress the platelet expression of enzymes present (in the blood) during an inflammatory process and therefore inhibits the resolution of inflammation as prostaglandins (these are normally made during tissue damage) cannot be biosynthesized and therefore tissue healing does not occur well when taking the medication.

How can I make it more effective?
Try increasing your exercise expenditure. Optimal loading will help to increase blood flow to the painful area helping to increase the efffectiveness of the diclofenac. If you are unsure what exercises you can be doing. See the physiotherapist to advise your properly. Another reason to get into the physio is for massage. Massage has shown to increase the effects of the topical cream and pain relief to the injured site.

Tips
*Fisiocrem won’t dry out your skin
* There are minimal risks with using the cream compared to the Oral tablets

* If you’re injury is muscular in nature such as a strained muscle or sprained ligament creams that have methly siliciate will provide more heat allowing increased blood flow to the area to assist with healing. IF it is more inflammatory in nature e,g, bursitis use a cream that mainly has an anti-inflammatory agent.
*If you want to use the cream on a large surface area probably better to use a natural product like fisiocrem and the tablets to compliment each other and you won’t have to worry about the absorption of diclofen both subcateously and systemically.

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