Red hot revisited
2008
There is no doubt that many people with back pain experience pain relief when applying heat to the painful area.
Tony Eaton, Helpline volunteer, shares his experiences.
There is no doubt that many people with back pain experience pain relief when applying heat to the painful area. Some use a hot bath or heat pads. In this article I’d like to tell you about a few options that I have tried myself and perhaps they could help you as well.
everyone has to find a solution for coping with pain that suits
In the autumn edition of the 1998 Talkback, an article by Dr Michael Irani, a consultant rheumatologist at Ashford Hospital, Middlesex suggested that Zacin cream (active ingredient Capsaicin 0.025%) might be beneficial to back pain sufferers. From a friend, I heard that there is also a stronger version of this cream, called Axsain. It doesn’t help everyone and while accepting that everyone’s pain is different and everyone has to find a solution for coping with pain that suits them I have had course to read and re-read just what the cream is reputed to do.
So maybe it is worth repeating the salient points as Dr Irani stated and what it says in the notes with the cream. “Capsaicin allows the patient to feel normal sensations such as light touch, temperature and movement, but not painful stimuli such as from arthritic joints. One of the big advantages of Zacin is that it is applied topically, which means treatment is targeted at the affected area, not throughout the body which reduces the possibility of side effects or drug interactions.” On the notes for Axsain it states; “It is thought that it works by reducing the amount of a chemical (substance P.) which is involved in transmitting pain messages to the brain.” As Dr Irani stated “thereby producing a long lasting analgesic effect. Zacin has a progressively increasing action, that it does not produce a ‘one off’ effect; the more you use it the greater the improvement in pain that you can expect to feel.” What it then tells you to do is to wash your hands thoroughly and to keep away from the eyes. But I would suggest using surgical gloves.
It could be very easy to use this cream ineffectively by thinking it works like embrocation or an aspirin. It has no smell and there maybe a few who, during early use, feel a slight burning sensation. My experience is that this burning sensation for me occurs when I am stressed or have over exerted myself. It does not make my skin feel hot after applying it. The lumbar region where I have applied it can feel red hot much later. I use this as an indicator to stop doing what ever I am doing or to take a stretch break.
I believe it can take some while for this drug to really be effective. By applying the cream to the hip nerve centre as well as the area of damaged spine, I really do believe it helps my mobility and I wouldn’t like to be without it. The Axsain is something I have progressed to after using Zacin for some years.
I also use the ActiCare TSE device, whereby electrodes are applied to the nape of the neck and the base of the ribs on the spine. The manufacturers of ActiCare TSE are considering the findings of an American researcher; who has indicated that the machine changes electrode characteristics of the nerve cell wall so preventing the transmission of pain signals.
The electrode pads certainly get hot during 30 minutes use at Mode 2 at 100%. I myself have noticed an increasing response to using this device and wonder too if there is some similarity in effect. At any rate it is complimentary to any of the other medications.
A third modality that I use once in a while is the Biolamp. This is an infra red like lamp which radiates the patient with 33 life enhancing minerals and focuses on the acupuncture points of the body, so like TSE it does a bit more than just get hot.
There maybe something here which will help you. Everyone is different and the only way to find out if anything works for your is to give it a try.