Are Muscle Pain Creams Dangerous? Can They Make Tinnitus Worse?

[Eric N]

Does anybody use creams for muscle/joint pain such as Antiphlogistine rub or Voltaren?

Are these creams dangerous for people with tinnitus? Antiphlogistine seems to list tinnitus as a possible rare side effect.

I used a small amount of Antiphlogistine yesterday and I'm wondering if this is dangerous.


Ingredients

Medicinal ingredients (w/w): methyl salicylate 21% camphor 4.0% menthol 3% eucalyptus essential oil 0.75%.

Non-medicinal ingredients (alphabetic order): carbomer isobornyl acetate oxacyclohexadecan-2-one polyethylene glycol polysorbate 20 propylene glycol purified water triethanolamine.

 

[Allan1967]

I've never had an issue with them.

 

[Bam]

Nearly as dangerous as nail clippers @Eric N

 

[Bill Bauer]

"Have severe shoulder pain can barely move my arm came on suddenly probably from shoveling the snow." I can't post a reply on your profile, so I will reply here.

I also have been having some shoulder pain. Normally, they want you to take those anti-inflammatory drugs first and then if that doesn't work, they try steroid injections next. When I explained to a doctor at the ER that I can't take Ibuprophen because I am worried that it is ototoxic, he was willing to give me a shot of steroid and it had helped a lot.

You will also want to make sure to not sleep on your side(!) In fact, my shoulder problem went away, only to reappear as a result of me sleeping on my side. Check out the video below

 

[Eric N]

"Have severe shoulder pain can barely move my arm came on suddenly probably from shoveling the snow." I can't post a reply on your profile, so I will reply here.

I also have been having some shoulder pain. Normally, they want you to take those anti-inflammatory drugs first and then if that doesn't work, they try steroid injections next. When I explained to a doctor at the ER that I can't take Ibuprophen because I am worried that it is ototoxic, he was willing to give me a shot of steroid and it had helped a lot.

How long did you wait before going to the ER?
What was the name of the steroid shot?

I am in lot of pain right now but I refuse to take painkillers after Tylenol caused a permanent spike.

 

[Eric N]

I've never had an issue with them.

Do you use them regularly? What cream do you use?

 

[Allan1967]

Do you use them regularly? What cream do you use?

I probably use things like deep heat and Tiger Balm fairly frequently and Voltaren infrequently [once in a blue moon]. Voltaren on the hands but the Tiger Balm can be anywhere, especially neck etc.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I am in lot of pain right now but I refuse to take painkillers after Tylenol caused a permanent spike.

Several months ago I couldn't lift or move my arm. What made it worse was that I would be in moderate pain even when I would not move. It made it difficult to fall and stay asleep. After about 48 hours of this, I couldn't stand the constant moderate pain (mixed in with occasional incredible sharp pain following accidental moves) and the sleep deprivation. I went to the ER at about 3 am. From experience, I know that if left alone, this type of pain can take months to gradually go away (my knee took two years to heal). Joints, just like ears, take forever to heal. I was also worried about my inability to use my right hand to write on the board (I teach).

What was the name of the steroid shot?

I am pretty sure it was Cortisone
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cortisone-shots/about/pac-20384794

p.s. It is not on
http://hlaa-sbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Ototoxic_Brochure.pdf
Check out the thread
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/cortisone-injection-into-foot-—-safe-for-tinnitus.23854

p.p.s.
but there's also this:
https://www.thehearingdr.com/ototoxicmonitoring.asp

 

[Eric N]

This sucks, I just got back to work last week after a four-month leave due to tinnitus spike. I don't know what I'm going to tell this time, I obviously can't type now, I can't even put my hand on the desk. I work as a programmer.

I hope at least in one week I can type again.

 

[Bill Bauer]

This sucks, I just got back to work last week after a four-month leave due to tinnitus spike. I don't know what I'm going to tell this time, I obviously can't type now, I can't even put my hand on the desk. I work as a programmer.

I hope at least in one week I can type again.

I think it shouldn't be difficult for you to convince an ER doctor or a family doctor or a doctor at a walk-in clinic to give you that steroid shot. Those shots normally work within 24-48 hours or even less.

 

[Johan_L]

This sucks, I just got back to work last week after a four-month leave due to tinnitus spike. I don't know what I'm going to tell this time, I obviously can't type now, I can't even put my hand on the desk. I work as a programmer.

I hope at least in one week I can type again.

I have had an mild impingement in my left shoulder for many years, and yesterday I made some movement so that I injured my healthy shoulder. I now cannot reach for anything above my head with either arm.

I'm hoping to get a cortisone shot tomorrow. I have had them before and its not considered a big deal by most doctors. Obviously not doing NSAIDs... If you have an shoulder bursitis/impingement, then cortisone will help.

@Bill Bauer Great video! I have not been able to sleep on my sides since two months because of shoulder pain. You're not just dishing out great ear advice

 

[Bill Bauer]

Great video!

I've seen many YouTube videos done by physical therapists that advise people with shoulder problems who have to sleep on the side to make a "channel" to take the pressure off of the shoulder. But this clip seems to provide the best instructions.

I discovered that I can't easily sleep On a pillow. (I also can't fall asleep when I lie on my back.) Later this week, I plan to buy multiple blankets to sleep on..

 

[Eric N]

I think it shouldn't be difficult for you to convince an ER doctor or a family doctor or a doctor at a walk-in clinic to give you that steroid shot. Those shots normally work within 24-48 hours or even less.

You were not scared of the side effects? It seems a bit risky from the link you provided.

 

[SteveShield]

Eric... not a good week for me, 4 months of tinnitus, this week my tinnitus spiked!... Anyway, I aggravated or created tinnitus by using Methylsalicylate rub on my neck and behind my ears around the time the spike started... many people don't know that it is ototoxic.

 

[Bill Bauer]

You were not scared of the side effects? It seems a bit risky from the link you provided.

That was one link that I provided for completeness. However, most links seem to imply that it is safe. You can also search this forum - I believe there are few/no horror stories about this...

 

[Eric N]

That was one link that I provided for completeness. However, most links seem to imply that it is safe. You can also search this forum - I believe there are few/no horror stories about this...

Do you know if the steroid shots are ototoxic at all? The physical therapist was a bit surprised when I asked for a steroid shot when I turned down Ibuprofen.

Also did you get relief within 24 to 48 hours?

 

[Eric N]

Eric... not a good week for me, 4 months of tinnitus, this week my tinnitus spiked!... Anyway, I aggravated or created tinnitus by using Methylsalicylate rub on my neck and behind my ears around the time the spike started... many people don't know that it is ototoxic.

Sorry to hear this. How many times did you use it? Did it make the tinnitus louder or did you get more tones?

 

[Bill Bauer]

Also did you get relief within 24 to 48 hours?

This was several months ago, but I am pretty sure that I got relief within 48 hours and I was mostly back to normal in less than a week...

Do you know if the steroid shots are ototoxic at all?

All I know is that it is not on that list, and there seem to be few posts on this forum about it causing serious problems...

 

[Gman]

I wouldn't take anything for muscle, joint pain or any pain for that matter anymore. That includes gels and creams. They're all too risky, in my view and I've done some excruciating things which would have easily warranted them. Physical pain doesn't match the torment of worsening T and I mean that in all seriousness.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I wouldn't take anything for muscle, joint pain or any pain for that matter anymore. That includes gels and creams.

Even steroid shots?

 

[Gman]

Even steroid shots?

Yes. But that's just me. I don't mean to discourage you or anyone else though.

 

[Brooklyn NY]

Hi, I am fairly certain my t came from using too much aspercreme and pepto bismo for stomach problems. I would not use any creams for muscle pain, just my opinion.

 

[Eric N]

I'm definitely experiencing a spike since the day I applied some of the antiphlogistine cream, I dismissed it that day as just a random spike but 5 days later it is still there so I'm not so sure now.

Is it even theoretically possible that one small application could cause an ototoxic effect? Very little of the cream reaches the bloodstream right?

 

[Eric N]

I'm definitely experiencing a spike since the day I applied some of the antiphlogistine cream, I dismissed it that day as just a random spike but 5 days later it is still there so I'm not so sure now.

Is it even theoretically possible that one small application could cause an ototoxic effect? Very little of the cream reaches the bloodstream right?

My shoulder is pretty much back to normal but my tinnitus is still doing very bad because of the stupid pain relief cream, what is interesting though is the spike is just in one of my tones @ 1kHz doesn't ototoxicity start with high frequencies first?

 

[cjbhab]

I believe one usage of Voltaren cream on my shoulders and neck has caused a bad spike for me - i had no idea a cream could be an issue. This is awful - new high frequency tones cutting in and out.

Don't use it.

 

[Matt9]

I believe one usage of Voltaren cream on my shoulders and neck has caused a bad spike for me - i had no idea a cream could be an issue. This is awful - new high frequency tones cutting in and out.

Don't use it.

Did the spike subside?

 

[cjbhab]

Did the spike subside?

The spike subsided in 12-15 days. I would not use the cream again.

 

[GeorgeLG]

I started to look for non-pharmaceutical ways to relieve my joint and back pain for all the reasons in this thread. Two things have helped me: hot/cold and reading books on the mind body connection to pain. John Sarno is my favorite author but his books can be a bit of a read. This summary of Dr. Sarno's work by a co-worker is a quick way to get the idea and see if you want to go further.:

https://www.amazon.com/Dr-John-Sarn...eywords=john+sarno+book&qid=1629946841&sr=8-6

All the best.

George

 

[Damocles]

I believe one usage of Voltaren cream on my shoulders and neck has caused a bad spike for me - i had no idea a cream could be an issue. This is awful - new high frequency tones cutting in and out.

Don't use it.

Voltaren, eh. It's called Voltarol over here (in the UK), but in any case we're both referring to diclofenac.

Anyway, I use a sh*t ton of it on my knees, because I am/was an avid runner, and I've never encountered any spike using it...

 

[GeorgeLG]

I just read a study that Traumaplant Comfrey cream scored higher than Diclofenac on pain reduction. I just ordered a version that is low in PA's which are a potentially toxic component.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F55EAIS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

George