Tiger Balm VS Biofreeze?

[Catie]

Hey guys,

Anybody out there tried both? Dan SWEARS by Tiger Balm. I had been tooling around here and saw somebody had mentioned Biofreeze as an external muscle pain reliever. I have never heard of it before and thought I'd see what everyone's thoughts were. Thanks for your input!

Catie

[tojo]

I personally prefer and use Bio Freeze. Just make sure you cover the area well and then put a towel or something over where you have applied it.

Welcome to the family Miss Catie

[Zathras]

There are many topical pain relievers on the market and the best advice that I can think of is when you find one that works for you stick with it.

Tiger Balm is a good product, one thing that it works well for is headaches but be very careful not to get it in your eyes. If you get the stuff with the Cinnamon in it be very careful as 1) it it extra hot and 2) it stains any cloth that you put over it so use something that you don't care about.

[weather]

I just recently tried biofreeze, I have found that they both help slightly with the same result. It's worth a shot, even if it just takes the edge off for a few hours of relief. Good luck. I hope it helps.

[AchinDude]

As most everyone knows, I work in a pharmacy. One of my "perks" is I get to try every rub, ointment, etc. that comes in, or that we carry.  We had handled the Biofreeze for a long time, and sold a lot of it, until we found a "generic" or a equal to it.  Right now, I can't remember the name but I'll get it and post it.  We sell lots of it, mostly 2-3 bottles per customer.

And wee sell lots of the "white" Tiger Balm ointment, and are begging to sell the Tiger Balm patches.   So they must work.

When I first started, we had a patient who had cancer, of course, she was on some heavy duty pain meds for the pain, but she used to but a little product called Saolnpas Pain Patches.  They were the small ones, but at that time, the only size they offered, now they have a much larger patch available.  They also have the Salonpas Gel, and the spray.   She bought these patches by the case, and I finally asked her about them.  She said they would give her 2-4 hours of "help" with some of the pain, which she said she would gladly take any time.

It took me several years to eventually try them, and to my amazement, they worked quit well for me.  They did "help" more than other products I'd tried over the years.   Now the company has expanded their line, and offer it in various forms.   They have even started running some ads on TV.


http://www.salonpas.us/where-to-buy


As longs as someone realizes these are only going to "help" with the pain, and will never be a concrete solution to deep muscle pain, they or any other product of that nature can and will help with the pain.

I have fairly sensitive skin, so I don't use the super hot products, but I know several people who do, and out take something hotter if they could get it. 

It's just me, but I use gloves to put it on, wash my hands very well, and make sure the products doesn't spread to other parts of my body.  Like ToJo said, it is a good idea to put something over the area, to prevent it from getting someone where you don't want it. 

Regarding these types of products, NEVER GO TO THE BATH ROOM WITH EVEN JUST A TINY AMOUNT STILL ON YOUR HANDS.   YOU WON'T DO IT BUT ONCE.  PROMISE.







BOB

[foxgrove]

NEVER GO TO THE BATH ROOM WITH EVEN JUST A TINY AMOUNT STILL ON YOUR HANDS.   YOU WON'T DO IT BUT ONCE.  PROMISE.

Yeah... so true.. learned that one the hard way!!!  Boy that stuff burns for a LONG time when it's on sensitive skin!!!  OWIE!!!!  And that wasn't even the really hot stuff!!!!!!

[weather]

LOL, I sprayed my super sore tender point in my but cheek as I got out of the shower the other day, well it got the boys too, SO I HEAR YA ROFL!!!!!!!!

I just remembered another good one similar to tiger balm, I think it might be from Indonesia but don't quote me on that!! I have no idea where that came from.

It's called Silverclover and it too works just like tiger balm but you can get it in much bigger tins.

[WolfSoul]

I am trying the tiger balm patches now. At first I didn't think they worked well, but then I realized that the first one I tried, I put on the numb spot on my back.  Um, Duh.

I tried another one the other day and it got very warm and seemed to help some, nothing major but decent, I think. I'll know for sure when I try another.

One thing I do have that I have found works well is the Deluxe Reusable Hot Cold pain reliving compress I got from CVS/pharmacy. It's a large gel pack that you either microwave or freeze depending on if you want hot or cold. (I prefer hot, can't stand being cold). It holds the heat really well and comes with a pouch with velcro straps to put around your waist for your back. I've also put it over my shoulders and on my lap for my hips. I highly reccomend it for heat. Can't say for sure for cold as I haven't tried it.

Wish I could afford a hot tub though. 

[striker308]

I have never tried Tiger Balm, to be honest I've never heard of it. I have tried and use Biofreeze but I use it for muscle spasims in my neck. Never tried it for the fibro. Didn't even think of it before now.

I use a tems unit for the neck and back and that sometimes helps with the fibro pain in my back but doesn't help with the pain in the legs.

[foxgrove]

Wish I could afford a hot tub though. :lol:

I hear you brother!!!  We'd be right there in line with you.   One day maybe.

[FranktheTank]

I've never used Tiger Balm, but BioFreeze doesn't really do anything physiologically. In my opinion it distracts you from the pain with the cooling effect and smell more than it helps it.

Not to derail this thread, but has anyone in here ever used Osmoflex? I read about it recently, but haven't tried it yet. Supposedly it's a pain relief cream, but it's not considered to be the same as other topical creams. The website says it's a liposomal delivery, which I had never heard of before.


From Wikipedia:

"Liposomes are used for drug delivery due to their unique properties. A liposome encapsulates a region of aqueous solution inside a hydrophobic membrane; dissolved hydrophilic solutes cannot readily pass through the lipids. Hydrophobic chemicals can be dissolved into the membrane, and in this way liposome can carry both hydrophobic molecules and hydrophilic molecules. To deliver the molecules to sites of action, the lipid bilayer can fuse with other bilayers such as the cell membrane, thus delivering the liposome contents. By making liposomes in a solution of DNA or drugs (which would normally be unable to diffuse through the membrane) they can be (indiscriminately) delivered past the lipid bilayer. There are three types of liposomes - MLV (multilamellar vesicles) SUV (Small Unilamellar Vesicles) and LUV (Large Unilamellar Vesicles). These are used to deliver different types of drugs."

This seems interesting to me. The concept is basically that these liposomes deliver medicine through the skin, instead of just being a topical cream that can't "soak in".

I may give this stuff a try and report back my findings.

[Joeopps]

Well Frankthetank,

You have invoked a joeopps saying...

Joeopps saying: In the presence of nothing, something is great.....

[WolfSoul]

What exactly is biofreeze? Is it a cream or rub that is cold? (brrr. no thanks. only heat for me.)

By the way, I can happily endorse the tiger balm patches. They do help a little. They are very sticky though. They remind me of handling dough without enough flour. But they come off easily without leaving a sticky residue behind.

[db]

I've used capsaicin ointment to apply to my trigger points.  I think it is similar to tiger balm. 

I am surprised that little is said about trigger points.  If your muscles hurt, it may be because they have trigger points. 

db