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Subscribe to RSSThe Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers about rare chemical burns reported by people using popular pain relief products like Bengay, Icy Hot and Flexall.
The over-the-counter products are designed to provide short-term relief from minor muscle and joint aches and pains. But regulators say they have received reports of skin injuries ranging from first- to third-degree chemical burns caused by the products. Some of burns have required hospitalization, according to a notice posted to FDA's website.
The agency says consumers should stop using the pain relievers if they experience signs of skin injury, such as pain, swelling or blistering of the skin. Doctors should instruct patients on how to use the products, which come in lotions and patches, correctly.
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What are people doing, using a whole tube at once? I've used BenGay and Icy Hot for years with no problems whatsoever.
Must be a slow news day! LOL
So true - This is most likely being cause by people using too much of the product or repeatedly applying it to the same area too frequently. I can imagine that some people with sensitive skin or other skin issues might experience problems, but that should be pretty apparent and I would expect people with a skin condition to think twice before applying something like this.
Your're not everyone. Some people have very sensative skin to certian things. Example would be a pale person getting sun burn in 10 minutes where as I can be in the same sun for 2 hours.
I've had Icy hot feel like it was burning me, so I washed it off. It left a pink rash that was gone within hours, and only seems to happen when my skin is really dry. I can usually use it with no problem. I just make sure I have a wet washrag handy and get it off quickly if it does cause problems. Guess these people just left it on?
Of course some people here seem to think that if you are not exactly like them - you are doing something wrong. Let me set you straight. The first and only time I used ointment like this, I ended up in the ER w 2nd degree chemical burns
I wonder what the difference is. I've used these products with no problem for years. Did they offer you any kind of explanation?
I've heard of people getting burns because they used a heating pad on top of the cream. But other than that, wow.
This is what happens when people don't read the directions.
I read the directions.I think that they are making it stronger.That or my skin is getting too dry due to aging and it can't tolerate these creams.
But weed is still illegal. God bless America.
I remember trying an OTC (not to be named here) topical pain relief ointment that contained capsaicin, and I experienced an immediate burning sensation that was akin to burning my skin on a hot stove. I washed it off immediately. I told my doctor about it, and he advised that my skin was too sensitive for the ingredient.
I also cannot use Ben-Gay or other topical ointments of that kind. It's MY skin. It's too sensitive. (I also have problems with types of ointments and lotions.) The issue can be your skin or an allergic reaction.
I experienced the exact same type of reaction the first (and only) time I tried a capsaicin-based pain-relief lotion. The burning sensation started just a couple of minutes after application. I immediately tried to wash it off but my skin still ended up with a very bad rash and my knee swelled up to the size of a small cantaloupe for several hours. That was just from a pea-sized dollop of the lotion.
I've used this kind of stuff for years, but about two months ago I had some neck and back pain and used some store brand icy/hot stuff. I thought my neck was on fire and had to shower immediately to get it off. It did feel like a chemical burn. I haven't used it since but I'm curious if there was a defective batch somewhere. P.S. I'm not sue crazy and at most maybe I'd like a replacement tube if it is indeed defective. It sure sounds like some people will milk this for all it's worth.
I've had these creams burn me also. It felt like the cream was burning through my lower back towards my kidneys! Since then, I rarely use the stuff. I would advise people to be very wary of these products.
My Father used a pain relief patch. I won't say this caused his shingles because they are caused by the measles virus. But after applying the patch the next morning he was in awful pain. He made a doctors appointment and was diagnosed with shingles. He has had them ever since.
Shingles is actually caused by the chicken pox virus (varicella).
I can understand that these products can affect some people much more strongly than others, but this is just now news? How long has BenGay been on the market, 50 years?
I've used ben gay and many other brands over the years, including the brand that I felt a burn from. These products work well, but possibly a batch of a brand was accidentally made with too much active ingredient.
I can't use anything with capsaicin. It starts burning and continues to burn even when I wash it off. It leaves a rash and continues to burn for about 24 hours. I gave up trying to use it. Bengay and Icy Hot do nothing for my pain.
DR-oss, shingles are caused by the chicken pox virus, not the measles virus. And there is now a vaccination for adults to prevent or lessen the severity of shingles. Suggest to your father that he talk to his doctor about the vaccination. Hopefully, this would help him.
It's too late for his father to be vaccinated for shingles.Once you have shingles the vaccine is of no use and doctors will not give it to you.
Actually, they do recommend the use of the shingles vaccine in patients over 60 who report a previous episode of shingles. About 1-4% of patients will have a second episode of shingles after their first episode. Although this is a minority of patients, getting the vaccine even after having shingles once before is something to consider. (I am a pharmacist and just looked at current recommendations prior to posting).
So, if it causes discomfort, throw it out. Nobody's forcing you to use it.
I used it years ago and had no problem.Last year I used Icy Hot for tendonitis and it felt like a sunburn,my skin was red and really dry.It took two weeks for it to go away.I'll stick to aspirin the old fashioned remedy.
Ebola virus reminds me the bubonic pest also with dengue but the proteins chains so long makes me feels as if i'm looking at animal being inside at the humans and animals blood systems. The ticks, rodents, cockroaches any arthropod animal it leaves secretions on the floor also mosquitos could be the contagion route. A protein of that virus is a secretive protein that's one of the reason is so much contagious.It's a need to fumigate the area exposed to the virus proximity.This virus is a living animal, needs blood flood to live in the body till explodes to diseminate it again in secretions, not only made of blood or of mammals secretions. And can be spread on the air as a flu secretion too.This virus react as an overdose of heparin made of small simultaneous organisms living in the blood torrent and in the plasma the lynphatic system. As is reproduced in an uncontrolled way it destroys the own organism it lives, it means that even for be a virus is too big as it.Maybe if there was created a vaccine that only was attacking the genome of this virus or of the specific type of its main protein not affecting of course the human blood proteins and blood globules.
My comment for Ebola was for the Ebola virus but..the other time i used a cream icy -hot and some of it let in my nalis ..yes can burn to body mucous..and if your skin is very thin and sensitive can cause you a burn if the concentration of its components is too high. Maybe the trouble is with the amount of concentration of its compunds or if you are allergic to them.