Top 3 Joint & Muscle Pain Relief from Japanese Drugstores and Pharmacy

Many of us suffer from pain in our joints and muscles due to overworking these body parts through daily activities, exercises, sports, work-related repetition, caring for children, and even stress.

So what is pain?

Pain is defined as a "highly unpleasant physical sensation caused by illness or injury." However, this general definition is very broad and in actual fact it is difficult to exactly define what is pain in the medical sense. Some pain might be acute while others could be chronic pain.

There are further types of chronic pain such as nociceptive pain that happens in the body when the body becomes injured and acts to protect itself. This situation includes physical pain such as lower back pain, sports injuries, and post-surgical pain.

There is also neuropathic pain which may be described as a throbbing, tingling or electrifying pain. It is caused by damage or dysfunction of nerves in the body and often the source is not identifiable or cause unknown.

In addition, psychological and social factors can also have a large impact on pain levels. On a whole, chronic pain can be a combination of all these types of pain which worsen the situation.

And what is inflammation?

Inflammation can be summed up as the body's defense reaction. It may happen in the cellular level such as when your body is battling bacteria or viruses. Inflammation may also happen in trauma of the body for example during sports when muscles are injured and damaged so pain and swelling occurs.

Usually, acute inflammation subsides in a few days since it is your body's immune response. Inflammation actually benefits your body as it accelerates the healing process and is a normal response of your body to defend itself against tissue damage from infection or trauma. Unfortunately, symptoms such as pain or itching usually accompanies the inflammation which makes you feel uncomfortable. There are 5 symptoms of inflammation including redness, swelling, warmth, pain, and difficulty moving the area.

Is pain and inflammation in the joints and muscles caused only by injury?

No, actually aging causes our body to gradually change and over time pain and inflammation may occur as we age.

Our body has a musculoskeletal system which consists of tissues such as bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves which work together to keep our body in shape and help us move. As we age, our bone density decreases, our metabolic rate also decreases, and our muscle mass decreases too. Over time, our cartilage begins to wear away and our joints become stiff and inflexible. Most commonly this happens in our knees and finger joints, so inflammation occurs there. If left untreated, inflammation causes stiffness, deformity, and chronic pain in the joints which can affect daily activities such as walking.

So how can we relief joint and muscle pain?

One of the best ways to avoid or delay such a problem is moderate exercise daily. This is the most effective way to prevent age-related joint, muscle, and bone problems. By adding moderate physical activities to your daily life, you can help your body to maintain its muscle strength, balance, and flexibility.

However, you may still experience some shoulder, knee or back pain after a long day of work or even exercise. In such case, it would be best to try some remedies or medications to relief pain and reduce inflammation.

The following are the top 3 brands that are popular in Japanese drugstores or pharmacies that helps to effectively reduce inflammation and pain so that you can feel comfortable and fit for more activities in your daily life.

1. VOLTAREN

Voltaren is a popular brand that is available in more than 130 countries worldwide and is widely known to be effective against joint and muscle pains. Voltaren contains diclofenac sodium, which has excellent analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, as an active ingredient. It penetrates deeply into painful areas and directly soothes inflammation.

Voltaren patches are effective and lasts for 24 hours to give you long lasting pain relief. Voltaren also comes in Large size patches which are especially suitable for using on large areas of the body such as lower back and shoulders. Voltaren is a pain relief option backed by science and research for the best results in a short time.

2. LOXONIN

Loxonin is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that was developed to help improve the quality of life for many people suffering from pain. Loxonin is a topical medicine that has an excellent analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect.

Loxonin contains Loxoprofen Sodium Hydrate which penetrates directly to the core of pain and exhibits excellent analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. Loxonin has shown good results in clinical trials and recognized for its excellent effects to reduce pain and inflammation.

Loxonin is suitable also in areas of the body where patches may be difficult to stick on or on small areas which patches may not be so effective as it is also available in a gel-form.

3. FEITAS

Feitas contains analgesic and anti-inflammatory ingredients felbinac and diclofenac sodium which penetrate deep into the affected area through the skin and act directly on the pain and inflammation. Feitas quickly suppresses pain and inflammation, and exerts excellent effects on shoulders, hips, and joints.

Feitas 5.0 contains felbinac which has excellent penetrating power and great for daily pain relief of painful lower back or shoulders. Feitas 5.0 is available in warm or cold formula for more effective pain relief to your own personal preference and situation.

For severe pain that is often unbearable, there is Feitas Z-alpha Dicsas series which contains added diclofenac sodium which has excellent persistence on strong pain. Feitas Z-alpha Dicsas  is also available in warm or cold formula which provides fast and effective pain relief for your painful situation.

Feitas  also won the Good Design award for their patch design which has a great fit, hard to accidentally peel off but easy to peel off when you are finished with the treatment and reduces damage to the skin. This is especially useful as many patches fall off with movement or sweat which makes the treatment ineffective.

For general pain relief at home that you can use daily on joint and muscle pains, it is recommended to use products from these popular brands. However, if you experience prolonged pain and difficulty, it is recommended to consult your physician for a diagnosis and medical treatment.