Heat rub
Encyclopedia
Heat rub is the name for a variety of products intended to relieve the pain of fibrositis, lumbago and muscular
aches and strain
s. They are so named because they produce a feeling of warmth within the muscle
of the area they are applied to, typically acting as rubefacients via a counterirritant
effect.
Heat rubs are typically applied in cream
form, but patches
, sticks and sprays
are also available.
Well-known brands include IcyHot
in the United States
, Deep Heat
in Ireland
, the United Kingdom
, Australia
and other areas, and Tiger Balm
in Asia
and Canada
.
Active ingredients are typically Menthol
and Methyl Salicylate
but could also include more exotic ingredients like cayenne
.
The methyl salicylate
that is the active analgesic ingredient in some heat-rub products can be toxic if they are used in excess. Heating pad
s are also not recommended for use with heat rubs, as the added warmth may cause overabsorption of the active ingredients.
Muscle
Muscle is a contractile tissue of animals and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. Muscle cells contain contractile filaments that move past each other and change the size of the cell. They are classified as skeletal, cardiac, or smooth muscles. Their function is to...
aches and strain
Strain (injury)
A strain is an injury to a muscle or tendon in which the muscle fibres tear as a result of overstretching. A strain is also colloquially known as a pulled muscle...
s. They are so named because they produce a feeling of warmth within the muscle
Muscle
Muscle is a contractile tissue of animals and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. Muscle cells contain contractile filaments that move past each other and change the size of the cell. They are classified as skeletal, cardiac, or smooth muscles. Their function is to...
of the area they are applied to, typically acting as rubefacients via a counterirritant
Counterirritant
A counterirritant is a substance which creates inflammation in one location with the goal of lessening the inflammation in another location. They can be used as antipruritics. This strategy falls into the more general category of counterstimulation....
effect.
Heat rubs are typically applied in cream
Cream (pharmaceutical)
A cream is a topical preparation usually for application to the skin. Creams for application to mucus membranes such as those of the rectum or vagina are also used. Creams may be considered pharmaceutical products as even cosmetic creams are based on techniques developed by pharmacy and...
form, but patches
Transdermal patch
A transdermal patch is a medicated adhesive patch that is placed on the skin to deliver a specific dose of medication through the skin and into the bloodstream. Often, this promotes healing to an injured area of the body. An advantage of a transdermal drug delivery route over other types of...
, sticks and sprays
Aerosol
Technically, an aerosol is a suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in a gas. Examples are clouds, and air pollution such as smog and smoke. In general conversation, aerosol usually refers to an aerosol spray can or the output of such a can...
are also available.
Well-known brands include IcyHot
IcyHot
IcyHot is a topical rubefacient heat rub meant for relieving pains such as arthritis, backache, muscle strains, sprains, bruises, and cramps. IcyHot, produced and marketed by Chattem, now a subsidiary of Sanofi-Aventis, is known for its dual action pain relief, claiming it is "Icy to dull the...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Deep Heat
Deep Heat (Heat rub)
Deep Heat is a topical, rubefacient, heat rub manufactured by Mentholatum, common in the UK, Ireland and Australia and claim to relieve pains such as rheumatic pain, backache, lumbago and muscle sprains....
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and other areas, and Tiger Balm
Tiger Balm
Tiger Balm is the trade name for a heat rub manufactured and distributed by Haw Par Healthcare in Singapore.- History :It was originally developed in the 1870s by a herbalist, Aw Chu Kin, in Rangoon, Burma, who asked his sons Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par on his deathbed to perfect the...
in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Active ingredients are typically Menthol
Menthol
Menthol is an organic compound made synthetically or obtained from peppermint or other mint oils. It is a waxy, crystalline substance, clear or white in color, which is solid at room temperature and melts slightly above. The main form of menthol occurring in nature is -menthol, which is assigned...
and Methyl Salicylate
Methyl salicylate
Methyl salicylate is a natural product of many species of plants. Some of the plants which produce it are called wintergreens, hence the common name.-Botanical background:...
but could also include more exotic ingredients like cayenne
Cayenne pepper
The cayenne pepper—also known as the Guinea spice,cow-horn pepper, aleva, bird pepper,or, especially in its powdered form, red pepper—is a red, hot chili pepper used to flavor dishes and for medicinal purposes. Named for the city of Cayenne in French Guiana, it is a cultivar of Capsicum annuum...
.
The methyl salicylate
Methyl salicylate
Methyl salicylate is a natural product of many species of plants. Some of the plants which produce it are called wintergreens, hence the common name.-Botanical background:...
that is the active analgesic ingredient in some heat-rub products can be toxic if they are used in excess. Heating pad
Heating pad
A heating pad is a pad used for warming of parts of the body in order to manage pain. Localized application of heat causes the blood vessels in that area to dilate, enhancing perfusion to the targeted tissue...
s are also not recommended for use with heat rubs, as the added warmth may cause overabsorption of the active ingredients.
See also
- Namman MuayNamman MuayNamman Muay is a herbal liniment made from botanical products from Thailand. Its main active ingredients are known to reduce inflammation and aid in blood circulation...
- IcyHotIcyHotIcyHot is a topical rubefacient heat rub meant for relieving pains such as arthritis, backache, muscle strains, sprains, bruises, and cramps. IcyHot, produced and marketed by Chattem, now a subsidiary of Sanofi-Aventis, is known for its dual action pain relief, claiming it is "Icy to dull the...
- Tiger BalmTiger BalmTiger Balm is the trade name for a heat rub manufactured and distributed by Haw Par Healthcare in Singapore.- History :It was originally developed in the 1870s by a herbalist, Aw Chu Kin, in Rangoon, Burma, who asked his sons Aw Boon Haw and Aw Boon Par on his deathbed to perfect the...
- Bengay
- MentholatumMentholatumThe Mentholatum Company, Inc., founded in 1889 by Albert Alexander Hyde, is a maker of non-prescription health care products. It was bought out by Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., a Japanese health care company, in 1988...
- Deep HeatDeep Heat (Heat rub)Deep Heat is a topical, rubefacient, heat rub manufactured by Mentholatum, common in the UK, Ireland and Australia and claim to relieve pains such as rheumatic pain, backache, lumbago and muscle sprains....
- FlexpowerFlexpowerFlex-power is a topical analgesic cream that is intended to relieve muscle and joint pain associated with arthritis, backaches, knee pain, shoulder pain, tendinitis, strains, sprains, and bruises. Initially created for professional athletes to enhance performance, it is promoted as a daily topical...
- Percutane