Best muscle/body pain meds for hiking?

[eric j]

I'll be taking fish oil and curcumin.

sounds good, curcumin is the anti-inflamatory in turmeric, been working for me, throw some in your rice/pasta/quinoa

[leaftye]

Yep, dual purpose right there. Do I get ultralight points for using a seasoning that's a pain reliever too?

[trixie]

So, I'm packing my first aid kit for my thru, and it has most of the normal stuff, but I was wondering, what do you all bring for meds? (Especially for muscle/body aches) I've heard Aleve and Excedrin, what is best? So far, I've just carried Motrin or shoprite Ibuprofin. And yes, I know not to take meds often because it'll only mask the pain and create further injuries.

PS- Please note, this is in the straightforward forum!

I prefer generic ibuprofen - seems to work best for me for aches; as far as headaches, nothing beats excedrin in my book! I would avoid acetaminophen if you drink lots of alcohol - increases risk of liver damage.

I would also not recommend chewing aspirin/goodys/bc powers like crazy, which will increase your risk of bleeding (don't know how accident prone you are) and stomach ulcers (again, how much do you drink, what are your risk factors, etc)

There have been studies that have shown delayed bone healing when using NSAIDS - I have not seen any studies concerning muscles but that doesn't mean they don't exist

Lastly, you know your body and what works best for you - and I second talking to your doctor about all your questions Have fun!!!

[Blissful]

I took Advil liqui gels during the day and Aleve to get me through the night.

[Wise Old Owl]

I can"t believe I'm the first one to recommend bourbon! In moderation, of course.

Well that's ok my thought was a bar at the first trail town for my answer. Never needed pills so far.

[garlic08]

Nothing. Slow down, sleep well, eat well.

From the wall in a chiropractor's office: "Taking pain meds is like removing your smoke detector during a fire."

[mkmangold]

Nothing. Slow down, sleep well, eat well.

From the wall in a chiropractor's office: "Taking pain meds is like removing your smoke detector during a fire."

And going to that chiropractor is like rubbing a smoke detector on the fire to put it out.

If not contraindicated, ibuprofen (Motrin and Advil) or naproxen (Aleve) for short-term use for acute injuries. Acetominophen (Tylenol) if your liver can tolerate it for pain in-between doses of ibuprofen or naproxen. Limbrel for extended use.

[white_russian]

And going to that chiropractor is like rubbing a smoke detector on the fire to put it out.

If not contraindicated, ibuprofen (Motrin and Advil) or naproxen (Aleve) for short-term use for acute injuries. Acetominophen (Tylenol) if your liver can tolerate it for pain in-between doses of ibuprofen or naproxen. Limbrel for extended use.

You know I had a injury one time and over the course of a year no regular doc could figure it out. I went to a chiropractor and he immediately fixed it on the first visit. He showed me exactly what happened on the x-ray, fixed it and now I have no pain. No pills and no cutting.

[mkmangold]

You know I had a injury one time and over the course of a year no regular doc could figure it out. I went to a chiropractor and he immediately fixed it on the first visit. He showed me exactly what happened on the x-ray, fixed it and now I have no pain. No pills and no cutting.

You found a chiropractor on the trail?

[SassyWindsor]

Acetaminophen (Tylenol): easy on the stomach, tough on the liver. I never take it, I have to be careful because the stuff is in all types of OTC and prescription meds, especially cold/sinus preps. Together with alcohol makes a dangerous combination.

Naproxen sodium(Aleve), Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Benadryl, all my personal choice for OTC medicines. If taking Aspirin, I do it after a meal, just a little easier on the stomach.

[Doooglas]

I'll be taking fish oil and curcumin.

Congratz !
I might also suggest powdered Pau d'Arco to make a trail tea.

Americans are junkies !

[Wise Old Owl]

Well I will ad this note to ShelterLeopard, at 19 this is one area you do not need to worry about, yup blisters and joint pain are part of the trail. But the meds are for the old horses with the bad joints and callouses here.

[Slack-jawed Trog]

ShLep,

I have not tried Ultram but I prefer NSAID's over narcotic analgesics. I just don't like the way opiates or their derivatives (natural and synthetic) make me feel. YMMV.

The best NSAID analgesic I've ever used is Relafen: http://www.medicinenet.com/nabumetone/article.htm

FWIW, plain old aspirin is my everyday go-to pain med, and vitamin I for muscular aches and pains. However, for the hurts I sometimes get on the trail these old stand-bys just don't do it for me. Yet, I found that Relafen is more than up to it. Where I was taking vit. I 600-800 mg every 4-6 hours (with food and still tearing up my stomach), I found only one dose of Relafen manages my pain. It's nice to have the option of taking it again at night if the pain is persistent.

[Rockhound]

western love affair with pills pills pills. There is a miracle plant that has been relieving pain for far longer than any of these pills have been around. It works, it's immediate, has no addictive properties and none of the side effects of many of the alternatives that have been mentioned so far. If many of the close minded people were to take an unbiased look at my pain reliever of choice not only would it be legal with all the stigmas removed, but the pharmaceutical industry would take a hit they so desperately deserve.

[Mongoose2]

Well I will ad this note to ShelterLeopard, at 19 this is one area you do not need to worry about, yup blisters and joint pain are part of the trail. But the meds are for the old horses with the bad joints and callouses here.

The Old Owl is indeed wise, Shlep! My drug of choice is 800 mg IB. However, you should be good to go. Oh, to be 19 again!!! After a 15 mile day my daughter springs out of the tent ready to go; I unfold out of the tent, have coffee and Motrin for breakfast.

[Slo-go'en]

A young hiker like SHLep shouldn't need pain killers very much.

For us older hikers, a daily dose of pain reliever is SOP (standard operating procedure) Its the knees that get me. Too many hard miles on them over the years. I do limit the dosage to no more than 2 a day and then tapper off even more after the first week or so.

For muscle pain a cream is usually works better, "Bio-freeze" or "Freeze it" works well for me.

[take-a-knee]

A young hiker like SHLep shouldn't need pain killers very much.

For us older hikers, a daily dose of pain reliever is SOP (standard operating procedure) Its the knees that get me. Too many hard miles on them over the years. I do limit the dosage to no more than 2 a day and then tapper off even more after the first week or so.

For muscle pain a cream is usually works better, "Bio-freeze" or "Freeze it" works well for me.

I used to think that. I got all the crap out of my diet and got my hormone levels under control with the Zone Diet and I don't have joint pain anymore, even when I hike. I'm 50.

[Donde]

Okay Shlep here is the deal. speaking strictly OTC you have four major options in two catergories.

Tylenol (acetomenophine) is an Analgesic (painkiller) you can take up to a gram at a time not to exceed four grams in a day.

Ibuprofin (motrin), Aleve (naproxen), and Asprin, are all Non Steroidal Anti Inflammitories. These reduce swelling and inflamation.

Do not take multiple NSAIDs at the same time. You can take Tylenol and one NSAID at the same time, be careful drinking while taking tylenol.

Now go talk to your primary care doctor.

I will be taking Lodine (etodolac) but you've got to be old and have Arthritis to get a script for that (or be young and seriously **** your ortho situation up such as myself)

[njordan2]

What's "vitamin I" ?

[emerald]

See Ibuprofen, post #58.