Voltaren is not the first year to help people with diseases of joints and a backbone to cope with pain. This is an effective drug, which, however, has a number of side effects, and therefore is not suitable for everyone. For the same reason Voltaren not prescribe long courses.

How does

Voltaren (active ingredient - diclofenac) - a drug that belongs to a group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and is available in different dosage forms in order to be able to reduce inflammation and pain of varying intensity - from moderate to average.

Voltaren operates in the same way as other NSAIDs by inhibiting the function of cyclooxygenase (COX) - an enzyme which can not be produced without prostaglandins - substances - the main participants of the inflammatory process, and thus causing the pain.

Prostaglandins have other functions, for example, they protect the gastric mucosa from any actions and prepare the muscles of the uterus to cuts during childbirth. Therefore, suppression of all prostaglandins causes a number of side effects, including irritation of the stomach wall and the suppression of labor contractions. In the second generation of NSAIDs, these side effects are expressed to a much lesser extent because they do not affect the entire COX, and only that part which is responsible for inflammation and pain.

Voltaren is one of the most effective NSAID to relieve inflammation and pain, but the side effects are not allowed to appoint him for a long time.

Recommended Use

Voltaren administered in the case where the most striking features of the disease is inflammation and pain. This usually occurs when various types of lesions of the joints and spine. This may be the usual inflammation caused by various infectious agents of bacterial origin, degenerative-dystrophic (exchange), against gout Gout - the "disease of kings" , Autoimmune (caused by an allergy to own tissues) and so on.

Furthermore, Voltaren can be used in severe headache (including migraine), toothache, earache, severity of inflammation with pain in the nose and throat, with severe pain during menstruation (both reduced bleeding), pain caused by injury or surgical interventions, renal and hepatic colic, and so on.

Contraindications Voltaren in patients with erosive and ulcerative processes in the gastrointestinal tract, blood clotting, while I and III trimesters of pregnancy, breast- Breastfeeding - a personal choice   feeding, at the age of 18 years (for injection), bronchial asthma attacks caused by any NSAID, inflammatory processes in the area of ​​the rectum (suppository), in case of hypersensitivity to the drug.

With caution and only on prescription Voltaren is assigned to the II trimester of pregnancy, the human liver, the kidneys, severe diseases of the cardiovascular system, the elderly, patients with bronchial asthma.

Sometimes Voltaren with systemic exposure causes such side effects as dizziness - in such a case is not recommended to drive vehicles.

Side effects

In most cases, Voltaren is well tolerated, but it does happen and side effects:

• the part of the digestive system - pain in the upper abdomen (sometimes cramping in nature), nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, flatulence, loss of appetite, gastrointestinal bleeding, erosive and ulcerative lesions of the stomach and intestines, hepatitis, abnormal liver function, stomatitis, glossitis ( inflammation of the tongue), damage to the esophagus, narrowing of the lumen of the intestine, disorders of the end of a colon, exacerbation of ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease, constipation, pancreatitis;
• Nervous system - headache, dizziness, drowsiness or insomnia, sensory disturbances, impaired memory, orientation, convulsions, depression Depression - a little more than a bad mood , Anxiety Anxiety - how to distinguish normal from disease? , Night terrors, trembling in the limbs;
• From the senses - visual impairment, hearing, taste;
• on the part of the cardiovascular system - heart palpitations, chest pain, high blood pressure;
• by the kidneys and urinary tract infections - acute renal failure, inflammation and necrosis of the kidneys;
• from the blood - decrease in the number of platelets, white blood cells (especially granular), red blood cells;
• allergic reactions.

Local reactions at the application of rectal suppositories - aggravation of hemorrhoids; intramuscular injection - pain and swelling at the injection site.

Voltaren - a drug that is dangerous to apply yourself.

Galina Romanenko

In what diseases may occur pain in the joints

Joint pain can occur in inflammatory diseases of the joints (arthritis), metabolic or degenerative disorders (arthritis), diseases of the soft tissue surrounding the joint, with a variety of allergic, infectious diseases, diseases of the blood, internal organs, nervous and endocrine systems. That is why, if you have a sore joints, it is necessary to consult a doctor to find out why they hurt and only then treated.

Joint pain in acute and chronic diseases

In various acute diseases (such as the flu, sore throat), and chronic (chronic tonsillitis, cholecystitis) may occur periodically volatile pain in one or the other joints. It is one of the manifestations of intoxication (poisoning) of the body. Treatment of the underlying disease avoids or reduces such pain.

Pain with inflammation of the joints (arthritis)

When inflammation of the joints (arthritis), pain, aggravated by prolonged immobility of a joint. They intensified late at night and early in the morning and make the patient move to ease the pain. This so-called "inflammatory" pain, their appearance due to the accumulation in the joint cavity inflammation products that irritate nerve endings.

Treatment of joint pain in arthritis is aimed at the removal of inflammation in the joint (antibiotics, glucocorticoid hormones) and strengthening the body's defenses. After removal of inflammation, and decrease pain. For the treatment of severe pain using various pain relievers and shoot tissue edema drugs and physiotherapy.

Pain in the joints of rheumatoid arthritis when

Rheumatoid arthritis What is arthritis - when it hurts everywhere   usually occurs after an angina or flu. Disease begins acutely, with a high temperature. Joints (usually large) are affected symmetrically, they are swollen and sharply painful to the touch. Pain held after the appointment of an anti-inflammatory treatment (antibiotics, non-specific anti-inflammatory drugs).

Pain in the joints in rheumatoid arthritis

The cause of rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis - permanent debilitating joint pain   It is not fully understood. The most characterized by a gradual, slow progression of the disease. Swelling, stiffness and moderately severe pain first hit the small joints of the hands and feet, and then the process involved and the larger joints (knee, shoulder, hip). The joints change their shape, the muscles located around them shrink (atrophy). Aching become permanent and very disturbed patients.

Pain and swelling Prevention and treatment of edema - it is important to understand the root cause   decrease after taking non-specific anti-inflammatory drugs - NSAIDs (indomethacin, brufen, Ortophenum). If NSAIDs do not bring relief, as well as the presence of lesions of the internal organs and the general condition is assigned to hormone therapy (prednisone). Hormones are used in extreme cases when all other options have been exhausted.

When severe pain in the joints impose a tire, fixing the limb in a comfortable position for the patient. Pain is also facilitated by heat.

Joint pain in the exchange-degenerative disorders (arthritis)

In degenerative joint Abuse (osteoarthritis), which may occur after joint trauma or in old age as a result of metabolic disturbances, the intensity of pain in the joint usually small, it increases the load, particularly towards the end of the day and night or disappears at rest. This "mechanical" type of pain, it occurs when the mechanical stimulation of membrane joints salts formed during metabolism disorders.

To relieve pain at the affected joint arthritis need to rest periodically. Painkillers is also heat on the joint area (warming compresses, baths, paraffin wax, mineral wax, dirt). They are used as pain relievers (analgin, reopirin). Massage and special exercises that strengthen the muscles and reduces the load on the joint surfaces also contribute to pain relief.

Functional joint pain

For stress and nervous tension may arise functional joint pain. They have an indefinite rhythm and different intensities, may be aggravated by mental and emotional stress and disappear during sleep Dreams: how to understand our dreams . Such pain is not reduced by analgesics and physiotherapy, but can pass on the use of sedatives or when changing the working and living conditions. Functional pain occur due to transient disturbances of blood supply to the joints (spasm of blood vessels as a result of nervous tension).