Most commonly the term analgesic is referring to a topical analgesic. These come in a variety of formats including pain relief creams, pain relief lotions, pain relief gels and pain relief sprays. They are applied to the skin, at the location of the pain.

There are 3 things to consider when selecting a topical analgesic.

1. Is the formula licensed by Health Canada with either a DIN or NPN license number? This number certifies that the claims made on the package have been verified and the contents of the formula have been tested by an independent laboratory.
2. Are the "Uses" claims on the back of the package the condition or pains your are planning to use the product for? These claims are also regulated and dependent on the Medicinal Ingredients listed.
3. Are the Medicinal Ingredients listed on the package ingredients at percentages you are comfortable with? Ingredients listed outside of the "Medicinal" section of the package do not contain levels at a high enough percentage to create a biological pain relief response but these are often added to the list of ingredients for marketing claims or cosmetic reasons.

Healthcare professionals may have other considerations when choosing a topical analgesic for their clinic. We suggest you read our full blog post on Choosing the Best Topical Analgesic for Your Clinic.

A NPN is a Natural  Product Number. These products contain primarily natural compounds like menthol to create pain relieving effects. A DIN is a Drug Identifier Number. These products contain pharmaceutical compounds like NSAIDS to create their pain relieving effects. Both can offer great temporary pain relief but DIN products can have side effect when used long term or create drug interactions. 

As pharmaceutical companies create their own compounds for DIN products, we will stick to typical NPN ingredients. 

Menthol is likely the most popular and common. Menthol stimulates nociceptors and then desensitizes them for effective pain relief.

Camphor is used topically to help relieve pain and also as a topical antiseptic. Like menthol, Camphor stimulates nociceptors and then desensitizes them.

Arnica not only relieves pain, it is also listed with Health Canada as providing effective relief from inflammation. Read the label, as this ingredient is often listed on the front of bottles without sufficient quantity to be active in the Medical Ingredients section.

MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) is a naturally occurring organosulfur compound. Like Arnica, it has the dual benefits of managing both pain and inflammation.

Methyl Salicylate is a component of Wintergreen oil. Like Menthol and Camphor, it is added to formulas for its pain relief benefits.

All of these ingredients require different minimum percentages to be listed in the medicinal section of the labels. Formulas can include one, some, or all of these. Other ingredients are regulated for topical pain relief claims; the above are just the most common.