How do things like Tiger Balm and Capsaicin Creme work? How do they stop pain? Do they just mask the pain by overwhelming your nerves?
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Things like “Icy Hot” cream are called “counter-irritants” as described by most responses here. They feel weird and distract you from pain. Capsaicin is actually different. It overstimulates the nerves that release “substance P” to transmit pain/burning sensations and it stops being released over time. It actually reduces pain signaling. This was the only decent topical true pain reliever available without a prescription ten years ago. Now we have lidocaine available over-the-counter, so it is much less useful.
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