What plaster is effective in preventing arthritis?

One type is a topical patch containing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory ingredients, such as flurbiprofen gel patch and loxoprofen sodium patch. The other type is a traditional Chinese medicine topical patch that has the effect of warming the meridians and unblocking collaterals, such as the improved Xiaotong patch and the meridians-warming and blood-activating plaster.

In fact, there is a lot of controversy in the academic community about the "routine use of plasters to prevent arthritis." Many Western medicine doctors do not recommend that people who have no joint discomfort at all regularly apply plasters for prevention. Think about it, healthy joints have no pain or swelling. Actively applying patches with medicinal ingredients to the skin may put a burden on the skin, especially people with sensitive skin, which can easily induce contact dermatitis. When I was working as a volunteer in the orthopedics department, I met a senior travel friend. I heard from the group that applying plaster before climbing can prevent joint wear and arthritis. Every time I went out, I put two thick rubber plasters on my knees. I persisted for less than three months. There were no joint problems. The skin around the knees first became rough and red, and it was painfully itchy when I sweated. Finally, I went to the dermatology department to find out that it was chronic eczema caused by long-term plaster application.

However, this does not mean that plasters cannot be used for pre-protection against arthritis. If you already have the prodromal symptoms of degenerative changes such as occasional joint soreness and stiffness when exposed to cold, or you are going to stand for long periods of time, climb stairs, or hike long distances, which is a particularly heavy load on the joints, applying a mild plaster in advance can indeed reduce joint stress reactions and reduce the risk of inflammatory attacks. My mother's physical examination two years ago showed mild degenerative changes in her knees. The doctor said that if it progresses further, she will develop osteoarthritis. He specifically told her to apply a flurbiprofen gel patch in advance before cooling down or when she has to go to the market for a long walk.

There is no need to worry about which one to choose. If you are allergic to traditional Chinese medicine ingredients or your skin is prone to oily acne, you should give priority to thin non-steroidal hydrogel patches, which are less likely to cause allergies.； If your joints are usually afraid of coldness and feel uncomfortable when they get cold, you can choose a mild menstruation-warming traditional Chinese ointment. Oh, by the way, don’t believe the miracle ointments on the market that claim “three patches will cure arthritis forever”. They are all IQ taxes. The prevention of arthritis is a systematic matter. You usually eat and drink so much that your weight reaches 180, and you climb twenty floors every day to exercise. Even if you apply ten plasters a day, it will not stop the wear and tear of your joints. If you control your weight, reduce excessive weight on the joints, and keep warm, if you do enough basic care, it will be more effective than any plaster.