The debate over whether topical analgesics are more effective for acute pain in the body than ice has waged on for years. A recent study conducted by Bart Bishop, DPT, of Sport and Spine Rehab in Rockville, MD, compared the popular topical analgesic Biofreeze to using ice on patients that suffer from bilateral neck pain. The results found that most of the patients found some relief with both options, but that the patients overwhelmingly preferred the Biofreeze over the ice.

According to a recent article about the pain study in Chiropractic News titled, “Effects of Biofreeze vs. Ice on Acute, Non-complicated Neck Pain,” medical professionals had been using both ice and the topical analgesic to treat acute pain, but did not have any evidence to support which one was more effective.

In the pain study, 51 males and females that were between the ages of 19 and 65 and had all suffered from bilateral neck pain were given both of the treatments on either side of their neck. None of the study participants had ever had surgery on their necks.

Throughout the study, the patients would have the topical treatment on one side of their neck and ice on the other, yet this was random so that they did not know which treatment was on either side. Then, the study participants were asked to rate their pain on a scale of zero to 10 before receiving treatment, and then directly after the treatment was completed.

At the end of the study, it was shown that the patients overwhelmingly preferred the Biofreeze over the ice. In terms of comfort and preference, the patients chose the topical analgesic 8 to 1 over ice. 90% of the participants also claimed that the topical treatment lasted longer than the ice.

The study also showed that both the ice and the analgesic were effective at reducing pain, but that the topical treatment lasted two times longer than the ice. This was the first study to be conducted that focused solely on two cryotherapy methods and their direct, immediate effects on patients with bilateral pain.

The doctor conducting the study declared that he would know continue to use the topical pain relief treatment and was happy to know which method was favored by his patients, both for the alleviation of the pain and for the comfort of the method.