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Most times when I trek for a long time, by the time I get home and rest, my thighs begin to hurt me. Upon experiencing such pain, I apply Robb on it while massaging, after some time I feel some relief. So my question is;

How does the use of Robb(balm) relief the pain, is there a chemical constituent present in it that brings about such relief?

And secondly, in the instructions, it says while applying the Robb, make sure to massage properly. If the Robb is simply applied without massaging, will it have any effect?

Lucky
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Prince
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  • Pls, if this question is meant to be in any other stack exchange except from health SE, inform me. – Prince Nov 16 '16 at 09:08
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    What is Robb? Never heard of it. – Carey Gregory Nov 16 '16 at 13:24
  • From http://www.google.com/search?q=robb+ointment&prmd=ivns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiPwIWYva3QAhUCKMAKHXq6Ba0Q_AUIBigB#mhpiv=18 you'll see the picture of a Robb and http://www.tabletwise.com/nigeria/robb-ointment shows in details the uses, side-effects, reviews and so on of robb – Prince Nov 16 '16 at 14:26
  • If Robb is a bit too complicated. Balm can also be used. – Prince Nov 16 '16 at 15:56

1 Answers1

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I found the following list of ingredients for Robb balm on-line (if the product you are using is different please correct me):

CAMPHOR 11.0%

MENTHOL 5.5%

OL EUCALYP 1.0%

OLPINIPUMIL 0.5%

METHYLSAL 4.0%

ONITMENT BASS ad 100%

Except for the ointment base, all of the ingredients contribute to the analgesic effect.

Camphor is used externally as a rubefacient and anlagesic.

Menthol has analgesic properties. More about the mode of action of menthol can be found in this answer: Does menthol have therapeutic effect on sore or inflamed muscles and tendons?

Eucalyptus oil (Oleum Eucalypti) is used topically as a rubefacient.

Methyl Salicylate is a topical non-steroid anti-inflammatory medicine (NSAID) that has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.

(I'm not sure what Ol Pinipumil... is, the ingredients are strangely abbreviated in the source I found).

Ref.: Martindale: The complete drug reference, 34th edition (2005).

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Lucky
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    The massage can have a double effect: as a massage in its own right and to help the substances penetrate into the skin, but this might be a whole separate question, since the studies on the effects of massage are very different from discussing the effects of individual ingredients in an ointment. – Lucky Nov 17 '16 at 16:21