17 yr. old track star overdoses....on muscle-soothing balm (Ben Gay)

[underpants]

I read about this in the latest Runner's World. This is amazing.

Dangers of sports creams and rubs eyed

http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk1NDImZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTcxNjA1MTgmeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXky

Last month, the New York City medical examiner concluded that 17-year-old Arielle Newman effectively died of an overdose of muscle-soothing balms. To a new generation of users -- and an older generation of athletic overdoers -- it was a sobering reminder that these popular products contain real medicine, even though they're applied to the skin rather than swallowed.

Many of the topical over-the-counter and prescription products are old standards: antibiotic ointments such as Neosporin, topical steroids such as Cortaid and muscle creams such as BenGay. But drugstore aisles in recent years have seen a proliferation of medicines contained in new forms -- gels, adhesive pads, roll-on solutions -- offering relief of pain, itching, infection and even cigarette addiction.

The case of high school track runner Newman underscores the safety concerns. She had been rubbing sports cream on her legs regularly between track meets, while also using an adhesive patch that delivers anti-inflammatory medication and a third, unspecified medication. After her death April 3, the New York City medical examiner concluded June 8 that, over time, Newman's body had absorbed high doses of methyl salicylate, a compound related to aspirin, causing cardiac arrhythmia leading to her death.

In many ways, experts say, the skin is becoming the new stomach. For much of the medicine in these gels, creams, patches and ointments, it's as sure a route to the bloodstream as the stomach is for pills. At the same time, taking medicine through the skin can make for more imprecise dosing, because skin that is delicate, broken or subject to heat or bandaging can absorb more medicine than skin that is intact, cool and open to the air. In such cases, dermatologists warn, a consumer can suffer from too much of a good thing.

[AllegroRondo]

1. DAMN!

Im definitely going to take a look at the stuff i use now.

[underpants]

5. ActivOn

Yeah the "Apply directly to where it hurts" stuff-I got it as a joke when I sprained my ankle....the stuff works!!

I had a stick in my gym bag. I have actually backed off taking Aleve and such just because I am weary of relying on it and what it has to be doing to my stomach. I do take one after long runs for general purposes.

[bleedingheart]

2. I posted this before...a family friend's toddler ate an entire tube

he was in the hospital for 2 weeks...nearly died

I still can't imagine how a toddler (and they are finicky) would eat a tube of ben gay...but he did...

[underpants]

4. That is undertandable, this is just creepy weird and scary

I can't say that I would ever thought that it was possible to OD on a rub like this.

[derby378]

3. Good thing I try to tough out a lot of pain...

Sure, I do use muscle rubs and heating pads once in a while, but thanks for the sobering reminder.

[madinmaryland]

6. How can Barry Bonds still be alive after his admitted use of steroidal creams.

and other crap for years.