Indomethacin ointment is an external preparation. It is used to eliminate soreness, inflammation and swelling. The drug is prescribed for the treatment of pathological conditions that require analgesia, heat removal and inflammation. Ointment is contraindicated to apply to damaged areas of the skin, as well as with peptic ulcer of the gastrointestinal tract, children under 14 years old, women during pregnancy and lactation. Before using the ointment, you should read the instructions, since the drug has a number of restrictions for use.
Description and composition of the medication
The drug is made in the form of an ointment, the content of indomethacin in which is 10%. The substance turns out to be homogeneous, yellow in color, the shade of which varies from light to dark. Indomethacin ointment has a specific smell that resembles menthol.
The drug is packaged in aluminum packaging. Packaging is completed with instructions for use. As mentioned above, one active component is included in the composition of the drug - indomethacin. Its dosage is 100 mg per gram of ointment.
According to the instructions for indomethacin ointment, the composition of the drug includes such additional ingredients as:
- Cholesterol.
- Dimexide.
- Stearyl alcohol.
- White wax.
- Vaseline.
- Anhydrous lanolin.
Indications for the use of a drug
Indomethacin ointment is used to treat such disorders that require local anesthesia, relieve inflammation or swelling. The drug will have the proper effect if the violations are susceptible to the effects of drugs for external use.
Indications for use of the drug for adult patients are:
- The inflammatory process in joints, tendons, muscles or ligaments, which is caused by injury.
- Tenovaginitis.
- Bursitis, which is an inflammatory process in the joint bag.
- Algodystrophic hand syndrome.
- Radiculitis.
- Tendinosis.
- Myalgia.
- Arthritis of a rheumatic type.
- Psoriatic arthritis.
- Periarthritis of the shoulder blade.
- Osteoarthrosis of a deforming nature.
- Rheumatoid arthritis.
- Ankylosing spondylitis.
In childhood, indomethacin ointment is allowed to be used only after reaching 14 years of age. Indications for the use of the drug in children are also injuries that require effective local anesthesia.
Ointment is prohibited for use during pregnancy. This is especially true of the final, third trimester. With breastfeeding, the drug is also not prescribed. If it is impossible to avoid such an appointment, lactation should be stopped for the period of use of indomethacin ointment.
Contraindications to the prescription of the drug
There are a number of conditions and pathologies when it is forbidden to use a medication. These include:
- Hypersensitivity to the drug.
- Children's age until the age of 14.
- Peptic ulcer of the duodenum and stomach.
- The period of pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- The presence of a violation of the integrity of the skin at the ointment application site.
In addition, there are a number of conditions when the drug should be used with caution:
- Bronchial asthma.
- Combination with other drugs from the NSAID group.
- Elderly age.
- Rhinitis that accompanies an allergic reaction.
- Polyps in the nasal mucosa.
Instructions for use indomethacin ointment
To achieve the maximum effect of the therapy, it is necessary to follow the instructions of the instructions for use. It is not recommended to use occlusive dressings with ointment.
The drug is applied in a thin layer to the affected area of the skin and rubbed until completely absorbed. You can apply the ointment up to three times a day. The dosage for one use in an adult is approximately 4-5 cm ointment. For one day, it is not recommended to use more than 15 cm of the drug.
In adolescence, upon reaching 14 years of age, the drug is recommended to be applied to the skin area requiring pain relief, 2-2.5 cm ointment. You need to rub the drug with light massage movements. The maximum daily dosage should not exceed 7.5 cm for children.
Since indomethacin may be excreted in breast milk, do not use the ointment during lactation.
During treatment with indomethacin ointment, the following adverse reactions may occur:
- Burning.
- Itching
- Rash.
- Redness.
In some cases, exacerbation of psoriasis is possible against the background of the use of indomethacin ointment and analogues.
Combination with other medications
The drug interacts with some medications, which should be considered when using it. With simultaneous use with antihypertensive drugs, as well as with diuretics and uricosuric drugs, the effectiveness of the latter decreases.
Indomethacin ointment can increase the effect of anticoagulant drugs, fibrinolytics, as well as drugs that have a depressing effect on platelet production. In addition, while taking mineralocorticoids and NSAIDs, the risk of developing unwanted reactions increases. In combination with sulfonylurea, an increase in hypoglycemic effect occurs.
In combination with indomethacin ointment "Paracetamol" increases the likelihood of developing nephrotoxic syndrome.
The risk of gastrointestinal syndrome is increased when combined with colchicine, ethyl alcohol and glucocorticoids.
The toxic effect on the kidneys is increased in combination with ointment with medicines with gold in the composition and cyclosporine. In addition, indomethacin increases the concentration in the blood plasma of digoxin, lithium and methotrexate.
The likelihood of developing a prothrombin deficiency in the blood and bleeding increases with the simultaneous use of an ointment with cefamandol, valproic acid and cefoperazone. The elimination rate of antibacterial drugs from the penicillin group decreases with the use of indomethacin. The toxic properties of zidovudine also increase.
Special recommendations for the use of the drug
Under strict prohibition is the use of indomethacin ointment on areas of the skin that are damaged. The drug should not get on the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose and eyes. It is not recommended to apply ointment to healthy skin.
If it is impossible to avoid the use of ointment during lactation, breastfeeding for the period of treatment should be discontinued. It should be remembered that the dosage of ointment for adolescents is less than for an adult.
If side effects are identified, stop using the drug and consult a doctor.
Drug overdose
As a rule, ointment is well tolerated by patients, therefore, the manifestation of an overdose is practically excluded. However, when using the drug for a long time, as well as when applying to large areas of the skin, side effects may occur.
In such cases, patients may experience the following adverse reactions from the gastrointestinal tract:
- Diarrhea.
- Soreness in the epigastric region.
- Sensation of nausea and vomiting.
- Hemorrhage.
- Impaired appetite.
According to the instructions for use and reviews of indomethacin ointment, if it gets on the mucous membranes or open wounds, there is a risk of local reactions from the skin, such as:
- Itching
- Burning.
- Lacrimation.
- Redness.
- Soreness in the affected area of the skin.
If local reactions occur, rinse the skin with clean water or saline.
Analogues of this drug
Similar properties of the drugs are the following:
- "Indovazin". It is a combination drug, which includes indomethacin and troxerutin. The drug is in the form of a gel.
- "Troximetacin." Also, a combination drug similar in composition to Indovazin.
- Amelotex. The active substance of the drug is different from indomethacin and is called meloxicam. The drug eliminates soreness and inflammation.
- "Artrum." Ketoprofen is used as the active ingredient. It is contraindicated in children under 6 years of age.
Reviews about indomethacin ointment
Doctors call it an effective treatment for joints and soft tissues. However, it is often necessary to prescribe an ointment along with drugs that significantly reduce its effectiveness, especially in relation to the inflammatory process. This leads to a number of negative reviews about the drug.
All experts caution against the independent use of the drug, as this can lead to the development of unwanted reactions from the body.
It should also be borne in mind that indomethacin ointment eliminates symptoms, but does not cure the cause of pain and inflammation. Therefore, you should not use only ointment for the treatment of joint diseases.
Doctors invariably call the drug an effective tool to eliminate soreness at the local level.
We examined how indomethacin ointment helps.