Biofreeze 11799-A Menthol Pain Relieving Gel, 32 fl oz, Arthritis, Simple Backaches and Joint Pain, Original Green Formula

This definitely earns its high score, if you're at all concerned about fake reviews put your trust in the variety and consistency of the reviews posted about this product. From having done work that required long hours of standing and repetitive motions, I deal with lower back, shoulder, knee and foot pain that can sometimes make for a very unhappy/grumpy me. In the past I used to make use of aleve when these pains would flare up, but after developing a ulcer and being told no more nsaids, I had to start looking for other means to manage pain and I wasn't about to touch even the lowest dose opioids (thanks Big Pharma, but no thanks).This is a thick gel but absorbs fairly quickly into affected areas, I was expecting a sharp cold sensation but was pleasantly surprised that the coolness is mild. Its a little more challenging applying it one's back if you fly solo like I do, but a lotion spreading strap solves the problem with the gel playing nice with the strap for even distribution. The relief takes effect fairly quickly where your skin is thin, like the wrists and feet/ankles while my back has a bit more (ahem!) padding around the waist area for the gel to penetrate. Relief for my lower back takes a bit longer due to the layer of body fat there, but after about 20 minutes a sharp pain becomes dull and distant, and by roughly a hour its but a unpleasant memory.One area on my back in particular was without the help of nsaids, a stretch of hot burning agony running from the middle of my spine along the ribs to on the left side, feeling like evil gremlins were beating the heck out me with rusty nail clubs. It would get so bad that just lifting my left hand to my chest would send bolts of agony through me. For full disclosure, the first couple of times I used Biofreeze there it only mildly reduced the pain, that might've been to poor application as I have no one I'd care to subject exposing to my gorilla back and I had to develop a sense of how to use the strap I was using to spread the lotion. But by the 4th or 5th time, I either had it down right or the cumulative effect of the lotion was adding up, and that area now only infrequently acts up, when it does it gets the gel and about 20 minutes later behaves itself. The relief I get there alone is worth the price of admission for me, as it literally makes the difference of being able to do the job and not being able to.Sometimes I have to use a little more around my lower back, again the fat gets in the way a bit and were I still as heavily obese as a year ago I would wonder if it could penetrate the fat enough to get to the area that's inflamed. That embarrassing detail said, my spare tire is about 30 lbs worth of being overweight and it manages to penetrate to the hurting areas within 20-30 minutes without resorting to slathering thick layers of gel. Even at its worst, a 2nd quarter sized dab and 'buffing' my back's affected area with the strap is the most that I have to do. Typically one application does the trick and I need half/quarter that on my knees/ankles when they flare up. Which is why I bought this size, you get a good bit of product for your spend, especially since it does actually work!How long does the relief last? Well for me it varies, my knees and ankles have decades worth of lugging around extra body weight, which while I'm not plagued by arthritis, will buzz a near constant dull ache without something to keep it at bay. Typically Aleve did the trick there, but as mentioned earlier, i'm off nsaids permanently now. For those areas I get about 6-12 hours of relief, which is a pretty broad spread that is directly proportionate to how much I'm moving about. Work days where I spend a lot of time standing, its usually by the end of the shift that the knees/ankles start to buzz for attention. Oddly my lower back, despite the layer of body fat, is usually fine. Maybe that fat is actually helping retain some gel? Can't say but on my off days, at the most one application and I'm pain free pretty much the entire day, and I've noticed that I need less after nearly a month's steady use than when I started. I can't explain why exactly, but it may have to do with chronic inflammation being countered and so the affected areas flare up less frequently unless put under greater stress.I've since mentioned using this to a girl at work who is a part time masseuse, and she's become a firm convert to using it for herself and her clients and has even offered to give me several free back massages for free as a heart felt thank you (now...where is that back razor when I really need it?) and has stated several times how some of her clients have taken to keeping a supply for themselves after being introduced to it by her.If you found this review useful or informative, I'd appreciate a upvote letting me know that giving a peek into my embarrassing little foibles helped your decision, or if it was lacking somewhere and you don't mind taking the time, comment and I'll either try to answer with more info or take the criticism to heart in developing my reviewing skills.

In addition to having years of arthritis in various joints, my husband developed problems with his rotator cuff in his right shoulder. He had always medicated with ASA, Ibuprophen and Tylenol, but when he could no longer take these OTC medications due to chemotherapy, I had to find something else for him. I discovered Biofreeze during his 9 week stay on a physical rehab unit. His shoulder pain was interferring with his therapy so we started using Biofreeze before each session. It was amazing the progress he could make after using it. After he came home, he fell and injured his low back. That's when I ordered this large bottle from Amazon. I personally don't like the way it smells, but my husband doesn't mind it, and I slather it on his shoulder, low back, and also his arthritic knees when he goes to bed at night. Before I had started using this, I worried constantly about the amount of Tylenol he took (now off chemo but still not allowed to take ASA or Ibuprophen). He's had arthritis pain for years and was starting to require a narcotic simply because he couldn't take the OTC drugs. Now that I've started putting the biofreeze on at night, he sleeps well, wakes up pain free, and makes it through the next day with only one, maybe two, doses of Tylenol! So I think it's amazing stuff. Probably gave you more information about him than you cared to read, but I really wanted you to know that it's really been an amazing product for his complicated health situation and different sources of pain. He loves it! Oh yes, since I do a lot of pulling and lifting being the primary caregiver, I strained my back as well. Before it had a chance to start having spasms, I used the Biofreeze on my back a couple times a day. Within about 3 days, my back was in pretty good shape. Highly recommended!

Best stuff EVER! Don't waste your money on the store bought cream/gels/rubs for aches & pains----buy Biofreeze! It is basically sold only in chiropractor offices now which will sell you a 4 oz tube of Biofreeze for $14.00 which I have bought previously for myself & as a gift so this huge 32oz bottle is a DEAL. I placed an order on Amazon from GPS Medical Supply for this around 2am Thurs. 10-24-14 & rec'd an email from Amazon later that morning around 11:30am that it had already shipped & it arrived today (Mon.10-27) when all I had opted for was the free standard shipping! The seller had courteously taped down the pump so it wouldn't leak during shipping; it arrived in a bubble-wrap type envelope. Biofreeze is WONDERFUL for backaches, knee aches & the like----much more powerful to me than the couple of ones I wasted money on at the store & ended up couldn't stand the smell of anyway. Biofreeze is a green tinted gel that has a menthol + alcohol smell to me, reminds me of the smell of VicksVaporub which I love that smell. It sinks in & dries & doesn't leave your skin sticky & packs a powerful cold/freezing punch to knock out pain for a long while. If you can't afford to buy the large size to try it, then try one of the small ones. After realizing how much I love this product, I didn't want to "waste" $14 on another small 4oz tube at the chiropractor so I found this 32oz bottle on here & saw what a GREAT deal it is & I bought it right away.