Patient Experiences with Compounded Topical Pain Creams

Area of Science:

• Pain Management
• Pharmacology
• Patient-Reported Outcomes

Background:

• Topical pain therapy presents advantages over oral analgesics, including reduced systemic side effects, lower abuse potential, and localized action.
• Compounded topical pain creams (CTPC) offer customizable transdermal delivery for individualized patient needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate patient motivations for initiating CTPC therapy.
• To understand patient perceptions and satisfaction levels with CTPC therapy.

Main Methods:

• A self-administered survey was distributed to patients currently using CTPC.
• Data from 107 CTPC users were analyzed.

Main Results:

• The typical user was a 67-year-old female experiencing neck, back, or foot pain, using CTPC for a median of 4.5 months.
• Prescribers included pain specialists, GPs, podiatrists, and orthopedists, with most patients initially suggested CTPC by their doctor.
• The majority of patients had insurance, paying an average of $24.41 out-of-pocket, and reported high satisfaction, preferring CTPC over previous medications.

Conclusions:

• Patients are highly satisfied with compounded topical pain creams.
• CTPC therapy is perceived positively by patients, often exceeding satisfaction with prior pain treatments.
• Customized topical pain relief offers a viable and preferred alternative for managing various pain conditions.