Diclofenac Topical

Diclofenac topical gel is used to relieve pain from osteoarthritis (arthritis caused by a breakdown of the lining of the joints) in certain joints such as those of the knees, ankles, feet, elbows, wrists, and hands. Diclofenac topical liquid is used to relieve osteoarthritis pain in the knees. Diclofenac is in a class of medications called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). It works to relieve osteoarthritis pain by stopping the body's production of a substance that causes pain.

Topical diclofenac comes as gel and liquid to apply to the skin. The gel and liquid are usually applied four times a day to treat arthritis pain. Apply diclofenac gel or liquid at around the same time(s) every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Use topical diclofenac exactly as directed. Do not use more or less of it or use it more often or for a longer period of time than prescribed by your doctor. Do not apply the gel or liquid to any area of your body that your doctor did not tell you to treat. Apply diclofenac gel or liquid to clean, dry skin. Do not apply the medication to skin that is broken, peeling, infected, swollen, or covered with a rash. Diclofenac gel and liquid are only for use on the skin. Be careful not to get the medication in your eyes, nose, or mouth. If you do get the medication in your eyes, rinse your eyes with plenty of water or saline. If your eye(s) are still irritated after one hour, call your doctor. After you apply diclofenac gel or liquid, you should not cover the treated area with any type of dressing or bandage and you should not apply heat to the area. You should not shower or bathe for at least 30 minutes after you apply the liquid and for at least 1 hour after you apply the 1% gel. Do not cover the treated area with clothes or gloves for 10 minutes after you apply the gel, or until the liquid has dried if you are using the liquid. To use topical diclofenac gel, follow these steps:

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Before you use a new tube of diclofenac gel for the first time, open the foil seal that covers the tube and then puncture the opening of the tube using the spiked top of the cap.</li>
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Place one of the dosing cards from the package on a flat surface so that you can read the print. If the print is backwards, flip the dosing card over.</li>
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Using the lines on the dosing card as a guide, squeeze the correct amount of gel onto the dosing card evenly. Make sure the gel covers the entire area marked for your correct dose. Put the cap back on the tube.</li>
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Clean and dry the skin area where you will apply the medication.</li>
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Apply the gel to the directed skin areas, using the dosing card to help apply the gel to the skin. Use your hands to gently rub the gel into the skin. Make sure to cover the entire affected area with the gel.</li>
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Hold the end of the dosing card with your fingertips, and rinse and dry the card. Store the dosing card until next use, out of reach of children. Do not share the dosing card with another person.</li>
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Wash your hands well after you apply the gel, unless you are treating your hands. If you are treating your hands, do not wash them for at least one hour after you apply the gel.</li></ul> To use topical diclofenac liquid, follow these steps:

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Clean and dry the skin area where you will apply the medication.</li>
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Apply the liquid to your knee ten drops at a time. You can do this by dropping the liquid directly onto the knee or by first dropping it onto the palm of your hand and then spreading it onto the knee.</li>
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Use your hand to evenly spread the liquid around the front, back, and sides of the knee.</li>
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Repeat this step until 40 drops of liquid have been applied and the knee is completely covered with the liquid. </li>
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Wash and dry your hands well after you apply the liquid.</li></ul> Continue to use diclofenac gel or liquid even if you feel well. Do not stop using the medication without talking to your doctor.

<p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>Topical diclofenac may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

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dryness, redness, itching, swelling, pain, hardness, irritation, swelling, scaling, or numbness at application site</li>
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acne</li>
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stomach pain</li>
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constipation</li>
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gas</li>
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dizziness</li>
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numbness, burning, or tingling in the hands, arms, feet, or legs</li></ul></p> <p></p> <p>Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:

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hives</li>
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itching</li>
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difficulty breathing or swallowing</li>
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swelling of the face, throat, arms, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs</li>
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unexplained weight gain</li>
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wheezing</li>
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worsening of asthma </li>
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yellowing of the skin or eyes</li>
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nausea</li>
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extreme tiredness </li>
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unusual bleeding or bruising </li>
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lack of energy</li>
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loss of appetite</li>
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pain in the upper right part of the stomach</li>
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flu-like symptoms</li>
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dark-colored urine</li>
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rash</li>
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blisters on skin</li>
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fever</li>
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pale skin</li>
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fast heartbeat</li>
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excessive tiredness</li></ul>Topical diclofenac may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while using this medication.If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at <a href='http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch'>http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch</a>] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].</p>

Before using diclofenac gel or liquid, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to diclofenac (Cambia, Cataflam, Flector, Voltaren, Solaraze, Zipsor, in Arthrotec), aspirin, or other NSAIDs; any other medications; or any of the ingredients in diclofenac gel or liquid. Ask your pharmacist or check the Medication Guide for a list of the ingredients. Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you have asthma, growths in your nose, or an ongoing runny nose and if you have ever had an asthma attack, hives, difficulty breathing or swallowing, or an allergic reaction after taking aspirin, an aspirin-containing product, or any other NSAID medication. Your doctor will probably tell you not to use diclofenac gel or liquid. tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention the medications listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section and any of the following: acetaminophen (Tylenol, in other products); angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors such as benazepril (Lotensin, in Lotrel), captopril (Capoten, in Capozide), enalapril (Vasotec, in Lexxel and Vaseretic), fosinopril (Monopril), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril, in Prinzide and Zestoretic), moexipril (Univasc, in Uniretic), perindopril (Aceon), quinapril (Accupril, in Accuretic and Quinaretic), ramipril (Altace), and trandolapril (Mavik, in Tarka); certain antibiotics, cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune); diuretics ('water pills'); lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid); medications for seizures, and methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects. you should know that you should not apply sunscreens, cosmetics, lotions, moisturizers, insect repellents, or other topical medications to areas treated with topical diclofenac gel. If you have been prescribed topical diclofenac liquid, wait until the area of application is completely dry before applying any of these products or other substances. tell your doctor if you have severe diarrhea or vomiting or think you may be dehydrated; if you drink or have a history of drinking large amounts of alcohol, and if you have or have ever had any of the conditions mentioned in the IMPORTANT WARNING section or swelling of the hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs; or kidney or liver disease. if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are using topical diclofenac. plan to avoid unnecessary or prolonged exposure to real or artificial sunlight (tanning beds or lamps, ultraviolet light) and to wear protective clothing to cover areas treated with diclofenac gel or liquid. Diclofenac may make your skin sensitive to sunlight. you should know that during treatment with topical diclofenac it may be harder to know if you have an infection or illness because this medication may also lower or prevent fever. Call your doctor if you are not feeling well or have other signs of an infection or illness.

If someone swallows diclofenac gel or liquid, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911. Symptoms of overdose may include the following:

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drowsiness</li>
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lack of energy</li>
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nausea</li>
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vomiting</li>
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stomach pain</li>
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bloody, black, or tarry stools</li>
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vomiting a substance that is bloody or looks like coffee grounds</li>
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slow, shallow, or irregular breathing</li>
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hives</li>
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itching</li>
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difficulty breathing or swallowing</li>
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loss of consciousness</li></ul>