Overusing pain relief patches or creams could lead to liver damage, Nantou Hospital staff said on Monday following reports that a track and field athlete died from a heart attack linked to an overdose.
Analgesic patches are used in both traditional Chinese and Western medicine, hospital pharmacist Tseng Hui-min (曾惠敏) said.
In traditional Chinese medicine, they might contain methyl salicylate as an anti-inflammatory and pain reliever, capsaicin to provide heat, or mint to provide a cooling effect, she said.
Photo: Liu Pin-chuan, Taipei Times
In Western medicine, the patches typically contain nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that alleviate pain and inflammation, she added.
However, there is a myth that topical treatments contain lower doses of drugs than oral medications, hospital vice superintendent Hung Shih-chang (洪世昌) said.
As the medication in analgesic patches is absorbed through the skin and travels throughout the entire body through the bloodstream, it could still trigger a full-body response, he said, adding that overusing the patches could cause a negative reaction.
While the patches are effective in reducing minor pain caused by stiffness in the neck, tendinitis, muscle strain, bruises or falls, if symptoms do not improve in two to three days or if people experience an allergic reaction, they should seek medical attention, Tseng said.
People should not put pain relief patches or creams on open wounds or rashes to prevent the wound from becoming infected, she said.
Patches should not be applied for more than six hours, as that could cause the skin to become red, swollen or itchy, Tseng said, adding that only one type of patch should be used at a time.
Depending on the dose contained, fewer than two to four patches should be worn at a time to prevent overburdening the liver, she added.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) is to launch a new program to encourage international students to stay in Taiwan and explore job opportunities here after graduation, Deputy Minister of Education Yeh Ping-cheng (葉丙成) said on Friday. The government would provide full scholarships for international students to further their studies for two years in Taiwan, so those who want to pursue a master’s degree can consider applying for the program, he said. The fields included are science, technology, engineering, mathematics, semiconductors and finance, Yeh added. The program, called “Intense 2+2,” would also assist international students who completed the two years of further studies in
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) departed for Europe on Friday night, with planned stops in Lithuania and Denmark. Tsai arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Friday night, but did not speak to reporters before departing. Tsai wrote on social media later that the purpose of the trip was to reaffirm the commitment of Taiwanese to working with democratic allies to promote regional security and stability, upholding freedom and democracy, and defending their homeland. She also expressed hope that through joint efforts, Taiwan and Europe would continue to be partners building up economic resilience on the global stage. The former president was to first
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday called for greater cooperation between Taiwan, Lithuania and the EU to counter threats to information security, including attacks on undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. In a speech at Vilnius University in the Lithuanian capital, Tsai highlighted recent incidents in which vital undersea cables — essential for cross-border data transmission — were severed in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea over the past year. Taiwanese authorities suspect Chinese sabotage in the incidents near Taiwan’s waters, while EU leaders have said Russia is the likely culprit behind similar breaches in the Baltic. “Taiwan and our European
The Taipei District Court sentenced babysitters Liu Tsai-hsuan (劉彩萱) and Liu Jou-lin (劉若琳) to life and 18 years in prison respectively today for causing the death of a one-year-old boy in December 2023. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said that Liu Tsai-hsuan was entrusted with the care of a one-year-old boy, nicknamed Kai Kai (剴剴), in August 2023 by the Child Welfare League Foundation. From Sept. 1 to Dec. 23 that year, she and her sister Liu Jou-lin allegedly committed acts of abuse against the boy, who was rushed to the hospital with severe injuries on Dec. 24, 2023, but did not
RSS