Is Diclofenac Gel available over the counter?

Diclofenac Gel can be bought over the counter in pharmacies. However, it should be noted that Diclofenac Gel is a drug which, like all drugs, can also cause side effects. It is advised to read the package insert carefully.

Can I still use expired Diclofenac gel?

Studies have shown that many medicines, including ointments and gels, are still effective after their use-by date. However, it is the case that the manufacturer guarantees 100% active ingredient content and tolerability until the expiration date, after which it no longer assumes any liability. This means that if you use an expired Diclofenac gel, you are responsible for it yourself.

It is possible that in the course of time the components of the gel separate from each other. This can lead to the fact that the active ingredient is no longer evenly distributed. It is therefore possible that during use you may harm yourself more than you help.

If the consistency of the gel is changed or even smells unpleasant, it is in any case not advisable to use it. In addition, one should consider how and where a opened gel has been stored. Once opened, Diclofenac Gel is particularly sensitive to light, temperature fluctuations and air. Storage in a warm, humid bathroom or in the glove compartment of a car, where the gel is exposed to enormous temperature fluctuations, shortens the lifetime of the gel.

Side effects

Although Diclofenac Gel tends to work only locally, the side effects are the same as with tablets that work throughout the body. For this reason, it is advisable to find out whether there is an intolerance to Diclofenac before use. In this case, no Diclofenac gel should be applied.

Especially skin rashes (exanthema) but also other allergic reactions can be observed by using Diclofenac-Gel.The side effects in non-allergic patients (so-called adverse drug reactions) also occur with Diclofenac Gel, although not to the same extent as with the systemic treatment with Diclofenac tablets. These are primarily symptoms in the stomach area. Since the protective reconstruction of the stomach lining is also reduced by the leukotriene inhibition, prolonged use with Diclofenac leads to a thinning of the stomach lining.

As a result, the stomach is no longer so well protected against gastric acid and is attacked. If Diclofenac treatment with tablets is carried out over a long period of time, additional stomach protection is essential. With Diclofenac gel this effect is rather limited but present due to the local effect. Patients who already had or have a stomach ulcer should not be given Diclofenac gel either.