Disclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice. All statements are merely the opinion of the writer(s). We recommend that patients follow their doctor’s guidance in regard to pain relief.
Voltaren is an over-the-counter (OTC) gel product used to relieve arthritis pain. The product is FDA-approved, and the brand claims that their gel can relieve arthritis pain, improve mobility and reduce stiffness.
But what’s actually in Voltaren Gel and is it proven to relieve pain? Does it contain any unhealthy ingredients? Why was the manufacturer sued? And is Voltaren better or worse than popular pain relief creams like Biofreeze?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Voltaren Gel to give our take on whether or not it's likely to relieve pain, and whether or not it's healthy.
We'll also explain why the manufacturer was sued, discuss the risk of side effects, and compare Voltaren to other popular pain relief creams, in terms of formulation quality, to pick our winners (and losers).
Key takeaways:
- Contains active ingredient which is clinically proven to relieve pain
- Contains inactive ingredient we consider unhealthy
- We do not currently recommend Voltaren Gel
Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in Voltaren Gel are shown below:
Diclofenac sodium is the sole active ingredient, and has been tested in clinical trials for its effects on pain.
A 2016 clinical trial found that diclofenac sodium significantly reduced pain levels in arthritis patients when applied topically.
A 2017 medical review found that diclofenac sodium as a topical treatment was equally effective when compared with oral use, but that topical use was associated with fewer side effects.
A clinical trial published in the Clinical Interventions in Aging journal reported that diclofenac sodium at the same concentration as in Voltaren had similar effectiveness in relieving pain to oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
This suggests that Voltaren Gel may be a safer option for patients to discuss with their doctor, given that NSAIDs can cause side effects when used over long periods of time.
There is one inactive ingredient in this formulation that we consider notable.
Fragrance was analyzed in a 2016 medical review, and the study authors concluded that fragranced consumer products may have negative health effects.
Overall, we consider Voltaren likely to relieve pain, which is unsurprising given that the product is FDA-approved.
Why Was Voltaren's Manufacturer Sued?
In 2017, the manufacturer of Voltaren was sued by an Australian advertising commission alleging misleading marketing, according to AdNews.
The suit alleged that the “Emulgel” and “Osteo Gel” were marketed for different health claims, while containing the exact same formulation.
In 2020, the manufacturer of Voltaren agreed to pay $4.5 million in penalties for breaches of Australian Consumer Law related to this incident.
The good news is that this lawsuit was only in regard to marketing claims, and not in regard to product safety or efficacy, so it doesn’t seem like something consumers need to be particularly concerned about.
Does Voltaren Cause Side Effects?
Given that Voltaren is a topical treatment, it appears to have a lower risk of side effects than the oral treatment of the same drug, as documented in the ingredient analysis section.
A separate 2010 medical review found that the most common side effect from topical treatment of the active ingredient in Voltaren was dry skin (occurring in 27% of trial participants).
This is a relatively mild side effect for a pain relief treatment.
There is no mention of side effects on the Drug Facts label for Voltaren at the time of publishing this article.
Gastrointestinal adverse events are rare with topical use of this drug, but may occur, according to a medical review published in the Drugs journal. Patients may wish to speak with their doctor about side effects they’re experiencing.
Overall, we consider the risk of side effects from use of Voltaren to be relatively low, and certainly lower than most pharmaceutical medications in the pain relief product category.
Voltaren vs. Popular Pain Relief Creams
Here's how Voltaren compares to other popular pain relief creams in terms of formulation quality, in our opinion:
Biofreeze
Menthol is the active ingredient, and is clinically proven to relieve pain when applied topically.
Fragrance-free; healthier formulation than Voltaren.
Winner: Biofreeze
Hempvana
Hempvana cream contains two inactive ingredients we consider unhealthy (one more than Voltaren).
Both products are likely to be effective, but Voltaren gets the (slight) edge from a health perspective.
Winner: Voltaren
Icy Hot
Contains an active ingredient which can cause severe side effects in rare cases.
We consider Voltaren to be the safer option.
Winner: Voltaren
Our Clean Anti-Inflammatory Picks
Illuminate Labs Ceylon Cinnamon Extract is our top anti-inflammatory supplement.
Cinnamon was shown to reduce inflammatory markers in a 2020 clinical trial. The study authors concluded that “Cinnamon could be regarded as a safe supplement to relieve pain.”
Cornbread CBD Lotion is our top anti-inflammatory skin lotion.
Cannabidiol (CBD) is clinically shown to be effectively absorbed through the skin, and CBD caused "significant improvements in pain" when applied topically in a 2020 clinical trial.
Both of the products recommended in this section are free of ingredients that we consider to be unhealthy.
We are not suggesting that either product mentioned in this section is likely to be as effective as any FDA-approved medication, or that either product should be used to treat any disease.
Voltaren Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Appears safer than oral version of same drug
- Clinically proven to be effective for arthritis pain
- Healthier than some competitors
- Available OTC
- May be safer than long-term NSAID use
Cons:
- Contains fragrance
- May cause skin irritation and dry skin in some individuals
- May cause gastrointestinal side effects in rare cases
