Pain Cream with Menthol?

[Orglethorp]

I occasionally use Rub-A535 for achy muscles / old ankle injury that acts up. I haven't made much use of it since becoming pregnant as I'm worried it might not be safe. I asked my doctor about it back in 1st tri, and she said as long as I'm not bathing in it, occasional use is fine because not much of it is absorbed into the blood stream.

Then last week when I had the head cold from hell and asked my pharmacists what I could do to help clear me out, she specifically mentioned that menthol products aren't safe because they can affect the baby's lungs.

This cream's medical ingredients are: Methyl Salicylate 21%, Camphor 4%, menthol 3%, Eucalyptus Oil 0.75%

3% is really low, but I've always noticed a strong menthol type smell when I use it. Not sure if perhaps the other ingredients are producing a similar smell. Now that I've heard that menthol warning from the pharmacist, though, I'm scared to use this cream.

Thoughts?

 

[xdxxtx]

I'm much more concerned about the Methyl Salicylate. It's pretty much aspirin, and I would not use it while pregnant. As for menthol, some doctors allow Vicks menthol rub... Mine says NO Vick's, but my sister was allowed it during pregnancy. I'm not sure why either way. I'm sure you've tried a thousand other ways to get rid of this pain, but I'd alternate ice and heat and maybe wrap the area for extra support. I expect pregnancy to make it act up again because of the extra pressure on your joints.

 

[Orglethorp]

The Methyl Salicylate is why I asked my doctor about it back in my 1st tri. She acknowledged it's basically aspirin and not ideal, but since that type of medication doesn't absorb into the blood through a skin cream much (unless you put it over an open wound, but why would you do that? lol), she wasn't concerned about occasional use. After asking that and getting that answer, I used it once (my one and only time during the pregnancy) and found I was actually bothered by the menthol-y smell. I was only about 10 weeks along then, so I was experiencing all the joys of MS then.