Tiger Balm Ointment: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Tiger Balm Ointment is an over-the-counter topical product containing camphor and menthol, belonging to the topical rubefacient drug class. It is used to temporarily relieve minor muscle aches and pains by numbing the skin, and may also help with itching, joint pain, and congestion when used as a chest rub. It is for external use only and is applied directly to the skin.

What is Tiger Balm Ointment

Tiger Balm is an over-the-counter topical product that claims to temporarily relieve minor muscle aches and pains by numbing the skin. It is a combination product used to relieve itching and minor muscle or joint pain, and may also be used as a chest rub for cold symptoms.

Tiger Balm Ointment uses

• Relieve minor muscle aches and pains
• Tension headaches
• Colds and congestion (chest rub)
• Back pain
• Neck and shoulder tension
• Joint pain, including minor aches related to osteoarthritis
• Itching

Benefits of Tiger Balm Ointment

• May distract from pain and stiffness by creating a warming sensation
• May improve blood circulation to muscles, potentially speeding healing and reducing inflammation
• May numb the skin, reducing stiffness and aches
• Adhesive patches release active ingredients steadily over a longer time
• May help relieve sinus and chest congestion

How Tiger Balm Ointment works

Tiger Balm contains camphor and menthol, which act on the skin. Camphor can improve blood circulation and create a warming or cooling sensation, while menthol can narrow blood vessels, reduce inflammation, and cause a cooling feeling. Methyl salicylate numbs the skin and acts as a pain reliever.

Tiger Balm Ointment dosage

For your first use, apply only to a small skin area to test how your skin reacts to the medicine, and wait a full day before applying it more widely. Do not take by mouth; this medicine is for use only on the skin. Do not apply to open wounds or on sunburned, windburned, dry, or irritated skin.

Wash your hands before and after applying this medicine. A burning or cold sensation is usually mild and should lessen with continued use; if it causes significant discomfort, wash the skin with soap and water. Do not cover treated skin with a tight bandage or heating pad.

Do not apply within 1 hour before or 30 minutes after a bath or shower. Do not use on a baby or child without a doctor's advice.

Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 7 days of treatment, or if you have a fever with a headache or a skin rash. Call your doctor if the pain does not go away, or if it goes away and then comes back within a few days.

Available forms and strengths

• Rubs
• Creams
• Ointments
• Liniments
• Adhesive skin patches

Side effects of Tiger Balm Ointment

Common

• Mild burning or cold sensation at the application site that usually lessens with continued use

Serious

• Severe burning, stinging, or irritation where the medicine was applied
• Breathing problems after using this medicine on the chest
• Signs of an allergic reaction: hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat

Warnings and precautions

• Do not apply Tiger Balm within 1 hour before or 30 minutes after exposure to hot, humid conditions such as a hot shower, sauna, or hot tub.
• Do not use on broken skin, open wounds, or skin that is irritated, inflamed, reddened, chapped, or dry.
• Do not apply to mucous membranes, such as the mouth, nostrils, vagina, rectum, or penis, or to the inner ears or burned skin.
• Do not use on skin that has already been warmed by other products, such as heating pads, and do not cover treated skin with a tight bandage or heating pad.
• Keep Tiger Balm away from children, and do not use it on children under 12 years old unless a doctor recommends it.
• The active ingredients, including camphor, are dangerous if swallowed, even in small amounts, and can cause toxicity.
• Tiger Balm is not meant to treat underlying medical conditions and is not intended for long-term use.
• There is little research on the safety of using Tiger Balm during pregnancy. Ask a doctor before using it.
• Ask a doctor before using Tiger Balm while breastfeeding, and avoid applying it to the nipple area.
• Do not use with heating pads or tight bandages. Avoid contact with eyes, mouth, and sensitive areas. Do not apply to cuts, wounds, infected, or irritated skin. For external use only; do not swallow.

Storage

• Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
• Protect from direct sunlight.
• Store away from open flame or high heat.
• Do not puncture or burn an empty canister.

When to see a doctor

• Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction, such as hives, difficulty breathing, or swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Stop using Tiger Balm and call your doctor right away if you have severe burning, stinging, or irritation where you applied it, or breathing problems after using it on your chest.
• If you notice redness and swelling where you applied the balm, stop using it immediately and seek medical help.
• If someone swallows Tiger Balm, seek emergency medical help or contact your local poison control center right away, as camphor toxicity can cause convulsions, severe nausea and vomiting, exhaustion, and slurred speech or loss of coordination.
• See a doctor about aches, pains, or health concerns that last more than a few days, get worse, or come back.
• Call your doctor if symptoms do not improve after 7 days of treatment, or if you develop a fever with a headache or a skin rash.

Alternatives

• Volini Gel
• Moov Spray
• Zandu Balm
• Iodex Ointment