Topical Pain Relief Market Trends

Growth Indicators

As per the statistics of the American College of Rheumatology, osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and it affects around 302 million people worldwide, every year.

Growing incidences of arthritis, particularly osteoarthritis across the world is a primary factor, which is anticipated to propel the market growth over the forecast period. Osteoarthritis is also a leading cause of disability among older adults, wherein the most affected appendicular joints are knees, hips, and joints. According to the Arthritis Foundation, arthritis in tandem with back pain is a leading cause of work disability in the US. It is also the most common cause, which requires rehabilitation and thus has the greatest impact on the healthcare system in the country. On the other hand, rising adoption of analgesics for instant pain relief is another major factor anticipated to drive the market growth over the forthcoming years. Topical pain relievers are available in multiple forms such as gels, ointments, creams, and sprays, which not only have lesser systemic side effects as compared to a similar oral dosage but can also be compounded and individualized in the right concentration as per the specific needs of the consumer. Additionally, the growing popularity of topical as well as transdermal creams and patches among the sportspersons, on account of its numerous advantages has directly impacted its increased adoption. Sports-related soft tissue injuries, such as strains, sprains, and contusions are extremely common. As per the statistics of Sandford Children’s Health, approximately 30 million children and teens in the US participate in some form of sports, wherein more than 3.5 million children experience some sort of physical injury. Such factors are anticipated to drive the growth of the global topical pain relief market.

Challenges

Limited availability of topical pain relievers for neonates and pediatrics, as the use of topical anesthetics and analgesics in children generally requires a proper prescription, along with the concern for severe allergic reactions on the back of excessive and continuous use of topical gels and creams are some of the factors anticipated to impact negatively towards the growth of the global topical pain relief market.