Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat It DoesWho It’s ForWho Shouldn’t Use ItInsurance IssuesSide EffectsDrug InteractionsBottom Line

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What It Does

Who It’s For

Who Shouldn’t Use It

Insurance Issues

Side Effects

Drug Interactions

Bottom Line

Many patients like to use skin patches for osteoarthritis knee pain. One such option is the Flector patch, which delivers a pain-relievingnonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug(NSAID) to the sore knee for twelve hours at a time.

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Senior woman suffering from pain in knees at home. Holding her knee and massaging with hands, feeling exhausted, sitting on sofa in living room. Close-up. Medications and pills on table

Indications

Studies have shown that topical diclofenac formulations (gels, patches, or plasters) are superior or equivalent to oral diclofenac formulations. A 2017 review of studies concluded that topical diclofenac is as effective for the treatment of osteoarthritis and musculoskeletal injuries as oral NSAIDs, with minimal side effects.

The 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation guidelines for osteoarthritis treatment give topical NSAIDs like Flector a “strong” recommendation for knee arthritis and a “conditional” recommendation for hand and hip arthritis. They recommend using them prior to trying oral NSAIDs.

Who Should Not Use the Flector Patch

The Flector patches have the same warnings that the pills do, with labels listing the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal risks common to NSAIDs. Using the patch and the oral medication at the same time may increase adverse effects associated with NSAIDs.

You should not use any lotions or cosmetics on the same site that you are applying the Flector patch, not even sunscreen. They could affect absorption and reduce how well you tolerate the patch medication.

Studies haven’t yet established whether the patch is safe for effective for children. The testing didn’t include enough subjects over age 65 to understand if it might have a different response in younger patients.

Nonformulary Treatment

Some insurance companies list diclofenac patches as “nonpreferred” and “nonformulary.” The diclofenac patch is expensive compared to its oral counterpart. Insurance companies would prefer you use something less expensive but just as effective. Patients who cannot use the cheaper alternatives are appropriate candidates for the diclofenac patch.

Possible Side Effects

Signs of an allergic reaction—including hives and the swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and throat—require emergency assistance. Otherwise, the risk of serious side effects is low for the diclofenac patch.

The drug label says to stop using the patch and contact your healthcare provider right away if you experience these side effects:

Certain drugs that you may already be taking can interact with the Flector (diclofenac) patch, such as warfarim, digoxin, pemetrexed, cyclosporine, lithium, methotrexate, diuretics, steroids, and ACE inhibitors.

While the Flector patch is not for everyone, it may be an option for you. Consult with your healthcare provider and discuss all of your treatment options.

3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Tieppo Francio V, Davani S, Towery C, Brown TL.Oral versus topical diclofenac sodium in the treatment of osteoarthritis.J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother. 2017;31(2):113-120. doi:10.1080/15360288.2017.1301616Kolasinski SL, Neogi T, Hochberg MC, et al.2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation guideline for the management of osteoarthritis of the hand, hip, and knee.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2020;72(2):149-162. doi:10.1002/acr.24131U.S. National Library of Medicine. DailyMed.Flector patch drug label information.

3 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Tieppo Francio V, Davani S, Towery C, Brown TL.Oral versus topical diclofenac sodium in the treatment of osteoarthritis.J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother. 2017;31(2):113-120. doi:10.1080/15360288.2017.1301616Kolasinski SL, Neogi T, Hochberg MC, et al.2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation guideline for the management of osteoarthritis of the hand, hip, and knee.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2020;72(2):149-162. doi:10.1002/acr.24131U.S. National Library of Medicine. DailyMed.Flector patch drug label information.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Tieppo Francio V, Davani S, Towery C, Brown TL.Oral versus topical diclofenac sodium in the treatment of osteoarthritis.J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother. 2017;31(2):113-120. doi:10.1080/15360288.2017.1301616Kolasinski SL, Neogi T, Hochberg MC, et al.2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation guideline for the management of osteoarthritis of the hand, hip, and knee.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2020;72(2):149-162. doi:10.1002/acr.24131U.S. National Library of Medicine. DailyMed.Flector patch drug label information.

Tieppo Francio V, Davani S, Towery C, Brown TL.Oral versus topical diclofenac sodium in the treatment of osteoarthritis.J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother. 2017;31(2):113-120. doi:10.1080/15360288.2017.1301616

Kolasinski SL, Neogi T, Hochberg MC, et al.2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation guideline for the management of osteoarthritis of the hand, hip, and knee.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2020;72(2):149-162. doi:10.1002/acr.24131

U.S. National Library of Medicine. DailyMed.Flector patch drug label information.

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