Over the course of your running habit, you will likely run into some pain, injury or inflammation. For many running injuries, arthritis cream can provide effective relief.
When deciding which arthritis, pain-relieving, or anti-inflammatory cream works best, many people will consider Penetrex or Blue Emu.
Although both products have some similarities, they also have their fair share of differences. In this article you will learn all about Penetrex and Blue Emu so you can choose the cream that is best for you.
Penetrex vs Blue Emu - Comparison Chart:
All About Penetrex:
Penetrex is applied topically to reduce inflammation and the pain, tingling, and numbness that is often associated with inflammation in your muscles, nerves, ligaments or tendons.
Users can expect relief from their symptoms in about a week, although results vary dramatically. Some people find relief after their first use, while others find relief after a couple weeks.
Penetrex is not a pain killer, and therefore will not mask the pain of any repetitive strain injuries, like ITBS, Plantar Fasciitis, tendonitis, or other common running injuries.
In some cases, masking pain can actually result in further damage, so it is a good thing that Penetrex does not mask pain. Rather than reducing pain, Penetrex reduces inflammation at the injury site with active ingredients Arnica, Vitamin B6, and MSM.
It also helps promote healthy blood circulation and improves critical nerve function in treated areas. There are no known negative side effects, drug interactions, or allergens in the product.
As such, you can safely use Penetrex as part of a comprehensive treatment plan designed by your doctor, which may include oral medications, prescriptions, orthopedic products, physical therapy, or ultrasound.
Without nasty side effects, Penetrex is safe for short-term use, long-term use, spot treatment for occasional injuries, or as part of a pain and discomfort prevention plan.
- Effective joint & muscle relief: Penetrex is the whole-body homeopathic therapy cream you’ve been waiting for. Trusted by over 2 million sufferers, Penetrex offers a different kind of relief.
- The Penetrex difference: Our proprietary blend of natural ingredients leverages the homeopathic power of arnica, vitamin B6 and MSM to penetrate deeply, eliminating joint and muscle discomfort at the source.
- The premium experience in muscle recovery: Penetrex is a non-greasy, non-sticky, non-staining, paraben-free, cruelty-free and vegan soothing cream without the burn, freeze or strong odor of other relief products.
- See why so many people trust Penetrex: Penetrex allows you to get back to doing the things you love, without the worry of joint and muscle discomfort bringing you down.
- Directions: Apply to back, neck, knee, hand, foot, and more. Penetrex can be used on its own or with other therapies such as heating pads, ice packs, massagers and supplements. Apply 3-4 times per day for 7-10 days, then apply as needed.
As a plus, the light scent of Chamomile Oil extract is pleasant, but fades away within a few minutes, leaving you without any smelly residue. It also does not stain and is not greasy.
Penetrex offers a few products that are very similar to each other, but applied differently. Similar results could be expected between the formulas because they each have the same main ingredient and very similar inactive ingredients.
All About Blue Emu:
Blue Emu has several different product lines. You can read about all of them in this review
In this article, we will be learning about the Original Blue Emu Super Strength Cream. This cream is applied topically to areas of pain, injury, and inflammation to sooth joints and muscles and relieve dry, chapped, weathered skin.
This Blue Emu product does not contain any topical analgesics, like lidocaine, to mask pain. For best results, they recommend that the product be used 2-3 times daily for 2 weeks, then as needed.
Since this product has no known negative side effects, drug interactions, or allergens, it is safe to use short-term, long-term, or periodically. It can even be used as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
Users report that Blue Emu has no odor, is not greasy, does not stain, washes off easily, and does not make your skin feel hot, cold, or burning.
The active ingredient in Blue Emu is Emu Oil, but the anti-inflammation properties and joint and muscle pain relief from Blue Emu is credited to the oleic and linoleic acids that are easily absorbed into the skin when combined with Emu Oil.
Blue Emu has several different product lines. Some of them have lidocaine, or are specially formulated for specific concerns, like dry skin or arthritis.
These specialized lines offer different ingredients for pain relief, anti-inflammation, and arthritis. In all of these formulas, Emu oil is used to deliver the other ingredients deep into your skin to the site of pain or discomfort.
The inactive ingredients are drastically different between each formula, so make sure you are choosing the Blue Emu product that is best suited for your needs. For most people, the original Blue Emu Super Strength cream is sufficient.
- Blue-Emu is the go to brand for America's #1 Emu Oil Formula. The naturally powerful carrier oil allows ingredients such as Aloe Vera, MSM & Glucosamine absorb directly to your tired joints and muscles.
- Multiple use application! Apply to back, neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, hips, feet, hands, and ankles for daily soothing assistance.
- Get rid of that menthol stench. Our emu-oil based cream is odor free and is a non-greasy application. Irritation free!
- The deep penetrating cream gets below the skin in a hurry, no need to wait long periods of time for the soothing formula to kick in!
- Daily application is not only safe, it's recommended! Apply liberally 2-3 times daily for two weeks, and then as needed. In addition to soothing benefits, use the 4oz Original Super Strength Cream to help dry, chapped or weathered skin.
Other formulas may include lidocaine to numb some of the pain you’re experiencing. If you are injured, it is not recommended to use a lidocaine-based product during training.
Lidocaine can mask pain, which may result in your pushing yourself beyond your paint limits and creating more damage.
Comparing Penetrex to Blue Emu:
Penetrex and Blue Emu tout similar benefits: relief of pain, discomfort, tingling, numbness, and inflammation at the site of injury. Both are applied topically, several times per day, for a few weeks, and then used periodically as needed.
Anytime you are using a topical inflammation cream, it is not recommended that you use a heating pad simultaneously, though you can also use other healing therapies suggested by your medical team.
Though they are similarly priced, both Penetrex and Blue Emu are expensive when compared to other topical treatments like Ben Gay, Icy Hot, or Tiger Balm. Penetrex and Blue Emu both have thousands of rave reviews on Amazon.
As with any injury, you can only discover which topical ointment will best reduce your symptoms by trial and error. Because Blue Emu and Penetrex have different main ingredients, you may find different results with each product.
So, which is better: Penetrex or Blue-Emu?:
The complicated answer tells us it’s hard to say, and it’s hard to predict. Each person’s body will respond differently to the ingredients in each of these products. Also, each product’s effectiveness could be dependent on the source, location, extent, and longevity of the injury.
Although people report finding relief of a myriad of inflammatory, painful conditions – joint, muscle, nerve – with both products, no proper scientific studies have been done to decide which is better for specific conditions.
In short, the best solution is to pick one and try it out for a few weeks. If it doesn’t work, there is no harm in trying the other. Since both products have different main ingredients, just because one works doesn’t mean the other will or won’t.
A side note: Blue Emu contains animal oils, which renders this product unsuitable for vegans and vegetarians. Penetrex is plant-based.
Ingredient Lists:
Anytime you are considering the use of a topical ointment, you should consult the ingredient list to ensure it does not contain anything you are allergic to, sensitive to, or avoiding for moral/religious/health reasons.
Here we have included ingredient lists for Penetrex Cream, Penetrex Roll-On, and Blue Emu Super Strength Cream.
Penetrex Cream Ingredient List:
Water (Aqua), Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Esters, Steareth-20, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM/DMSO2), Glucosamine (Vegetable Source), Bilineurine Bitartrate, Ethoxydiglycol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Cetyl Myristoleate, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Boswellia Serrata (Frankincense) Oil, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Cinnamomum Camphora (Camphor), Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Dipotassium Glycyrrhizinate, Dimethicone, Ammonium Acryloyl-Dimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, DMDM Hydantoin, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Penetrex Roll-On Ingredient List:
Water (Aqua), Isopropyl Alcohol, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM/DMSO2), Glucosamine (vegetable source), Bilineurine Bitartrate, Ethoxydiglycol, Cetyl Myristoleate, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Extract, Boswellia Serrata (Frankincense) Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Oil, Juniperus Communis (Juniper Berry) Oil, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus) Leaf Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tee Tree) Leaf Oil, Cinnamomum Camphora (Camphor), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Dipotassium Glycyrrhizinate, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, DMDM Hydantoin, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Original Blue Emu Super Strength Ingredient List:
Water, Emu Oil, Glycerin, Dimethyl Sulfone (MSM), Mineral Oil, Acrylates/Acrylamide Copolymer, Polysorbate 85, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Cholecalciferol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Aloe Vera Gel, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Tetrasodium EDTA, Aesculus Hippocastanum (Horse Chestnut) Seed Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Symphytum Officinale Root Extract, Zanthoxylum Alatum Fruit Extract, Allantoin, Panthenol, D Glucosamine, FD & C Blue #1, Triethanolamine, Oleyl Alcohol, Ethoxydiglycol.
CONTAINS EMU OIL
Conclusion: Penetrex vs Blue Emu
As you can see, both Penetrex and Blue Emu have helped thousands of people combat the pain, numbness, tingling, and inflammation associated with a variety of conditions, like nerve pain, tendonitis, muscle injury, joint injury, and ligament injury.
If you find yourself skipping your runs because of some nagging pain, it’s worth considering the use of Blue Emo or Penetrex in combination with your doctor’s advice for overcoming your problem.
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Hi, Jeremy Here,
I am the the guy behind Train for a 5K. On this site, I share everything that learned along my running journey. The content I create is the running training I wish I had before we started this journey. About Me.
Last update on 2023-01-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API