A product range for the aftermath of sports injuries and everyday complaints.
A twisted ankle while running. A pulled muscle while lifting. A back that has been nagging for days. For each of these situations traumalix dolo® has the right product – from instant cooling to the pain-relief patch. Available without prescription in Swiss pharmacies and drugstores.
These are authorised medicines and medical devices. Please read the package leaflet.
Swiss Made · Drossapharm AG, BaselNo prescription needed in pharmacies & drugstoresAuthorised by Swissmedic
The right product in 10 seconds
What happened?
Wrong product, wrong moment: applying heat to a fresh sprain prolongs the swelling instead of easing it. Choose your situation here and we will show you which traumalix dolo® product was made for it.
The product range
Four products. Each for a different situation. → not interchangeable
Carton and tube
Anti-inflammatory & pain-relieving
traumalix dolo® gel 5%
Etofenamate 50 mg/g
A gel for the local treatment of pain and inflammation of the musculoskeletal system. The active substance etofenamate absorbs quickly and leaves no greasy film.
For blunt injuries such as bruises, strains and sprains
For back, neck and muscle pain
Acts locally in the tissue without burdening the whole body
Tube 40 gTube 100 g
Swissmedic-approved patient information
“traumalix dolo gel 5% is applied externally and has anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. The active substance etofenamate penetrates the skin and reaches the affected tissue. traumalix dolo gel 5% is neither greasy nor staining. It is used to treat pain, inflammation and swelling in sprains, bruises and strains (e.g. after sports injuries).” Working translation; the German patient information is the authoritative text.Full German text on swissmedicinfo.ch →
This is an authorised medicine. Please read the package leaflet.
Veins · Swelling · Bruising
traumalix dolo® venactiv ointment
500 IU heparin sodium and 280 mg comfrey fluid extract per gram
For the supportive treatment of venous leg disorders – and for blunt sports and accident injuries. The high-dose heparin acts in an anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving and resorption-promoting way; the comfrey tincture adds a decongestant effect.
For heavy, tired legs and swelling caused by venous leg complaints
For phlebitis, apply thickly without rubbing in, then cover with a bandage
For sprains, crush injuries, bruises, strains and haematomas
For muscle tension, stiff neck, back pain and lumbago; as supportive treatment in rheumatism and osteoarthritis
Heparin sodium from Drossapharm’s own production
What the ointment contains
Heparin sodium, 500 IU per gram. It counteracts blood clotting and, according to the patient information, has anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving and resorption-promoting properties.
Comfrey tincture, 280 mg per gram. A fluid extract from fresh comfrey roots. Comfrey acts in an anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving and decongestant way and thus complements the heparin.
Oil macerate of marigold and St John’s wort. It complements the ointment base.
Lavender oil. It gives the ointment its pleasant scent.
Tube 40 gTube 100 g
Swissmedic-approved patient information
“traumalix dolo venactiv is a medicine used to treat blunt (non-bleeding) sports and accident injuries and as supportive treatment for venous leg disorders. The heparin sodium it contains counteracts blood clotting and has an anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving and resorption-promoting effect. The comfrey extract likewise acts in an anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving and decongestant way.” Working translation; the German patient information is the authoritative text.Full German text on swissmedicinfo.ch →
traumalix dolo® venactiv ointment contains peanut oil. It must not be used in case of hypersensitivity (allergy) to peanut or soya.
This is an authorised medicine. Please read the package leaflet.
Carton and tube
5 patches of 10 × 12 cm
Herbal medicinal product
traumalix dolo® patch
Cayenne pepper extract with the active substance capsaicin
A patch for the local treatment of pain. It is applied once a day directly over the painful area and can stay there for up to 24 hours. The patch itself does not heat up – the warmth you feel arises in your skin.
Authorised indications
Back pain, neck tension, muscle pain and nerve pain
As supportive treatment in rheumatic conditions
For degenerative joint disease
After traumatic injuries to tendons, ligaments, muscles and joints – for example after a sprain, bruise or strain
How the patch works
1 · The stimulus. Capsaicin binds to the pain receptors in the skin and stimulates the nerve fibres. Its molecular target is TRPV1, the same channel through which the body registers dangerous heat. The nerve endings release substance P, which is why a burning sensation may occur at first. At the same time blood flow increases in the treated area, and this is where the sensation of warmth comes from.
2 · The adaptation. Activation is followed by a phase of desensitisation: the nerve fibres release less substance P and become less sensitive to painful stimuli. This is what the pain-relieving effect rests on. The warmth you feel accompanies the process.
3 · Individual perception. How clearly the warmth is felt differs from person to person – the sensitivity of the skin nerves varies, and with it how much of the effect is perceived.
Rosemary and lavender oil give the patch its scent.
Swissmedic-approved patient information
“traumalix dolo patch contains cayenne pepper extract with the active substance capsaicin. Capsaicin has pain-relieving properties. It also stimulates blood flow in the treated area, which produces a pleasant sensation of warmth.” Working translation; the German patient information is the authoritative text.Full German text on swissmedicinfo.ch →
Do not use in case of skin conditions, open wounds, acute inflammation or known hypersensitivity to capsicum plants.
This is an authorised medicine. Please read the package leaflet.
Medical device · ready to use
Instant cooling
traumalix dolo® icepack
Medical device · ready to use without a fridge
A cold pack that turns cold the moment you squeeze it – no pre-cooling, no freezer needed. The ideal first step right after the mishap.
Position the inner liquid pouch in the middle and squeeze the pack firmly until it bursts
Shake the icepack well until the contents mix and the cooling starts
Place on the affected area and cool for no more than 30 minutes
Medical device. Please follow the instructions on the packaging.
Available without prescription
Points of sale near you
In pharmacies and drugstores all traumalix dolo® products are available without a prescription, after brief professional advice. Online the rules differ: under current Swiss law the three medicines may only be dispatched against a prescription – without one, they can be collected via Click & Collect.
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Guide · Medical background
Understanding sports injuries – and responding well.
Around 400,000 people injure themselves playing sport in Switzerland every year. Most of these are blunt injuries without an open wound – bruises, strains and sprains. Using the first few minutes well and knowing your body’s signals shortens the way back to movement.
First aid
The RICE protocol: what counts in the first minutes
In short: RICE is the internationally established standard for immediate care of acute blunt sports injuries. It limits bleeding into the tissue and swelling – and often the time out as well.
PRest – stop the activity at once and immobilise the affected area
EIce – cool (not directly on the skin) for 15–20 minutes, repeat with breaks
CCompression – elastic compression bandage against the swelling
HElevation – above heart level, to reduce blood flow to the area
After the acute phase (24–48 hours), further treatment can follow – with an anti-inflammatory gel or a decongestant ointment from the pharmacy, for example. Important: cooling is no substitute for a diagnosis. When in doubt, it is better to get it checked once too often.
What exactly happened?
Bruise, strain, sprain – the difference
Bruise (contusion): A direct blow or impact to muscle or bone. Typically: pain on pressure, haematoma, swelling. Common in ball sports and falls.
Strain (distension): Overstretching of muscle or tendon fibres, for instance when sprinting without warming up. Typically: a pulling pain that increases under load.
Sprain (distortion): Overstretching of the joint ligaments – the classic case is a twisted ankle. Typically: rapid swelling, pain when bearing weight.
Rule of thumb: Bruise = impact from outside. Strain = muscle overstretched. Sprain = ligament overstretched.
Warning signs
When does an injury need a doctor?
Most blunt injuries heal with rest and self-care. These signs, however, should be examined:
Bearing weight or gripping is impossible
Visible deformity or abnormal joint mobility
Rapidly increasing tense swelling or extensive bruising
Numbness, tingling or pale, cold skin below the injury
No improvement after several days of treatment
Fever or redness with local heat (a sign of inflammation or infection)
In an emergency: Swiss ambulance service 144. Advice: your pharmacy, drugstore or GP practice.
Thermotherapy
Cool or warm? The right temperature at the right time
Cold belongs on the fresh injury: it narrows the vessels, limits bleeding and swelling and dulls the acute pain. Rule of thumb: the first 24–48 hours.
Warmth belongs on the tense muscle: it promotes blood flow, relaxes the musculature and helps with chronic, non-inflammatory complaints – a tense neck or a tired back, for instance.
Never: heat on fresh, swollen injuries – it worsens swelling and bleeding into the tissue.
Muscles & back
Tension is not an injury – but it deserves attention
Neck and back tension usually stems from one-sided posture, stress or unfamiliar strain – not from an accident. The muscle hardens, blood flow drops, and the pain sustains the protective posture: a vicious circle.
The most effective answer is almost always movement rather than bed rest – combined with anything that gets blood flowing again in the hardened muscle. Preparations with cayenne pepper extract act precisely there: they increase local blood flow and dampen the perception of pain through adaptation of the pain fibres.
Veins & legs
Heavy legs: when venous return slows down
Long periods of standing or sitting, heat or long journeys put strain on the venous system: the return of blood to the heart slows, fluid gathers in the tissue – and the legs feel heavy, tight and tired.
Movement activates the calf muscle pump, elevation relieves, cooling applications refresh. Heparin-based ointments are traditionally used as supportive treatment. In case of one-sided, painful swelling with local heat: see a doctor immediately.
What is in them?
Where the active substances act
Etofenamate, heparin with comfrey tincture and cayenne pepper extract act at different points. What happens in the tissue is set out here – including the points where the evidence is thin.
Etofenamate · COX + LOX
Acts on two enzymes
Inflammation arises from arachidonic acid via two separate pathways. One runs through cyclooxygenase (COX) and leads to the prostaglandins, the messengers that convey pain, swelling and redness. The other runs through lipoxygenase (LOX) and leads to the leukotrienes, which attract inflammatory cells and sustain the reaction.
Etofenamate, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug from the anthranilic acid group, inhibits both enzymes – most other topically applied NSAIDs inhibit only cyclooxygenase. A dampening effect on bradykinin and on the enzyme hyaluronidase has also been described.
One caveat: inhibiting lipoxygenase requires higher concentrations in vitro, and its contribution under everyday conditions is not conclusively established. Applied to the skin, the active substance reaches the underlying tissue within 15 to 30 minutes, with far less uptake into the circulation than with tablets.
Heparin 500 IU/g + comfrey
Works on veins and swelling
Heparin is best known as an anticoagulant. Applied externally at 500 IU per gram, it is credited with anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving and resorption-promoting properties. Hence the two fields of use: clearing blood that has leaked into the tissue after a bruise, and supportive treatment of venous leg complaints.
Comfrey yields a tincture with a long tradition in wound care. What is used here is a fluid extract from fresh roots at a ratio of 1:3–4. Among the constituents regarded as determining its efficacy are allantoin, rosmarinic acid and mucilages.
Important for safety: the plant’s pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which can burden the liver, are limited to a permissible level by the manufacturing process – a point ensured by the Swiss authorisation.
Capsaicin · TRPV1 · substance P
It irritates first, then calms
Capsaicin binds to the pain receptors in the skin. Its molecular target is TRPV1, an ion channel through which the body also registers dangerous heat. When the channel opens, the pain fibres fire and release the messenger substance P. That is why a burning sensation can occur at first, and why blood flow at the site visibly increases.
This activation is followed by desensitisation: the release of substance P declines and the fibres respond less strongly to painful stimuli. According to the professional information, this adaptation is the cause of the pain-relieving effect. The sensation of warmth accompanies it but is not the mechanism.
The effect is reversible and varies in strength: how sensitively the skin nerves respond to capsaicin differs from person to person. Use for more than four weeks at the same site can temporarily damage the fine skin nerves.
Developed and manufactured in Switzerland. traumalix dolo® is a brand of Drossapharm AG, an independent family business from Basel.
Frequently asked questions
The questions asked in the pharmacy
From a twisted ankle on a forest trail to how long a patch may stay on. All information comes from the Swissmedic-approved patient information or from publicly available professional sources – the package leaflet is always authoritative.
Identifying complaintsWhat kind of injury is it?
Muscle soreness or a strain – how do I tell them apart?
Muscle soreness sets in with a delay, 12 to 48 hours after unfamiliar exertion, affects a whole muscle group and improves with gentle movement. A strain comes on abruptly during exertion, can be pinpointed and gets worse under load. If you feel a sharp pain when sprinting and cannot fully load the muscle afterwards, it is probably not muscle soreness.
Related: muscle fibre tear, muscle bundle tear – both need medical assessment.
Twisted ankle – when is an X-ray needed?
For the ankle, the Ottawa Ankle Rules apply: imaging is considered if there is tenderness over the malleolar edges or certain tarsal bones, or if four steps are impossible both right after the event and in the consultation. A tool for the doctor, not a self-diagnosis – but it explains why not every ankle sprain is X-rayed.
Why does a bruise change colour – and how long does it take?
A haematoma is blood that has leaked into the tissue. As the red blood pigment breaks down, intermediates form one after another, each with its own colour: first red to blue-violet, then greenish, finally yellow-brown. Depending on size this takes one to three weeks. A mark that hardens rather than softens after a few days, feels very tight or throbs should be examined.
For acute non-specific low back pain, current guidelines advise staying in motion and avoiding bed rest – lying down for long tends to delay recovery rather than help. Numbness in the buttock and genital area, loss of strength in the leg or difficulty passing urine, however, need immediate medical assessment: these signs can indicate nerve root compression.
Keywords: lumbago, non-specific low back pain, sciatica.
Using them correctlyDosage, duration, combination
gel 5%
How often do I apply gel 5%?
According to the patient information: several times a day, apply and rub in a strip of 5 to 10 centimetres, depending on the size of the painful area. The gel should only be used over large areas and for extended periods on medical prescription. If the complaints have not improved after two weeks or get worse, the treatment should be reviewed.
How long does the patch stay on, and what if it burns too much?
One patch a day, directly over the painful area, on intact, cleaned and dry skin. It can be worn for up to 24 hours, followed by a day’s break before repeating. The whole course should not exceed three weeks. If a strong sensation of heat occurs, stop the treatment; the same applies to itching, weals or a rash. Avoid all contact with eyes and mucous membranes. At the same site the patch should not be used for more than four weeks, as the fine skin nerves may otherwise be temporarily damaged.
Capsaicin can be detected in the outermost skin layer just one minute after application. The stimulus comes first: mild burning and redness are normal. Only then follows the phase on which the effect rests – the nerve fibres release less substance P and become less sensitive to painful stimuli. How clearly this is felt varies from person to person. If you feel little, still do not use the patch for longer or more often than instructed; a strong sensation of heat, by contrast, is a reason to take it off.
gel 5%venactivpatch
Can I use the gel and the patch at the same time?
Not on the same area of skin. Each of the three preparations has been assessed for its own use, none for combination with another. Whether two products on different parts of the body make sense is best clarified by the pharmacy or drugstore – they also know what other medicines you are using.
icepackgel 5%patch
Fresh injury: what first, and what never?
With a fresh, swollen injury, cooling comes first – that is what the icepack is for. Warming applications have no place at this stage; the patch is expressly not intended for acute inflammation or freshly swollen injuries. Tense muscles without swelling are the opposite case: cooling is of little help there.
For gel 5%: no use in the third trimester of pregnancy or while breastfeeding. For the patch there are no clinical data in pregnant women; it may only be used on medical advice. For venactiv ointment, please clarify use with a doctor beforehand.
The relevant package leaflet (German) is authoritative, on swissmedicinfo.ch.
gel 5%venactivpatch
From what age?
For traumalix dolo® gel 5% and traumalix dolo® venactiv ointment, use in children has not been studied; in infants and toddlers it should generally not take place. For traumalix dolo® patch, use and safety in children under 12 have not been studied.
gel 5%
Who should not use gel 5%?
Not on injured skin or skin inflamed by eczema, and not on mucous membranes. Ruled out in case of hypersensitivity to etofenamate, flufenamic acid, other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or the excipient propylene glycol. If you have ever reacted to a painkiller with a rash, hives or breathing difficulties, discuss use beforehand.
venactiv
Peanut allergy – what to bear in mind with venactiv ointment?
traumalix dolo® venactiv ointment contains peanut oil. It must not be used in case of hypersensitivity (allergy) to peanut or soya. Wer eine solche Allergie hat, bespricht die Anwendung vorgängig mit der Apotheke, Drogerie oder Arztpraxis.
venactiv
Comfrey contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids – is that a problem?
The comfrey plant contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which in larger amounts can burden the liver. In authorised finished medicines their content is limited by the manufacturing process; compliance with the limits is part of the Swiss authorisation. That is what distinguishes a tested preparation from home-made root extracts.
Order online
Retailers with Click & Collect
These Swiss pharmacies and drugstores stock traumalix dolo®. The three medicines are delivered to a branch for collection; home delivery is only permitted with a prescription.
