We are not old, we don't have any medical conditions, and we do not exercise but we do have a huge tube of Aspercreme on the kitchen table for my husband and I to split. We spend a lot of time on the computer which often results in achy fingers, arms, and necks. My husband wants me to rub his back and arms every night so I'm aways searching for a
gimmick to do the job for me. We've tried nearly every cream or rub but they stink so bad you have to be in real pain and not going anywhere to justify the smell. We've been using Aspercreme for a year and is what we have settled on for muscle relief. In fact we now have tubes of it everywhere, the car, work, table, family room. It's easy to find too since it's in a bright yellow tube.

Odor Free
The box says odor free right there beside it's name however it's extremely hard to believe so I open the bottle in the middle of the isle with 3 kids screaming and people trying to wedge their baskets past while I did the sniff test. It passed! It doesn't even smell like cream.

Presentation
The tube I have has a flip top lid that flips up with no effort whatsoever. When the lid is open, nothing comes out unless you squeeze the tube. It is yellow in color with "Aspercreme" written in red in large letters. I can see this from across the room so it never gets away from me. I have a basket full of tubes of goop for all kinds of ailments, it's nice that it's visibly marked.

The goop inside
This is somewhere between a cream and a lotion. If you put some on your finger, you can turn your finger over and it will stay on. It's thin enough to spread easily over a large area. It is absorbed with only a few rubs and is not greasy or oily.

Price
I got a nice size tube (5 oz.) at Sam's Club for $5.

It is available in 1.25 oz cream, 3 oz. cream, 5 oz. cream, and 6oz.lotion. Prices will vary.

What you will miss out on
You really don't feel anything when you apply this like you do most rubs. There's no menthol to leave a burning cold feel. I miss that part. For me, some of the healing is psychological -- if I don't feel it working, maybe it's not. But it doesn't stink so it's a really good trade off!

How Effective is it?
This is not a miracle cure as you may have suspected. It relieves some of the pain, minimizes it, eases it and of course it's all temporary. The box claims it lasts for 4 hours, but seems more like 2 to me. It works better than doing nothing, it's quicker relief than rubbing or heating pads. This is nice for "aches", but it's not going to touch "pains". I would have to consider this a backup plan. I usually take ibuprofen if I'm uncomfortable and I think it works better and longer than this. My husband loves the stuff, he thinks it helps a lot. If you rub it in real good like a massage it works a lot better.

In my opinion
In my opinion, this works best on problems that aren't sore enough to justify taking an oral pain reliever for. I would recommend this for athletic folks because it works best on self-made pain (such as over doing it).

I didn't know what Trolamine Salicylate was or why it's called "aspercreme" and is not to be used by folks allergic to aspirin -- but is aspirin free so I did a little research. Here are some interesting articles that I found:

In a nutshell, the product is using deceptive advertising. It uses the word "asper" to imply aspirin but because it has "contains no aspirin" in fine print it makes it legal.

Trolamine Salicylate is a common ingredient (also found in ben-gay and flexal). Aspercreme came out in the 80's.

Drug interactions that I found on CVS's website:
"Anyone with allergic reactions to aspirin or other salicylic products or who have conditions, such as asthma, that are aggravated by aspirin should avoid products that contain methyl salicylate or trolamine salicylate. Also, people who are on prescription
blood thinner, such as Coumadin (warfarin), should avoid using products that contain methyl salicylate or trolamine salicylate. There have been reports of increased risks of bleeding when medication is absorbed through the skin, causing a drug interaction with warfain. (http://216.239.33.100/search?q=cache: cMZ-0Kem25AC:cvs.webmd.com/
content/article/1685.50573
trolamine salicylate aspirin&hl=en&ie=UTF-8)"

Aspercreme's description
Aspercreme with aloe is a greaseless and stainless rub that safely relieves pain. Unlike aspirin, which goes throughout your body, Aspercreme pinpoints its soothing, massaging relief right where you hurt. when you rub Aspercreme in, it penetrates quickly, deeply into painful areas, relieving pain without aspirin and without burning. Aspercreme brings calming, relaxing relief that lasts for hours. Long-lasting relief during the day when you're active; long-lasting
relief at night when you want to sleep.

Directions on tube:
For adults and children over 12 years of age. Apply generously to affected area. Massage into painful area until thoroughly absorbed into skin. Repeat as necessary, but no more than 4 times daily. For children under 12, consult a doctor.

Money Back Guarantee
You have nothing to lose! If you're not satisfied with the product you can return it to Chattem, Inc. for a full refund. The mailing address and proof of purchase is on the outer box.

Uses:
For the temporary relief of minor arthritis pain, simple backache, bursitis, tendonitis, muscle strains and sprains, bruises and cramps.

Ingredients
Active Ingredient: Trolamine Salicylate (topical analgesic)

Inactive Ingredients: Aloe Barbadenis Gel, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin,Methyplparaben, Mineral Oil, Potassium Phosphate, proplyparaben, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine, Water

Do Not Use:
Do not use on children under 10, if irrigation develops, for external use only, and the typical disclaimers.

Recommended: Yes