I Tried the Salonpas Pain Relief Patch After My First Day Back at the Gym

I’ve been in a slow-burn relationship with working out this year. Earlier in the quarter, I pressed pause on the gym. No big dramatic reason, just being busy, and the quiet seduction of doing absolutely nothing. But August rolled around and I decided to get back to moving my body again. My welcome-back gift? The familiar ache of muscles.

Sometimes the pain is enough to make you rethink your workout plan. Which is why I had the Salonpas Pain Relief Patch waiting like a little emergency kit.

After a day of easing back in; a light treadmill warm-up, some squats and presses, then an hour-long yoga session, I could already feel the next day would not be kind to me. So, the morning after, after showering and drying down, I put the patch on at exactly 11 a.m. to my right shoulder. My day was just starting, and I was curious to see if it could live up to the promise of “up to 8 hours” of targeted relief.

Even before opening the pouch, I caught the whiff of menthol. The pack tears open cleanly, which I appreciated, but it’s not resealable. You have to fold it over twice to store the remaining patches, and if you’re tossing it into a gym bag, that fold might not hold. It’s not a dealbreaker, but a zip-lock style closure would have been perfect.

Inside, the Salonpas Pain Relief Patch measures 7cm by 10cm and comes in a pack of five. The patches are about palm-sized, flexible, and as thin as a Band-Aid. Instructions are printed both on the outer pack and the backing paper of each patch (points for that, because no one wants to go hunting for the pack later).

It’s easy to apply if you’re targeting an accessible area like your shoulders, lower back, neck, or thighs, but if you’re aiming for mid-back territory, you’ll probably need a second pair of hands.

The second it touched my shoulder, the cooling-warming sensation began. It’s hard to explain, it’s not an ice blast, and it’s not a heating pad, but a sort of gentle, radiating shift in temperature that feels like your muscles are being reminded to relax. Within five minutes, the ache felt softer, less insistent. After an hour, the sensation was still there but more in the background, like music that’s played in stores.

The patch stayed put under my grey t-shirt and felt unnoticeable to the touch. I even stepped out into light rain for a package pickup, and it held up, save for one edge that needed a quick smooth-down. I was impressed that three hours in, it was still securely in place and hadn’t bunched or peeled especially since my application was over the back curve of my shoulder.

This is where Salonpas delivers. The sore, tight feeling in my shoulder eased noticeably within minutes. The real “ahh” window was the first 4–5 hours, where the relief was strongest. By the 6-hour mark, the effect had started to taper off, and I took the patch off at 7 pm. So it gave me enough relief to get through my day without that nagging discomfort.

When I removed it, there was no redness, no itching, no sticky residue. Just the faintest trace of menthol scent, which disappeared completely after my evening shower.

The Salonpas Pain Relief Patch isn’t magic, it won’t erase every bit of soreness. But it’s a discreet, mess-free way to make post-workout (or post-long-day) muscle aches a lot more bearable. I love that I can put it on and forget it’s there, slip on a t-shirt without any weird bumps showing, and go about my day without smelling like I’ve bathed in muscle rub.

Would I keep it in my gym bag? Absolutely. I wish they made the pack resealable so I can toss it in without worrying. But for targeted, comforting relief that lets you move, work, and live without constantly thinking about your sore shoulder, this patch is a keeper.

Price:  ₦2,399. Shop Mano

For everyday, on-the-go pain relief, the Salonpas 10s is the best value for money and perfect for smaller sore spots like the neck or forearms. 

Price:  ₦7,650. Shop Medplus
For bigger aches or wider coverage, the Salonpas 5s, which is what I used here, covers more surface area in one go, making it ideal for backaches or intense post-yoga stiffness. 

Price:  ₦9, 800. Shop Medplus

And if you want speed or need to reach tricky areas like your mid-back, the Salonpas Pain Relieving Jet Spray is the way to go, though it’s less discreet and doesn’t give you that “held together” feeling of a patch.