Iodex UltraGel

Iodex UltraGel penetrates deep into your muscles or joints with a triple effect that eases pain, reduces inflammation, and speeds natural healing so you can get back on your feet again with a smile.

Do you have pain, tenderness or swelling associated with inflammation or injury? Apply Iodex UltraGel at the site of the pain to help treat pain at its root. That way you can get back to being to your smiling, joyful self.

Learn How Iodex UltraGel Can Help You Relieve Pain

Don’t let aches and pains stop you from enjoying life to the fullest. Find out how Iodex UltraGel’s strength targets a frequent cause of pain and inflammation, to get you moving freely again. It has a triple effect¹that relieves pain, reduces inflammation and speeds your body’s natural healing process. What’s more? Thanks to its special Emulgel formulation² which not only helps in easy application at the site of pain but also increases the absorption of the active ingredient through the skin, tissues and muscles. Iodex UltraGel’s Emulgel formulation allows it to permeate the skin 7 times deeper³ thus treating pain at its root and providing relief. That’s all clinically proven!

What makes Iodex UltraGel so special is that it not only relieves pain, it also reduces inflammation and speeds healing targeted to where you apply it! All geared to getting you moving again.

Product information

How does it work

What is it used for

How to use it

F.A.Qs

Iodex UltraGel product information

Iodex UltraGel is a medicated treatment containing a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, or NSAID, known as diclofenac diethylamine in the form of an emulsion gel. The active ingredient (diclofenac) penetrates the skin to provide relief for pain, inflammation and swelling.

Unlike other products in the market which contain ingredients that stimulate nerves in the skin to provide a sensation of heating or cooling, Iodex UltraGel instead allows a powerful anti-inflammatory (diclofenac) to penetrate the skin deep down in order to relieve pain and reduce inflammation where you need it.

Are you ready for the best part? Iodex UltraGel is non-greasy and has a pleasant odour. This way, you can relieve your pain without much hassle. No one needs to see, or smell, how you are managing your pain, letting you be in the moment with whatever activity it is you love doing.

A shirtless man holding his lower back in pain

A person squeezing a tube of Iodex UltraGel

What is Emulgel anyway?

Emulgel is a technology developed for the Iodex UltraGel formulation. It is an emulsion that penetrates deep into the skin and joint tissue to bring the active ingredient to the point of pain. In addition, Emulgel technology uses a unique combination of a gel and cream that provides a cooling and soothing effect when applied to the skin.

Iodex UltraGel uses the same formulation as its global counterparts like Voltaren and Voltarol. It is available in 15 g and 30 g tubes in case you have re-occurring pains or strains.

How does Iodex UltraGel with 7x Deeper Penetration work?

Unlike products such as heat patches and cooling gels that work by only cooling or heating the skin, Iodex UltraGel contains a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)^4,5 called diclofenac which targets pain at its source and relieves pain as well as inflammation.⁶

Iodex UltraGel’s special Emulgel technology helps the gel to permeate 7 times deeper into the skin to enhance delivery of diclofenac to the point of pain. Applying the gel lets the active ingredient, diclofenac, penetrate the skin and accumulate in reservoirs that then target the source of inflammation⁷ and pain over time. Diclofenac works by blocking the body’s production of some of the chemicals that cause you to feel pain, when you are experiencing tenderness and swelling. Thus, it penetrates deep, reduces internal swelling and relieves pain at its root.

What is Iodex UltraGel used for?

Iodex UltraGel brings targeted and localised relief from pain, swelling, and inflammation in muscles, for example the ones in the back or the neck. It relieves pain to help you get moving again. Iodex UltraGel can also be used for relief of mild arthritis in the knee and fingers. It provides relief from different types of musculoskeletal pains including but not limited to:

low back pain
joint pain
knee pain
shoulder pain
neck pain
sprains and strains

Iodex UltraGel can also be used for the relief of body pain, inflammation and swelling in:

Soft-tissue injuries: trauma of the tendons, ligaments, muscles and joints, due to sprains, strains, bruises and backache (e.g. in sports injuries);
Localised forms of soft tissue rheumatism: tendonitis (e.g. tennis elbow), bursitis, shoulder-hand syndrome and periarthropathy;
For the relief of pain of osteoarthritis of the knee or fingers

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How to use Iodex UltraGel

We believe that pain relief should be simple and easy to use. That’s why using Iodex UltraGel couldn’t be easier.

Take the tube and open the cap.
Squeeze out the amount of gel you need. The amount of gel needed will vary depending upon the size of the painful or swollen area. An amount ranging in size from a cherry to a walnut (2 g-4 g) will usually be sufficient.
Gently rub the gel into your skin where you have pain or swelling.
Apply 3 to 4 times a day. Do not apply more than 4 times in any 24-hour period.
Wash your hands thoroughly after use.
Experience pain relief and get back to doing the things you love.

Consult your doctor if pain and swelling do not improve within 7 days. The gel is not recommended for use in children under 12 years of age. Always read the label.

Iodex UltraGel contains 11.6mg/g of active ingredient diclofenac diethylamine, which is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID).

Side effects: Always read the indications on the label before use. Side effects may include skin rash with or without blisters; hives, wheezing, shortness of breath or feeling of tightness in the chest (asthma); swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat; itching or reddening of the skin; and the skin may be more sensitive to the sunlight.

As with any drug, never exceed the recommended dose. We want to make sure that you are getting the best from Iodex. Read through the precautions to make sure that Iodex UltraGel is right for you before use.

Download the product leaflet

Frequently asked questions

Should I wash my hands after using Iodex UltraGel?

After application, the hands should be wiped with e.g. an absorbent paper (not wet wipes) and then washed (unless the pain you are treating is in your hands). The absorbent paper should be thrown in the trash after use. Wait until Iodex UltraGel dries before showering or bathing.
Can I use Iodex UltraGel while pregnant?

The use of Iodex UltraGel containing the non-steroidal inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac, has not been studied in pregnant women. Iodex UltraGel should only be used under medical advice during the first 6 months of pregnancy and the dose should be kept as low and duration of treatment as short as possible.
Do not use if you are in the last 3 months of pregnancy.
Can you take Iodex UltraGel when breastfeeding?

With topical medicated products like Iodex UltraGel, where the product is applied to the skin, it is not known whether diclofenac is excreted in breast milk. Therefore, it is not recommended to use these products while breastfeeding, unless advised by a doctor or healthcare professional. If your doctor recommends using Iodex topical products, they should not be applied to the breasts or to large areas of skin, nor should they be used for a prolonged period of time.
When shouldn’t I use Iodex UltraGel?
If you are allergic to diclofenac or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines used to treat pain, fever or inflammation, such as ibuprofen or aspirin, or any of the other ingredients contained in this medicine. If you are not sure, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Symptoms of an allergic reaction to these medicines may include: wheezing or shortness of breath (asthma); skin rash with blisters or hives; swelling of the face or tongue; runny nose.

If you are in the last 3 months of pregnancy

If you are under 12 years of age

Do not apply to skin with conditions such as cuts, open wounds, or on skin that has a rash or eczema. Discontinue the treatment if a skin rash develops after applying the product.

A brace or wrap commonly used for injuries like sprains can be used but do not use under airtight or watertight (plastic) bandages.

If you have any other health conditions or you are taking any other medications, including those that do not require a prescription, always ask your doctor if Iodex UltraGel is suitable for you.

In addition, before you start using Iodex UltraGel carefully read the product information leaflet included in the pack for instructions on how to use.

¹Evidence comes from a double-blind, randomised trial in patients (n=72) with acute neck pain treated with either diclofenac diethylamine 1.16% gel (2 g, four times a day for 5 days) or placebo gel. (Predel HG, et al. BMC Musculoskeletal Discord 2013; 14:250)
²Nicholas Hall’s Global OTC Database, DBS 2018
³ (Pradal J et al. 2018):
⁴Rao P, Knaus EE. J Pharm Sci 2008;11:81s–110s.
⁵Brune, 2007 A study in patients receiving endoprosthetic knee joint replacement (n=23) showed that after application of Voltaren Emulgel (80 mg) on the knee receiving surgery the
⁶Topical diclofenac improves joint function with regular use in osteoarthritis (Deng, et al. 2016)
⁷(GSK data on file Global Datasheet for Topical Diclofenac, 2017)
⁸(GSK data on file Global Datasheet for Topical Diclofenac, 2017)
⁹Iodex Emulgel 1.16% in acute neck pain vs placebo

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Health and wellness and your pain

Pain is rarely just physical nor is it always solved by taking medicine alone. Iodex is your ally in helping you take more control of your pain management, from the best sleeping position, to what you eat, mental wellbeing and complementary pain relief therapies.