Medical examiner: Sports cream caused teen's death(Like Ben Gay, Icy Hot)

[RamboLiberal]

Source: CNN/AP

A medical examiner blamed a 17-year-old track star's death on the use of too much muscle cream, the kind used to soothe aching legs after exercise.

Arielle Newman, a cross-country runner at Notre Dame Academy on Staten Island, died after her body absorbed high levels of methyl salicylate, an anti-inflammatory found in sports creams such as Bengay and Icy Hot, the New York City medical examiner said Friday.

The medical examiner's spokeswoman, Ellen Borakove, said the teen used "topical medication to excess." She said it was the first time that her office had reported a death from using a sports cream.

Newman, who garnered numerous track awards, died April 13. She had gone to a party the night before, then returned home and spent hours talking with her mother.

Methyl salicylate poisoning is unusual, and deaths from high levels of the chemical are rare.



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/06/09/musclecream.death.ap/index.html

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On edit a bit more from ABC - she was also using those stick on pads.

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The medical examiner's spokeswoman, Ellen Borakove, said the teen used "topical medication to excess." She said it was the first time that her office had reported a death from using a sports cream.

In addition to spreading the muscle cream on her legs between track meets, Newman was using adhesive pads containing the anti-inflammatory, plus an unspecified third product containing the chemical, Borakove said. The products were used and the chemical absorbed over time, she said.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=3261907

Wow - I never knew this kind of cream could kill someone. As someone who practiced martial arts and always had some ache or injury I've certainly used a lot of this stuff.

[crim son]

1. I'm guessing she didn't either.

This makes me sad.

[ingac70]

2. ???? I used to slather myself in this stuff....

When I worked as a nursing assistant in nursing homes. It was the only way I could function, that job made me so sore.

The warnings on the package say you shouldn't use other medicines containing salicylates, though.

[silverojo]

3. I have fibromyalgia

I used to use a lot of that stuff, till I found this low-priced knockoff of Mineral Ice at a 99-cent store. It has lower concentrations of menthol, chemicals, etc.--it doesn't burn as much as the usual topical creams/gels, which is easier on my sensitive skin.

I guess I'm lucky to have the sensitive skin, so that I was unable to overdo the stuff as this poor girl did. They should put warning labels on the stuff, that overuse can lead to serious injury or even death....

[aquart]

6. Mineral ice doesn't have aspirin in it.

The cooling ingredients stimulate endorphins. It was developed as a horse liniment. In fact, you can still buy nice big jars from horse supply stores.

[Lorien]

10. Me too, but I use the icy-hot pain patches

I was having a particularly bad bout of fibromyalgia last week and joked to a friend that icy-hot ought to make full body patches. Now I'll be careful not to use more than a couple at a time!(Though I'm not sure if the chemical content is the same).

[RamboLiberal]

14. I'd beware of the patches too after this story

It did mention this girl did use the patches as well.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Jane Austin]

5. I use arnica gel that way.

It works great and doesn't have much of a smell.

[ikojo]

7. I've seen news reports about how many kids

are being pushed to the extreme (by their parents of course) to do well in sports. Orthopedic doctors are seeing sports injuries in kids that they previously saw only in professional athletes.

This worship of sports is costing kids their very lives.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=63291

snip

In the past, Dr. Kocher rarely saw patients entering high school that had already had shoulder injuries serious enough to require surgery. Now most of the post-middle, junior high group he sees have had shoulder surgery. What is termed "Little League elbow" is commonplace in the youngest patients. Several studies have found a high incidence of chronic elbow and shoulder injuries in young pitchers. Approximately 60% of 11 to 18 year olds have had an injury due to the repetitive motion and overuse of the elbow and shoulder. Little to no attention is being paid to what type of pitches and throws a young player is being asked to make or the number s/he is making in a game or practice session. These types of "overuse" injuries are also found with gymnasts.

snip

A mentality of "no pain, no gain" among some coaches and parents also contributes to the increasing frequency of serious sports injuries. Mininder S. Kocher, MD, MPH, encourages adults to seek medical help when children and adolescents experience pain. "Pain is a important signal that there could be a more serious problem. It shouldn't be ignored." Dr. Kocher also cautions parents about their children only participating in one sport. "I think kids are being forced to focus on a single sport at an earlier age as competitive intensity has ramped up. This may actually lead to an overuse injury."

[ret5hd]

8. Daddy's Little Retirement Plan! (nt)

[RamboLiberal]

15. Unless she was of Olympic caliber

which I doubt - there was little money in this. At best a scholarship to a college.

And her mom had taken her to doctors according to local paper.

Her mother said she took Arielle to several doctors after she complained of fatigue and shortness of breath in February and March. An asthma specialist prescribed an inhaler, and a dermatologist prescribed some cream for a skin condition.

Neither doctor could pinpoint any other medical problems, her mother said. And none of the other medication Arielle was taking contributed to her death, according to the medical examiner.

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After she was found the next morning, her parents discovered vomit on two pairs of pants she had apparently worn the night before. According to medical journals, nausea and vomiting are some of the symptoms of salicylate poisoning. Other symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, convulsions and agitation.

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Although initial autopsy results pointed to the popular liniment as a possible cause of death, that possibility still appeared implausible. "She said she was really perplexed by it," Mrs. Newman said, referring to conversations she had with the doctor.

"I still can't believe it," she added. "I am scrupulous about my children's health. I did not think an over-the-counter product could be unsafe."

http://www.silive.com/siadvance/stories/index.ssf?/base/news/1181323808153710.xml&coll=1&thispage=2

[NashVegas]

12. I Wouldn't Blame It All On Parents

The cult of competition cuts across just about everything we do, these days. In the classrooms where kids are supposed to be focusing on learning, what they're being driven to is compete compete compete for those grades.

Compete to get a college education; in addition to needing the grades, you need the money, and sports scholarships are one way to do that.

[Vinca]

9. It's sad to think a kid has to live with pain to succeed in a sport and

even sadder she apparently felt the necessity to succeed despite her discomfort. The coach or parent or doctor who knew (or even suspected) she was having problems should have side-lined her for as long as it took to recover and overseen her treatment.

[RamboLiberal]

13. Yeah, but I think a lot of people think this stuff is perfectly safe

I sure did. Worse I figured you get is a rash or being uncomfortable in a hot shower or when sweating. You don't see any cautions on the advertisements and big-name sports figures are the spokespeople.

A lot of athletes, even the amateurs have a high-success and high pain tolerance drive. I wouldn't say she was necessarily pushed or that a parent or coach is to blame.

When I was in the martial arts paying money for classes there were a number of us who hated to miss class because of injuries or aches and pains and would probably foolishly push ourselves and use these products for some relief.

[Blue Diadem]

11. I used some medicated powder and it had that Methyl salicylate

in it too. I just happened to check the ingredients after reading about her death yesterday. I wonder if that's why some of that stuff says not to use it for extended periods of time.