Hi Susan,

I'm no Dr, but technically lidocaine should be better at stopping pain quickly. It's a numbing agent and menthol is not. I haven't tried salon pas but if they are working for you, keep using them.

BioFreeze is available in patches that can be worn for 6-8 hours. I have used them on my lower and upper back and they work great for me, especially at night.

Personally, I think the patches - Salon pas or BioFreeze - are better than Voltaren for back pain. Voltaren is primarily for arthritic joints. I guess the good news is that these products can be used together (I think).

For sciatic pain, and I've been through sciatica on my left and right side, I would think Salon pas would work better as they would numb the sciatic nerves - assuming they can get that deep. A Dr. could confirm.

One thing I will say is never use heat on the back. It feels good at first, but it increases blood flow which increases inflammation which causes more pain. It's just a rule I follow - always ice, never heat.

All the best and I hope this helps. Joe