Single blind study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of naproxen gel compared with diclophenac emulgel in the treatment of soft tissue injuries.

Sixty four adult patients of both genders with injuries such as contusions and sprains were studied. Of these, 34 were treated with 10% naproxen gel and 30 with 1% dichlophenaco gel topically given for 4 days. Various pain modalities, edema and functional alterations of areas involved were studied. Naproxen reduced spontaneous pain slightly better than dichlophenaco. Both drugs resulted in significant reduction of other pain modalities, edema and functional alterations (p < 0.001). A lower percentage (29%) of naproxen patients used paracetamol as additional pain reliever compared to dichlophenaco patients (36%). Local adverse events were minimum for both groups.