The answer to this question is that the nurse should instruct the patient that the medication contains a combination of medications, and one of which is an analgesic. Topical analgesics or also known as topical pain killers are creams, ointments, oils, lotions, and patches that are being rubbed and put to the skin of a patient to give relief to painful joints and muscles. The use of topical analgesics is to avoid drinking of over the counter pain medications.