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Australian Dream: Wonder Drug or Waste of Money?

Have you ever considered trying "Australian Dream?" I have seen ad after ad for this product time and time again.  So I started to wonder about this product, and whether or not it really works.




The first thing I did was to take a look at the "Australian Dream" website.  According to the site, the active ingredient in the product is a substance called histamine dihydrochloride.  I searched for this drug on some drug reference sites, and found that it is FDA approved as a topical analgesic, for temporary relief of minor aches and pains, arthritis, sprains, and strains. There was not too much information about side effects except that a rash could occur, in which case the product should be discontinued.

So, for the most part it's pretty safe...but does it really work?  To answer that question, I decided to check out some reviews of the product--both by consumers and professionals. On the professional front, I saw one physician review on a chronic pain web site.  The reviewer brings up several advantages to the product--inexpensive, easy to use, empty jar guarantee, etc.  The disadvantages were another matter.  For one thing, he brings up the rash issue that I mentioned previously. He goes on to say that this is likely an allergic reaction.  Those who experience the rash may be allergic to the active ingredient, but there is another possibility..the formulation contains chondroitin, which comes from shellfish. If you are a person who has a shellfish allergy, this may not be a good alternative for you! It is also strongly advised that the product not be used away from the eyes, as it is an irritant. Pregnant women are advised to avoid use it, presumably because the effect on a fetus is unknown.

I also looked at consumer reviews of Australian Dream on Amazon.com's web site.  The product has an average review of 4.1 stars (out a possible 5)...and as usual, the user comments are quite varied. I would suggest reading these reviews (you can do that here) if you are considering buying this product.

Sources: Australian Dream.com;drugs.com;medschat.com; amazon.com; chronicpainreliefoptions.com;wikimedia




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