Icy Hot Patch Too Hot for Texas Boy

Dallas, TXRobbie Bender of North Texas is an active boy and avid sports enthusiast who turned to the Icy Hot patch after the muscles in his legs started cramping up last year following soccer practice. However, as reported by nbc5i.com in Dallas/Fort Worth, Bender applied the patch to his leg just before bed—but soon awoke to painful blisters.

His mother, Linda reports that her son screamed in pain when the patch was pulled away, and the blisters representing a second-degree burn on his leg were obvious."It took (the manufacturer) several months to even respond, once I sent the information over," she told a television reporter.

What the Bender family can't figure out is that they alerted the manufacturer of Icy Hot back in March of 2007, almost a year before the Icy Hot Pain Patch was voluntarily recalled after 200 reports of people suffering serious second, and third-degree burns after using the pain-relieving patches.

The patch is air-activated, and initially feels cool before evolving to what is billed as soothing warmth. However, it has proven too warm for some.

The recalled items, voluntarily pulled off the market by manufacturer Chattem of Chattanooga, Tennessee, include Icy Hot Heat Therapy Air Activated Heat patch for Back, Neck and Leg, and Arm, Neck and Leg. Included in the recall were samples of the Icy Hot patch that were issued with a promo package of the 3 oz. container of Aspercreme Pain Relieving Crème. The recall was announced in mid-February of this year.

It has been reported that Chattem offered the Bender family $200 in compensation, and the manufacturer reportedly told an NBC5 Dallas TV reporter that they undertook a change to the product label following the burns suffered by the Bender boy.However, Linda Bender wonders aloud why it took almost a year for the manufacturer to voluntarily recall the product. "How many other people have gone through this, for the last year, that didn't need to go through it?"

Bender feels that the makers of Icy Hot should have acted sooner. 'When a child is injured first off, it should have raised eyebrows."