Patients should be warned about the overuse of topical wintergreen oil to treat muscle strains, as overapplication can lead to:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Wintergreen oil contains high levels of methyl salicylate, which can be toxic if absorbed in large amounts through the skin. This can lead to salicylate poisoning, which can cause symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, respiratory distress, and even coma or death in severe cases. Patients should be cautioned to use wintergreen oil sparingly and to avoid applying it to large areas of skin or broken skin.

Patients Should Be Warned About the Overuse of Topical Wintergreen