Anyone here using pain topicals for muscle or joint relief? Do they actually work?

I’ve been dealing with some annoying shoulder and knee soreness lately, probably from working out and sitting too long at my desk. I keep seeing people recommend pain relief creams and balms, but I’m not sure how effective they actually are.

Do these topical products really help with muscle or joint pain, or is it mostly temporary relief? I’ve heard mixed opinions.

While browsing around I noticed brands like Papa & Barkley, Parallel, and TribeTokes being mentioned in a few threads. TribeTokes especially seems to come up a lot and some people say it’s one of the better options, but I haven’t tried any of them myself yet.

For those who’ve used topicals regularly, do they actually make a noticeable difference? Or do you still end up relying on other pain relief methods anyway? Curious about real experiences here.