Prickly Pear Cactus ( Tuna de Petate)

by Susan
(Phoenixville, PA)

Dear Grandma,
I hope this message finds you well. My father was born and raised on the island of Puerto Rico by the Caribbean Sea. He is 75-years-old and suffers from lower back pain. He recalls, from his childhood, how the elders would place the arm of the Prickly Pear Cactus ( Tuna de Petate)directly onto their skin to sooth their pain. Can you help me discover whether the Prickly Pear Cactus ( Tuna de Petate) is produced into a salve for medicinal purposes?
Thank you!
Susan