Capsaicin, the hot ingredient in red peppers, has been used for centuries to relieve pain. Capsaicin has been tested in small studies for its potential benefits in managing various types of pain, such as joint pain, shingles, diabetic neuropathy and fibromyalgia. However, more human studies are needed before capsaicin can be recommended for any of these uses. As with any supplement, consult with your doctor before using capsaicin to improve your health.
About Pain
Pain results when damaged tissue sends signals along the nerve pathway to the brain, which then interprets the information as the sensation of pain. If you suffer from chronic pain, you may also experience other symptoms, such as discomfort that is usually worsened by moving or applying pressure, irritability, insomnia and tiredness. Some treatments that may help to relieve pain include acupuncture, relaxation exercises, spinal manipulation and using supplements, such as capsaicin.
How Capsaicin Works
Capsaicin may work to relieve many types of chronic pain by blocking a chemical in your body called substance P, which carries pain messages to your brain. Without substance P, pain signals can no longer be transmitted to your brain and you feel relief. This is a temporary effect on substance P and repeated application of capsaicin is needed to maintain pain relief.
Preparations
For topical use to relieve pain, capsaicin is available in cream form that contains 0.025 or 0.075 percent capsaicin. For managing pain, such as from shingles or arthritis, capsaicin cream may be regularly applied to the painful area up to four times a day. It may take three to seven days before you notice pain relief. Do not apply capsaicin cream to broken skin or open wounds.
Effectiveness
Studies of capsaicin have shown benefits in relieving various types of pain. For example, a preliminary human trial published in "Diabetes Care" in 1992, showed capsaicin significantly improved nerve pain and performance of daily activities in diabetics with diabetic neuropathy. A study published in "Clinical Therapeutics" in 1993 demonstrated significant improvement in pain from shingles or post-herpetic neuralgia in about 86 percent people treated with capsaicin for up to two years. Another trial published in "Clinical Therapeutics" in 1991 showed that 80 percent of people with either rheumatoid or osteoarthritis had decreased pain after two weeks of treatment with capsaicin.
References
- PaloAltoMedicalFoundation.org: Cayenne
- PaloAltoMedicalFoundation.org: Pain
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Cayenne
- "Diabetes Care"; Effect of Treatment With Capsaicin on Daily Activities of Patients With Painful Diabetic Neuropathy; The Capsaicin Study Group; Feb 1992
- "Clinical Therapeutics"; A Randomized Vehicle-controlled Trial of Topical Capsaicin in the Treatment of Postherpetic Neuralgia; CP Watson, et al.; May-Jun 1993
- "Clinical Therapeutics"; Treatment of Arthritis With Topical Capsaicin: A Double-blind Trial; CL Deal, et al.; May-Jun 1991
