Is It True That Cayenne Pepper Helps With Pain Of Shingles?

Cayenne, a plant in the Capsicum species, produces the hot fruits that add a spicy kick to Mexican and Cajun dishes. While this herb is valuable for its culinary contribution, it also has potential health benefits. Shingles, a painful rash caused by a virus, might respond to the topical application of cayenne preparations, but herbal remedies cannot take the place of professional medical attention. See your doctor if you have symptoms of shingles, and use cayenne as part of a doctor-approved treatment plan.

Shingles

Shingles, a painful rash that often occurs around the back and midsection, is triggered by the varicella-zoster virus, which lies dormant in nerve tissue after you recover from childhood chickenpox. You might never suffer from an attack of shingles, or it might occur years later. The risk of developing this resurgence of the virus might increase with lowered immunity. While nothing indicates that cayenne will prevent a shingles eruption, it might reduce some of the pain.

Substance P

To understand how cayenne can help reduce the pain of shingles, it's important to first know how the brain perceives some types of pain. According to pharmacist C. Lindsay DeVane, author of "Substance P: A New Era, a New Role," substance P is a peptide in the tachykinin family of neurotransmitters. During an outbreak of shingles, substance P reacts to the localized nerve inflammation, transmitting a message that your brain interprets as pain.

Cayenne: The Herb

The active component in cayenne, or Capsicum frutescens, which gives it both its hot taste and its potential pain-reducing properties, is capsicum, or capsaicin. When applied topically to the area affected by shingles, cayenne might block the transmission of substance P, thereby reducing the pain associated with the virus. It might take up to seven days before you notice a reduction in pain, however.

Precautions

Do not apply creams or ointments containing cayenne, or capsaicin, to broken skin. Topical cayenne cream might interfere with other medications you're taking, including ACE inhibitors. If you're allergic to bananas, latex, avocados and kiwis, do not use cayenne unless directed to do so by your doctor.