Cayenne pepper does more than add spice to foods, it may also help improve some health problems. Capsaicin, the substance responsible for the hot and spicy taste of cayenne peppers, acts as a natural pain reliever, reducing joint and stomach pain and relieving annoying tingling or pain common with some skin conditions. Always work with your doctor to determine if capsaicin is right for you.
Identification
Your body's tissues release a chemical called substance P after exposure to capsaicin from a cayenne pepper. Substance P normally carries pain messages to the brain after you injure yourself. Using capsaicin depletes substance P and prevents pain messages from reaching the brain, causing a reduction in symptoms.
Neuropathy
Neuropathy, or nerve damage, can cause burning pain, numbness, tingling and other uncomfortable symptoms. Applying capsaicin cream can help reduce pain caused by diabetic peripheral neuropathy and other neuropathies. Doctors recommend capsaicin cream for patients who have post-herpetic neuralgia, a painful condition that can occur following a case of shingles. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison reported that one 60-minute application of a high-concentration capsaicin patch provided rapid and sustained pain relief for post-herpetic neuralgia patients. Results of the study appeared in the December 2008 edition of "The Lancet Neurology."
Body Aches and Pains
Using capsaicin cream or patches may help improve aches and pain caused by such conditions as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, back pain, fibromyalgia and cluster headache, a type of severe headache that occurs in groups or clusters and affects one side of the head. Capsaicin may also be helpful in treating joint and muscle pain. Using topical capsaicin may reduce inflammation and itching common in psoriasis, a skin condition that causes a red, scaly rash, and may reduce pain following cancer surgery or amputations.
Stomach Pain
Eating cayenne pepper or taking capsaicin capsules may help relieve the symptoms of a mild upset stomach. Just as with other parts of the body, capsaicin reduces substance P in the stomach, temporarily relieving pain. Although using cayenne pepper or capsaicin may be helpful in some people, others may notice increased pain and should stop using it if it seems to worsen symptoms.
Warning
In some cases, using cayenne pepper or capsaicin can reduce the effectiveness of prescription drugs. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends talking to your doctor before using capsaicin if you take stomach acid reducers, ACE inhibitors, aspirin, theophylline or blood-thinning herbs or medications. You may be more likely to be allergic to cayenne if you have experienced an allergic reaction to avocados, chestnuts, kiwi or bananas. People who have latex allergies may also be allergic to cayenne.
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