Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, occurring when joint cartilage degenerates over time. The condition --- with symptoms such as pain and stiffness --- usually targets joints in the knees, hips, neck, hands, hips and lower back, but it may also affect other joints. Unfortunately, osteoarthritis gets worse as time passes and there's no known cure. Some natural remedies, such as cayenne pepper, help relieve knee osteoarthritis symptoms, but it's best to seek medical advice first.
Uses of Cayenne
For at least 9,000 years, Native Americans have used cayenne pepper for food and medicinal remedies. It's also an oral remedy for poor appetite, digestive disorders and circulatory problems in traditional Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Ayurvedic medicines. But for treating knee osteoarthritis pain or muscle pain, cayenne should be used in the form of a topical remedy.
Cayenne and Pain Relief
Cayenne contains an active ingredient called capsaicin that relieves pain when applied directly to your skin by blocking substance P, which transports pain signals to your brain. You can find capsaicin in topical medications for relieving pain in a variety of conditions, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes-related nerve pain. Be aware that pain usually gets slightly worse before improving when using capsaicin creams.
Evidence
A study published in November 2010 in the "Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand" revealed that 0.0125 capsaicin gel effectively relieved mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis pain. The patients applied the gel to their knees three times a day for four weeks. Besides relieving pain, the capsaicin gel also significantly improved stiffness and joint function. Although patients experienced a burning sensation with the treatment, it wasn't severe enough to cause any of them to withdraw from the study.
How to Use Cayenne
Consult your doctor about using capsaicin to treat knee osteoarthritis. Typically, cayenne extract creams for adults contain between 0.025 percent to 0.075 percent capsaicin. Test for any severe side effects by first applying it to a small area of your skin. Once you determine you can safely apply capsaicin cream, do so four times a day for two to four weeks and then reduce application to twice daily, advises the Peace Health website. Avoid applying the cream immediately before or after a hot shower. Do not use capsaicin cream if you are allergic to cayenne peppers and do not apply the cream on cracked or open skin. Capsaicin cream may cause burning, itching and stinging. Try reducing the amount of times you apply the cream, or use a cream with a lower concentration of capsaicin. You should notice significant pain relief after three to seven days.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Osteoarthritis
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Cayenne
- "The Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand"; Efficacy of Symptomatic Control of Knee Osteoarthritis With 0.0125 Percent of Capsaicin Versus Placebo; Weerachai Kosuwon, et al.; November 2010
- Peace Health: Cayenne
- "55 Most Common Medicinal Herbs, 2nd Ed."; Heather Boon, B.Sc.Phm., et al.; 2009
