Cayenne pepper is a type of red pepper known for its smoky, spicy flavor. In addition to its application in cooking, cayenne pepper also contains a pain-fighting substance known as capsaicin that has been used for centuries in medicinal preparations. By understanding how cayenne pepper works and the conditions it can work for, you can determine if using it can help your unique health conditions. Always speak to your doctor, however, before initiating any treatment.
Mechanism
The component of cayenne peppers that adds spicy flavor is called capsaicin. When applied to your skin, capsaicin penetrates to neutralize substance P, which is responsible for carrying messages signaling pain from your nerves to your brain. Pain is reduced because you have less substance P circulating in the area to which you applied the topical cream. However, the capsaicin in cayenne pepper provides only temporary relief and the body starts making substance P again.
Conditions
Capsaicin has reported benefits for a number of conditions associated with pain. This includes conditions such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, which are common causes of joint and muscle pain. You also can apply capsaicin creams if you experience nerve tingling on the feet and legs due to a condition called peripheral neuropathy, which is a common side effect of diabetes. Other uses include to relieve post-surgical pain, lower back pain or pain from shingles' skin blistering.
Usage
Capsaicin creams to relieve pain are available in varying concentrations. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends using a cream that contains at least 0.075 percent capsaicin. You can apply the capsaicin cream up to four times per day. Capsaicin may first stimulate pain in the body, but this typically gives way to pain relief. For this reason, you should continue to apply capsaicin to the affected area. However, you may not experience notable relief until after three to seven days of regular application.
Warning
Because capsaicin has a stimulating effect on your skin, it is not uncommon to experience a burning sensation when you apply it. To help determine whether the burning sensation is due to an allergic reaction or a common side effect of the cream, you may need to apply capsaicin cream to a small test patch on your skin. If you experience a discomforting burning sensation, redness or swelling, wash the cream away with soap and water. Seek medical treatment if you have difficulty breathing or the area becomes inflamed.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Cayenne; November 2008
- "Remedies"; Cayenne Pepper: Hot Pain Relief; John Neustadt, N.D.; February 2008
- ABC News; What Is Capsaicin and How Is It Used to Treat Pain Resulting from Osteoarthritis?; Berchman Vaz, M.D., Ph.D.; August 2008
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; Pain: Hope Through Research; August 2011
