The Magic of Capsaicin
Capsaicin is an amazing compound found in the common cayenne pepper.
Capsaicin ( cap-SAY-sin) is used to help relieve many types and sources of pain. One of the main forms of pain capsaicin effects is neuralgia. Neuralgia is a pain from the nerves near the surface of your skin.
How it works
Capsaicin is also used to temporarily help relieve the pain from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Capsaicin lowers the level of Decapeptide Substance P (DSP) in the joint fluids that provide cushioning between the bones. Capsaicin breaks down DSP, which can destroy cartilage and also magnify the sensation of pain.
Capsaicin is unique compared to other "spicy" substances such as mustard oil , black pepper and ginger in that capsaicin causes a long-lasting selective desensitization to the irritant pain by repeated doses of a low concentration or a single high concentration dose.
This effect has been taken to its logical conclusion in that many pain killing salves and creams now use capsaicin as their active ingredient.
This is also manifests in ‘Chile-heads’ as an increasing ability to eat hotter chile peppers and foods. Another effect of capsaicin is that although it fools the nervous system into believing that it is being burned, that no actual physical damage occurs. As a result the brain releases endorphins, the body’s natural painkiller, resulting in a slight euphoria experienced by the chile-chomper!
Shingles
Neuralgia pain may occur after an infection with herpes zoster (shingles). It may also occur if you have diabetic neuropathy . Diabetic neuropathy is a condition that occurs in some persons with diabetes. The condition causes tingling and pain in the feet and toes. Capsaicin will help relieve the pain of diabetic neuropathy. Capsaicin may also be used for neuralgias or itching of the skin caused by other conditions as determined by your doctor.
Capsaicin and Atypical Facial Pain
Recently Capsaicin has been used to treat atypical facial pain, especially when a specific pain "trigger point" (a place, if touched, causes or exacerbates facial pain) is involved. Capsaicin is applied directly to this "trigger point" several times a day. If the trigger point is inside the mouth, a plastic dental splint is used to apply the capsaicin cream. If the trigger point is on the face, it is topically applied. In some cases, pain reduction only occurs after several weeks of application. There is anecdotal evidence that a course of capsaicin treatment can result in long-term pain remission for some patients with atypical facial pain.
After direct injection of capsaicin into the bladder of patients complaining of pain, the capsaicin eased the pain after only an hour and a half. Capsaicin desensitized nerves from pain through eliminating unneeded nerve cells through necrotic death, in cellular terms a violent death. A topical capsaicin cream can do the same for you in just four short weeks.
Post Surgical
So you’ve had surgery and the problem’s all fixed, right? Well almost, as soon as you get rid of that annoying post surgical neuropathic pain. Capsaicin cream may be the answer. The American Society of Clinical Oncology recently published proof that capsaicin cream (0.075%) worked to cure neuralgia in 60 % of patients after a 16 week trial using the cream 4 times each day. This is 42% more than the placebo cream capsaicin was pitted against did.
Besides all this, capsaicin, can prevent heart attacks and strokes, reduce serum cholesterol levels, relieve backaches and psoriasis, as well as help cure strains and sprains.
How to use capsaicin cream
It is not necessary to wash the areas to be treated before you apply capsaicin, but doing so will not cause harm.
Apply a small amount of cream and use your fingers to rub it well into the affected area so that little or no cream is left on the surface of the skin afterwards.
Wash your hands with soap and water after applying capsaicin to avoid getting the medicine in your eyes or on other sensitive areas of the body. However, if you are using capsaicin for arthritis in your hands, do not wash your hands for at least 30 minutes after applying the cream.
If a bandage is being used on the treated area, it should not be applied tightly.
When you first begin to use capsaicin, a warm, stinging, or burning sensation (feeling) may occur. This sensation is related to the action of capsaicin on the skin and is to be expected. Although this sensation usually disappears after the first several days of treatment, it may last 2 to 4 weeks or longer. Heat, humidity, clothing, bathing in warm water, or sweating may increase the sensation. However, the sensation usually occurs less often and is less severe the longer you use the medicine. Reducing the number of doses of capsaicin that you use each day will not lessen the sensation and may lengthen the period of time that you get the sensation. Also, reducing the number of doses you use may reduce the amount of pain relief that you get.
Capsaicin must be used regularly every day as directed if it is to work properly. Even then, it may not relieve your pain right away. The length of time it takes to work depends on the type of pain you have. In persons with arthritis, pain relief usually begins within 1 to 2 weeks. In most persons with neuralgia, relief usually begins within 2 to 4 weeks, although with head and neck neuralgias, relief may take as long as 4 to 6 weeks.
Once capsaicin has begun to relieve pain, you must continue to use it regularly 3 or 4 times a day to keep the pain from returning. If you stop using capsaicin and your pain returns, you can begin using it again.
There are now some over-the-counter herbal based lotions that are contain capsaicin. Apply them externally to and around the source of pain. Ideally, use a cream with 0.025%-0.075% capsaicin. Expect your initial applications to produce a burning sensation.
Caution in Usage
If capsaicin is reapplied after the burning sensation from a previous application has stopped, desensitization (less sensitivity to pain) occurs. However, if capsaicin is reapplied before the burning sensation is gone, sensitization (more sensitivity to pain) might occur.
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