Capsaicin topical and Pain: What Users Say

• LUa...
• July 10, 2019

Capsaicin topical for Peripheral Neuropathy "Although I was informed about this treatment and how your body might react to it, my case spiraled out of hand. It was applied to the thorax wand. Of course, different patients react differently. The medics had to call a team to manage my situation. The pain was so much that without a shred of doubt, words simply cannot explain. The options to help me out were fentanyl or anesthesia to help me cope with the situation. Two days since the happening, I still literally ask my attendees if it was a dream."

• whi...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• June 7, 2018

Capsaicin topical for Peripheral Neuropathy "Qutenza really does work. I did have very intense burning for 15 mins for four days. You should never shower or touch the area with water for 48 hrs. The pain can be mind-blowing, but it does subside, and a cool fan helps. Don't let your pets near the area, as it will burn them. I have had multiple Qutenza treatments, and it isn't 3 months before it works. It works straight away, it lasts up to 3 months plus. Don't apply it yourselves, use a health professional, as it does burn."

• Poo...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 23, 2020

For Pain "Okay, first of all, don't ever put capsaicin on using your bare hands. It will linger on your hands even after scrubbing them with soap and water. Use gloves and be careful you only get the cream where you need it. If you find the cream too painful, DO NOT try scrubbing it off, as this will not work. Water, especially with heat and steam, reactivates the heat in the capsaicin. Treat capsaicin cream the same way you would treat eating hot chile. Put sour cream, yogurt, or any other thick, milk-based product on it to settle the heat. I swear by capsaicin cream for pain. I use it on my back, hip, arthritic knee, just about anywhere that hurts. When I first used it, I would feel like my skin was very hot, but you actually start to get used to the heat."

• Jmp...
• December 3, 2016

For Peripheral Neuropathy "This works for nerve pain, but is waaay stronger than Bengay, Tiger Balm, and the sort. Honestly, this should have a more serious alert on the bottle. My doctor had me start nerve desensitizing-I think it's called. I have two types of nerve pain, and the pain can get real ugly. I used a brush on my hamstrings and adductors to 'desensitize.' I was still just going crazy in pain, meditated-well, tried. Prayed and am now suffering the consequences of putting Capzasin HP on my scrubbed legs...maybe 30 minutes past the scrubbing. Honestly, this pain rivals my nerve pain-awful close anyway. Good product, but BE careful with kids, pets, older folks, and especially people in crazy pain undertreated by a propaganda-driven war on pain medicine and the pain doctors."

• Anonymous
• February 11, 2010

Capsaicin topical for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy "Tried it for foot pain, diabetic neuropathy, terrible results. Pain increased, had to wash it off. Wash your hands very well after use, even if you don't see the cream on your hands, some residue may still exist, and if you get it in your eyes, it will really burn."

• Cas...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 30, 2018

For Pain "I have RA and used the roll-on applicator around my thumb joint. Apparently, some of it spread onto my palm. It has been 27 hours since I applied it, and the pain has gotten worse. I can't sleep. I’ve tried vinegar, milk, oils, ice. For goodness sake, warn people."

• Jos...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 6, 2020

For Neuropathic Pain "Well, I was prescribed this capsaicin 0.075% cream, used it on my feet and legs around 11 pm. By 1 am, my sleep was disrupted by the most insane pain ever. 10 out of 10 pain. I’m a 29-year-old man that was brought to tears. My partner thought someone had died. The shower made it 100% worse! What is this nightmare stuff? This product shouldn’t be available. Blacklist this rubbish and only give it to the people you seriously don’t like! AVOID."

• PWi...
• July 14, 2016

For Postherpetic Neuralgia "Been using 4% lidocaine (along with gabapentin, which has yet to do anything after a week) and ibuprofen for my postherpetic neuralgia. Asked Dr. for prescription-strength lidocaine cream, and he recommended OTC capsaicin. He recommended Zostric, but the Capsaicin-HP was on sale (0.01%), so I got that. Applied for the first time. Felt like my skin was on FIRE!!! MUCH worse than the neuralgia pain. And it lasted almost an hour, leaving me in worse pain than before I applied. Will never use this again."

• jen...
• February 1, 2018

For Postherpetic Neuralgia "Dr. prescribed this for the treatment of my shingles pain. Instructed to use 4 times a day. The pain was so severe I cried my eyes out loud enough for my mom to wake up. She had to wipe it off, and the pain still continued for 40 minutes. When it was off, we could see my whole back was red and burnt. Awful pain when applied and did not help the condition of the shingles."

• Ama...
• September 16, 2017

For Osteoarthritis "If I could post a picture of what this cream did to me! Picture the worst burning EVER! It took several wipes and a shower to get it off my back, and it still had bad pain from the middle to the tailbone area, which was red. I was in SO much pain from this medicine, it felt like my skin was on fire. I tried putting lidocaine spray on it, and the spray just melted onto my skin."

• Lil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 16, 2017

For Osteoarthritis "I'm not sure it helped at all, but when I woke up in the middle of the night sweating, the burning sensation it caused was intense! Very painful. An ice pack helped, but I'm afraid to use it again after this."

• Don...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 26, 2020

For Pain "After a fall, I used a topical cream containing Capsicum Oleoresin 0.0625% by volume and Capsaicin 0.025% by volume as the only active ingredient on my lower back and one leg. This cream also contained MSM and Glucosamine. I will mention that due to more than several medical conditions involving my joints and muscles, I have been on long-term Oxycontin 20 mg, twice daily, and Lyrica 150 mg, three times daily. The pain from the fall was so intense, the oral meds were not enough. The cream was applied one time only. There was no warming/cooling sensation ever felt. Seven days from that application, I would wake at night feeling like I was on a heating pad set at super hot overdrive. This was extremely painful, with the pain lasting 15-45 minutes. I am wondering how much longer this is going to last? This has happened the last 5 nights. I would also like to add that the cream was very effective at easing the extreme pain I was in."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 27, 2022

For Osteoarthritis "The first day I applied it once - to my hips and knees. After 20 minutes, it started to work, but only in my knees. The warm burning pain was lovely and masked the knee pain, which was great. If you feel it starting to feel less effective, I found it works activated by heat, as I had my fan heater on, and it started to burn nicely again. The day after, I applied it once again around midday. Nothing happened. I felt no burn, no relief. Until I went to the steam room and sauna. DO NOT DO THIS, as I found out it’s the most painful experience I’ve had due to a cream. After 10 minutes, my knees and hips were on fire!! It felt like my skin was going to burst into blisters and bubble over. I quickly jumped in the cold showers, but it was no relief. Obviously, I left the sauna, but I was left with intense pain and red inflamed skin. I was quite worried, but all is ok the next day."