Capsaicin Heat Ointment: Are Its Claims Exaggerated?

Capsaicin Ointment Information

Cayenne pepper and capsaicin never cease to amaze me.

While cayenne is fantastic when taken internally, it's also a wonderful healing agent when used as a topical cream. Cayenne heat ointment is fantastic for sprains, sore tendons, muscle spasms, etc.

In the fall of last year, I went barefoot water skiing with a close friend of mine. We used to go almost every Saturday but as life commitments like family and career took their proper place, we hadn't gone as frequently.

After a good run, and as I got more fatigued, I wiped out badly and injured my right shoulder.

For a moment, I actually thought I had slightly dislocated my shoulder.

I didn't but the pain persisted. It didn't swell, nor did it hurt to do normal things. Anything athletic, however, like throwing a softball or working out caused pain.

As the fall wore on into spring, it healed. However, the soreness of my tendons didn't go away. It was exacerbated by my weight training program.

I have a nice bench and some weighty dumbbells in a spare room in my place and like the convenience of working out without being forced to listen to someone else's music or having to wipe somebody's accumulated sweat on a bench.

Long story short, I re-injured my shoulder by doing too heavy dumbbell bench presses.

One of the health "secrets" I know about is cayenne pepper. I have long known about the health benefits of cayenne or capsicum but I'd always focused on its internal nuances and not its topical qualities.

I drink it, which many think odd but I don't care. However, its uses as a topical agent are wonderful, too. Recently, after rubbing a very small amount -- and I do mean small -- upon my injured right shoulder, it literally took the tendon soreness away immediately.

I have to admit, I was surprised, really surprised. I'm not exaggerating. I thoroughly rubbed it in and that was all I did. Honest.

I didn't pray, chant, use some kind of witch doctor ceremony or take any pharmaceutical drug. I simply used the cayenne heat ointment I had in my refrigerator.

It worked like a charm so maybe there is some witchcraft involved! (I'm kidding, of course!) Medicinal herbs and spices like cayenne are a gift from God. They work.

Period.

I'm not saying the same will happen to you, mind you. I applied a multi-pronged approach to the ultimate healing of the shoulder and it's now perfectly fine. And I did it without drugs or surgery.

What to Look for in Cayenne Heat Ointments

You may not believe this but there have been (and are) more clinical research tests done on cayenne topical ointments than many others. Why? It's because of the capsaicin, the secondary metabolite and active ingredient in hot peppers. (The capsaicin makes peppers -- and cayenne pepper -- hot to the taste and is for many its chief side effect.)

Of the over 3,000 clinical studies done on cayenne, most of them have centered around capsaicin's health qualities. Why? The answer is simple -- it's because they work.

If you have muscle pulls or are an athlete or have tend to incur injuries like myself as you are athletically inclined, this topical ointment is both inexpensive and easy to find. If I may be so bold, here's what I would recommend and what I would look for.

• The ingredients should have no fillers, chemicals or standardized herbs.
• Look for a base of beeswax.
• It should have cayenne pepper (of course).
• Common ingredients that are added are extra virgin olive oil, cinammon oil, eucalyptus, oil of wintergreen (this gives it a nice smell), and distilled mint crystalls.

You can buy it here or by clicking on the heat ointment graphic. I heartily recommend it

Regarding uses, the cayenne ointment I use says this on the label:

Ailments historically treated: Abrasions, Apoplexy, Arthritis (Gout), Arthritis (Osteo), Arthritis (Rheumatoid), Atherosclerosis, Athletic Performance, Bloating (Water Retention), Bright’s Disease, Bruises, Bursitis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Degenerative Joint Disease, Dupuytren’s Contracture, Fragile Capillaries, Gangrene, Gout, Headache, Hemorhage, Herpes (Zoster), Housemaid’s Knee, Injuries, Intermittent Claudication, Rheumatism, Shingles, Sport Supplements, Sprains, Stiffnecks, Strains, Tumor, Varicose Veins, Venous Insufficiency (Chronic).

As you can see, it has many varied uses.

What to Expect

When you rub it in, expect a wonderful warm feeling to permeate the afflicted area. You will notice a nice, pinkish flush to the area rubbed but don't worry that's perfectly normal. You also don't need a lot either. My little four ounce container has lasted for about three years.

I love the feeling this ointment gives. It's so healing, soothing and smells great too, which is always nice.

After you rub it in, and even while rubbing it in, it will give the skin a nice oily sheen. Your fingers will be oily too. Not to worry, though. It washes off quite nicely.

Another tip is to be careful not to touch your eyes when rubbing the capsaicin ointment or cayenne heat ointment. I have done this a few times inadvertently and while it was noticeable, it didn't harm my eyes at all. It's just noticeably stings a little bit.

Again, not to worry, though. If you get too much into your eye, just wash it out. Every home should have an eyewash cup, which is easily found at any pharmacy.

Here's something else to be aware of. If you rub the ointment into your back, it may give your wonderful "hot flashes" of heat that come and go and gradually increase in intensity. These "flashes" actually are quite nice and not at all uncomfortable.

This is especially noticeable to those who haven't used such a cayenne ointment before.

One tip that the manufacturer recommends (at least the one that made the one I have) is to rub it in thoroughly so as to avoid staining the clothing. I've never had it stain my clothing and it's due to this, I think.

The cost of these type of cayenne based ointments? Anywhere from $5.00 to $25 USD or so. As you can see, they're not expensive.

Conclusion

Cayenne heat ointment or capsaicin based ointments or muscle ointment products are really wonderful. They work. I testify to that. Again, you can buy it at this link here or by clicking on the graphic to the left of this paragraph. It's cheap, only $13.41 USD (United States dollar) for the four-ounce option and $11.38 for the two-ounce option.

If you have a job where you do something really physical or even if your just a "weekend warrior," this cayenne heat ointment is fantastic for immediate, soothing relief. On my honor, it's awesome. It works great.

There you have it.