Chili pepper patch may work better than a common fibromyalgia medication

A skin patch that contains a substance found in chili peppers seems to works better than pregabalin in treating people with neuropathic pain, according to the results of a new study published in the European Journal of Pain.
Pregabalin is a medication widely prescribed for fibromyalgia, neuropathy and other chronic pain conditions.

So experts decided to compare the efficacy of a capsaicin (8%) patch with current standard therapy in peripheral neuropathic pain. The capsaicin patch uses a man-made form of capsaicin, which is the substance that gives chili peppers their heat and dulls pain-sensing nerves in the skin.

The new study

People with peripheral neuropathic pain aged 18 years to 80 years were split into groups. A total of 282 people were given a capsaicin patch and 277 people took oral pregabalin.

By the eighth week of the study, about half of people in both groups had achieved pain relief of at least 30%. But the average time to pain relief in the capsaicin group was 7.5 days, compared to 36 days in the pregabalin group. Those who used the patch were more satisfied with their treatment and had fewer side effects.

The research group concludes:

“The capsaicin 8% patch provided non-inferior pain relief to an optimized dose of pregabalin in peripheral neuropathic pain, with a faster onset of action, fewer systemic side effects and greater treatment satisfaction.”

Click here to read the original findings.

For more in-depth features, interviews and information, subscribe to Arthritis Digest magazine, a popular title that’s published six times a year. Click here for the digital version or tel 0845 643 8470 to order your had copy. You’ll know what your doctor is talking about, what new drugs are in the pipeline and be up to date on helpful products

Image credit: JE Mcgowan