Pain management is another use of capsicum; this can be traced back to 1850 in the West for burning or itching body parts.  Today, there is topical capsaicin (chemical in capsicum) for pain management.  Such uses in pain management are, but not limited to:

• Migraines
• Trigeminal neuralgia
• Herpes zoster
• Chronic musculoskeletal pain
• Shingles
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Muscle sprains
• Skin disorders.

Topical creams or patches can be available through the doctors’ offices or over the counter at the pharmacy (Oneill, J., Brock, C., Olesen, A. E., Andresen, T., Nilsson, M., & Dickenson, A. H., 2012). 

The current standard is low dosage of capsaicin for pain management; however studies of higher dosage shows promise for pain management.  A single use of an 8% dosage patch for 60 minutes has shown that it manages pain for 12 weeks in some patients.  The newer 8% dosage patch is designed to rapidly deliver the chemical to the skin while minimizing the negative effects (Anand, P., & Bley, K., 2011).   

Advantages of the higher concentration patch include a longer time of less pain and low risk of drug to drug interaction (Anand, P., & Bley, K., 2011). Using capsicum as a treatment for muscle soreness/pain management, goes on the theory of using pain to treat pain “pain,” this is through using a topical ointment (Oneill, J., Brock, C., Olesen, A. E., Andresen, T., Nilsson, M., & Dickenson, A. H., 2012).  With pain management what happens is that the chemical overpowers the bodies nerves, which then gives the body the inability to transmit the pain (M., Mortensen, J. M., & E., J., 2009, January 1).

Capsicum has been consumed by humans for centuries with no serious toxicity revealed, just adverse reactions based on the amount consumed. This also stands for the topical use; it is safe with some adverse effects on the skin based on the amount used (Anand, P., & Bley, K., 2011).  In the end, the use for capsicum in topical form for pain management is beneficial for those who exercise regularly and experience injuries, or in general for those who suffer from chronic pain.