Relieve Back Pain, Headaches and Inflammation With DIY Cayenne Pepper Oil

Coming from a family where arthritis is unfortunately common, many of our absolute favorite remedies for pain relief have been spices. You name it, we’ve tried it. Everything from black pepper to ginger. But one of the best home remedies for back pain relief is cayenne pepper. Now before you go and raid your spice cabinet, you’re going to want to know a few things. First, you’ll want to know about cayenne pepper oil.

What is Cayenne Pepper Oil?

Cayenne pepper oil isn’t the essential oil (notorious for the burns it can cause), but an oil such as olive oil or coconut oil infused with the healing benefits of cayenne. Cayenne pepper oil delivers the pain relieving and anti-inflammatory benefits of both pepper and olive oil with the added bonus that it’s all-natural. Aside from a burning sensation, cayenne lacks the negative side-effects that NSAIDs like aspirin carry. This is one of the best ways to relieve back pain naturally and safely.

Health Benefits of Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper features prominently in Cajun and Creole dishes. Aside from its culinary uses, cayenne has been applied in traditional Ayurvedic, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese medicine to treat circulatory problems, stomach problems, arthritis and muscle pain.

The main ingredient that brings cayenne its spicy taste, capsaicin, is also the main source of cayenne’s health benefits. When ingested and applied topically, capsaicin is potent at inhibiting the release of substance P, a neuropeptide that plays a major role in inflammation. This very substance, delivers the message to the brain that lets you know you should feel pain. By reducing the amount delivered to the brain, cayenne brings you immense relief! Studies have found that capsaicin applied topically in a cream is a potent treatment for osteoarthritis pain. In one double-blind placebo controlled study, 281 participants with chronic soft-tissue pain and/or chronic back pain were given either a topical cream containing capsaicin or a placebo. Participants in the study taking capsaicin reported significant improvements in their pain levels.

The hotter the pepper, the more capsaicin. But that doesn’t mean we can go and topically apply ghost peppers! Hotter peppers are more dangerous for the skin. Capsaicin can burn, and depending on the sensitivity of your skin even milder peppers can affect you. The burning sensation will typically decrease with normal use, but if it is intolerable you should stop treatment and seek other alternatives.

There are a number of methods for making cayenne pepper oil that can take minutes, hours or even days of work. Of course, not all of us have pressure cookers, or have the time to heat something for days. The simple recipe below is quick to prepare and will take 2 weeks to infuse – but with the pain relief it delivers, it’s well worth the wait!

Cayenne Pepper Oil for Pain Relief

Ingredients:

¼ cup Cayenne pepper powder
½ cup Olive oil

Directions:

Combine the powder and oil in a mason jar with a lid. Seal this, and let it sit for a minimum of 2 weeks.
Strain and then massage on painful areas as needed.

When handling any peppers that contain capsaicin, make sure to keep hands away from your eyes, cracked skin as well as open wounds, and wash hands thoroughly after applying this oil.