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November 24 2007
Can Cayenne Peppers Really Cure a Headache?

Chronic headache sufferers may soon have some new alternatives. The active ingredient in cayenne peppers, capsaicin, is believed to bring headache relief by depleting Substance P, a neurotransmitter that helps send pain signals.

Although some are still skeptical, a number of studies have tested the claim, and most have found evidence to support it. One prominent study on capsaicin for pain relief was published back in 1998 in the Clinical Journal of Pain. Their review of 33 previous studies found that capsaicin worked better than a placebo for cluster headaches.

Most studies suggest that the capsaicin needs to be applied topically, such as swabbing the inside of your nose, in order for it to be effective.

Sources:


Dr. MercolaDr. Mercola's Comments:

Cayenne pepper, also known as chili pepper, is definitely one of your more multi-functional spices, so if you’re a lover of hot and spicy food, that’s great news. Some of the research into the health benefits of capsaicin (its active ingredient) has found that it may:

  • Reverse Type 1 diabetes in mice, when injected into the pancreas
  • Relieve stomach aches, and gas
  • Help fight cancer, by binding to proteins in cancer cell mitochondria, triggering cellular death without harming healthy cells

When it comes down to it, all this research into the benefits of food products really points out the importance that your diet plays in your overall health – even though they are narrow-mindedly focusing on picking out the active ingredients to be able to patent it and put it in a pill.

Other Natural Treatment Options for Your Headaches

Headaches can generally be divided into two types, tension and migraine. Migraine can be extremely debilitating, and many of the drugs used to treat migraines are effective in relieving this severe pain, offering welcome relief. Unfortunately, they do absolutely nothing to treat the cause and in fact actually contribute to your problem as after a short while they might cause rebound headaches themselves.

Fortunately, many natural treatment options exist that can help treat migraines. These should always be considered first, as drugs to treat migraines can make your problem worse, and often come with other serious side effects.

Natural Solutions Are Your BEST Option 

Following my eating plan, which is designed to take your personal biochemistry into account, so that you’re eating the right foods for your nutritional type, seems to reduce headaches and migraines by about 80 percent.

Avoiding wheat, grains, sugar, artificial preservatives, and all fluids but water seem to be particularly effective.

However, your customized eating plan does take some time to work. In the past, I have used intravenous magnesium to relieve the headache pain, but now I find that the Emotional Freedom Technique is incredibly effective. Oftentimes it can remove your pain in as little as a few minutes.

I am sure it won’t work for everyone, but I have yet to find that person. I have found it to be truly amazing. And, as time goes on, more and more people (including some more open-minded medical professionals) will begin to accept the truth about energy medicine, as the facts about the “New Biology” becomes more widespread.

The New Biology is based on the science of epigenetics, which literally means that your mind is in control over your genes – nothing in your medical history is preordained. In essence, your mind is in total control over your physical body, and the ailments you develop. This is not a very popular truth as of yet, as most people are not willing to accept that they carry the responsibility for their health.

But, it may very well explain why energy psychology tools, such as EFT, are so effective, and can be used for such a wide variety of ailments. EFT can also be used to eliminate food cravings, which can help you stick to your eating plan.

One final, simple tip to free yourself from migraine pain -- start an exercise program. This will help to improve your response to stress along with the underlying inflammatory conditions that can trigger migraines.

Remember, your pain typically serves a very useful purpose, signaling that something is not right -- prompting you to resolve your problem at its root level.

Unfortunately, most are brainwashed and resort to a drug model to cover the problem up. So I take the position of embracing and loving pain for the important warning signal it can provide. Once you understand what is causing your pain you can start using natural therapies to address the underlying cause.


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Community Comments ( 62 )
Comment on this Article
  
  
foxtroter
[ Joined on 09/06 ] [ Posted on November 1, 2007 ]
14 Points        
   
 
Savvy User
We must be careful here in evaluating this.  While capsaicin is a natural substance that is well established in its pain control ability by depleting Substance P,  it is still just treating the symptom

Most headaches can be  cured with conservative measures---through chiropractic care, acupuncture, EFT, diet changes, etc....  In nearly 30 years of practice, I have had only a very few cases where the underlying cause could not be located.
 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
jewels711
[ Joined on 11/07 ]  [ Posted on November 2, 2007]
3 Points        
   
Novice User
  Mercola
I agree that it is only treating the symptom not the underlying cause as I have treated hundreds of migraine pts in a top 3 hospital using mutiple disciplines.  The are many underlying problems that play into a headache like the condition of neck muscles, inner ear, and depression as well as overuse of OTC pain medicine.  It takes a multitude of therapies like you mentioned . PT, Psychology and IV detox were the main ones we used.  Cayenne pepper may give people temporary relief to hopefully get to a practitioner that can fix the real problem.
Mercola
  
toniewallace
[ Joined on 06/06 ]  [ Posted on November 25, 2007]
       
   
Novice User
  Mercola

Dear Foxtrot:

I agree with you...that lots of pain being it is psychological...coming from within a person's memory banks...can't be detected or traced, unless the person is willing to reevaluate their life...

Like Dr. Phil would say, "until first a person acknowledges the problem, the solution will never be found or discovered."

There is a great book called, "Feelings Buried Alive, Never Dies."  The author escapes me at the present time.

Just my thoughts

Love, Light and Peace

Tonie Wallace

www.onlinetoniewallace.com

  
  
KelleyEidem
[ Joined on 11/07 ] [ Posted on November 25, 2007 ]
4 Points        
   
 
Novice User

Of course it can. There's already a series of cayenne products made by SinusBuster that uses hot peppers. They have  a headache formula and a separate migraine formula.

I've seen it work in two minutes. A customer came into my store with a significant headache. He tried the SinusBuster. He came out of the bathroom two minutes later. He said it was working, that his headache was much better already.

I've heard of it working for a horrible migraine in mere seconds!

Btw, I cured my own Stage 4 CANCER using habeneros, garlic and emulsified cod liver oil. That was nine years ago. It took all of two weeks.

A year or so ago, UCLA helped to confirm my experience. They shrank tumors by 80% just with the hot peppers alone. My way is better and more effective with the combo treatment.

Still it's nice ot see UCLA catching up with me. ;-)

 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
pvg123
[ Joined on 11/07 ]  [ Posted on November 26, 2007]
       
   
Novice User
  Mercola

Habeneros, garlic and emulsified cod liver oil?  Amazing what our bodies can do when we give them what they need, isn't it?  What proportions and how often did you take it?  Did you crush the peppers and garlic into the oil and drink it?

Luckily I don't get migraines often, but when I do they can lay me low for a day.  I will definitely have to try SinusBuster or just the peppers.

Mercola
  
BeyondOrganic
[ Joined on 06/06 ]  [ Posted on November 26, 2007]
       
   
Savvy User
  Mercola

Hi Kelley,

I can't imagine curing stage IV cancer in as little as two weeks with only that, especially since it takes years for most cancers to grow in the first place.  That's great if you did.  May I ask you what kind of cancer yo had?  

  
  
Dr Rik
[ Joined on 11/06 ] [ Posted on November 24, 2007 ]
3 Points        
   
 
Savvy User

The most common form of Headache is Tension Headache; diagostically the same as Cervicogenic Headache (caused by the cervical spine). The research group that formulated guidelines for Chiropractic care for Low Back Pain, AHCPR, started research for Headache Guidelines. Forces in Government promptly dismantled that guideline group. Their research wasn't giving the results that those in power want to see. Most Headaches improve or are cured by appropriate Chiropractic care. You won't see that on any front page. Good luck on getting the rest of the story.

Perception trumps Reality. Marketing beats Truth.

PS contrary to popular belief, a more severe headache isn't necessarily a migraine and may very well be cured by Chiropractic care.

 [ Reply ]
  
  
MZ1227
[ Joined on 11/06 ] [ Posted on November 3, 2007 ]
3 Points        
   
 
Savvy User
I don't know about headaches, but it sure does suppress my appetite!
 [ Reply ]
  
  
ITX
[ Joined on 06/06 ] [ Posted on November 2, 2007 ]
3 Points        
   
 
Apprentice User
In a desperate attempt to abort Cluster Headaches, I have used a pepper based nasal spray called, Sinus Buster - "Headache Formula" that has Capsicum in it.  I was able to abort 2 or 3 headaches but only if it was taken at the first onset.  When taken during a cluster, it put me in tears.  Interestingly, I was able to abort one cluster headache using the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) but only during the initial onset - about a 60 second time-frame.  I couldn't believe it worked!  When I tried EFT a second time, it was too late because once a cluster kicks in you really can't tap on your face, or concentrate enough to try it anywhere else on your body.  Unfortunately, I've had to rely on 79 doses of 33mg Imitrex tablets to abort an additional 79 attacks over 23 days.  Scary! 

I have not tried this method for any other headache type, but it is definitely,100% worth a try if you want a natural fix.  Also, the Sinus Buster nasal spray does not burn a hole in your nose, but will sting for about 5 seconds. 
 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
Katee Roux
[ Joined on 07/07 ]  [ Posted on November 2, 2007]
       
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
In addition  to the things Foxtroter suggested, you might find a therapist who does CranioSacral therapy.  (Probably not during the headache, but as preventative.)  

I don't get cluster headaches, but i do get migraines.  As a child i had a fairly severe head injury.  About 10 years later i began getting migraines.  I used the standard pharmacology to treat them, but if i didn't catch it early, these headache could continue for days.  

In July 2006 i began getting CST.  When receiving it, i can feel significant pressure changes in my head on the R side (the side injured) but not on the L.  If i had not had the injury, i'm not sure i would believe anything was being done.  I had about 8 sessions that were 2 - 4 weeks apart.  Since that time, i've used about the same amount of medication as i used to use in a month.  I also did some hypnosis.  (I also do CST in my practice.)  If some of your issues are the flow of your cerebral-spinal fluid, or the bones in your head are "jammed," CST may help.  I was trained under the Upledger method, tho i know there are other types that are similar.  You can find the Upledger clinic (in FL) on line & locate a therapist in your area that way.
Mercola
  
ITX
[ Joined on 06/06 ]  [ Posted on November 2, 2007]
       
   
Apprentice User
  Mercola
Thanks Katee.  I will definitely look into CranioSacral therapy. 
Mercola
  
jewels711
[ Joined on 11/07 ]  [ Posted on November 2, 2007]
       
   
Novice User
  Mercola
I am all for natural cures, but if your interested in lessing your use of Imitrex you may want to look into a substance called DHE dyhydroergotamine.  Used way back when ergotamine put women into labor but has been approved for migraine use in IV and injection form.  It is not without its side effects it is a drug after all and it has to be prescribed by your physician pending your heart is perfectly fine. Where I worked as annInfusion RN we used it for severe chronic migraineurs and then did research with cluster patients.  After each treatment the results were amazing.   When administered during an attack it would abort it immediately and when administering it before an attack say bedtime which is a usual time the attack never came and they became less frequent meaning less medication needed.  Certainly having to take no medicine is the best, I am a migraine suffer myself and I try to do biofeedback but sometime the pain is too overwhelming,  but this may help you??
Mercola
  
ITX
[ Joined on 06/06 ]  [ Posted on November 3, 2007]
       
   
Apprentice User
  Mercola
Thanks jewels711.  I will add DHE dyhydroergotamin to my research list.  I am currently looking into a study that is being done at Harvard University for Magic Mushrooms.  Apparently, users who have tried them (in very small doses) were able to completely abort an entire cluster headache cycle.  -  I'm hoping this will someday be approved as a new treatment. 
Mercola
  
heidiw0
[ Joined on 10/07 ]  [ Posted on November 24, 2007]
       
   
Novice User
  Mercola

I too have used Sinus Buster, but for sinus symptoms. It really works! I'm not sure if it's available in stores, I bought it online a couple years ago, don't even remember how I heard about it. Not sure what's different about the headache formula, it's been a while since I checked their site. I'd definitely recommend the basic product for sinus problems though. It's the first thing I thought of when I read the part above about "swabbing the inside of your nose"!

Heidi

Mercola
  
Healing Waters
[ Joined on 05/07 ]  [ Posted on November 24, 2007]
       
   
Apprentice User