The study published in the journal “Pharmacology” states that the topical patch of 8% capsaicin offered significant pain relief in neuropathic pain patients.

Peripheral neuropathic pain is the pain induced by a lesion or disease affecting the peripheral somatosensory system. Post-traumatic and postoperative nerve injuries also cause peripheral neuropathic pain. Various guidelines and drugs are available for neuropathic pain management; however, neuropathic pain remains undertreated. Therefore Tenreiro Pinto J et al. conducted this retrospective study and evaluated the efficacy of topical capsaicin 8% in patients with peripheral neuropathic pain. Therapeutic efficacy of capsaicin was estimated through assessment of pain intensity, using numerical pain rating scale at baseline and 7–14 days after each treatment, and pain treatment area (PTA) assessed immediately before each treatment.

A total of 43 patients included with either post-herpetic neuralgia or post-traumatic/post-surgical neuropathic pain. The median percentage reduction in numerical pain rating scale score and PTA was –40.0 and –35.1, respectively. In both treated conditions, pain intensity and PTA improved equally.