Recently, however, red pepper has been shown to provide more compelling relief for certain kinds of chronic pain. Doctors now recommend Zostrix for arthritis, diabetic foot pain and the pain of shingles, an adult disease caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox in children. The virus remains dormant in the body until later in life when, for unknown reasons, it can reappear as shingles, causing a rash on one side of the body that progresses from red bumps to blisters to crusty pox resembling chicken pox. In most adults, shingles clears up by itself within a few weeks. But many experience lingering, sometimes severe, pain.
Research suggests that capsaicin can also help relieve cluster headaches.
In one study, people with cluster headaches rubbed a capsaicin preparation inside and outside their noses on the same side of the head as the headache pain. They also reported burning nostrils and runny noses, but these side effects subsided within a week. Finally, red pepper may help the heart. Perhaps the best way to enjoy cayenne's medicinal benefits is simply to season your food to taste. Even small amounts of red pepper can be therapeutic.