Cayenne Pepper Cataplasm - Effect Study

Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Electrical Stimulation and Physical Rehabilitation

Status: Completed

Conditions: Back Pain; Low Back Pain

Treatments: Other: Cayenne Pepper Cataplasm; Other: Placebo Cataplasm

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02705209

Munari02

Details and patient eligibility

About

The beneficial analgesic effects of Rubefacenciae (redden skin substances), is known since 1830 as a treatment for pain, cramps, and disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Herbal cataplasms containing rubefacient substances, such as Cayenne pepper, are commonly used as natural medications to treat painful or aching areas in the case of acute or chronic back pain, and rheumatisms. In Vienna and lower Austria, a Cayenne Pepper Cataplasm (CPC) application containing Cayenne pepper and Kaolin powder in mixed proportion, is commonly used to treat musculoskeletal conditions of pain especially of the low back.

Therefore, the aim of the present study was to test effects of a series of ten applications of CPC prepared with 5% of pepper, investigating the resulting effect on: skin temperature, skin sensory functions, pain threshold, and proprioception. Placebo control condition (0% cayenne pepper) was also tested. It was hypothesized that a series of 20-minute application of a CPC will have significant effects on the measured parameters.

40 subjects will be randomized into Treatment/control group.

Enrollment: 20 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 50 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• chronic lumbar spine pain >= 3 months
• pain during activity VAS >= 4
• Oswestry Disabilty Index >= 20%

Exclusion criteria

• pregnancy
• sensibility disorders (e.g. due to neurological disease)
• injuries, open wounds or rash in intervention area
• known hypersensitivity against the applied substances
• HIV, Hepatitis C and other due blood communicable infectious diseases

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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20 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Treatment

Active Comparator group

Treatment:

Other: Cayenne Pepper Cataplasm

Control

Placebo Comparator group

Treatment:

Other: Placebo Cataplasm