Anyone heard of it?
Says on tube it can be used for ra. Its made up from peppers and so warms the joints.
Mum gets it on prescription and uses it but not for ra, asked rheumy nurse and he said its no good but was wondering as it says it is good for ra has anyone heard of it or used it?
Never heard of it, but have read some holistic recipes that use turmeric which heats the skin and joints just like you describe.
Not clinically proven but it does work.
Good luck.
No harm in trying it, it may work for RA
Well i was going to try it but my rheumy nurse said it was a waste of time! He said dont use it as its only used on osteo arthritis!
Do i trust the rheumy nurse or you guys who have used it for ra!
Views welcomed but i am tempted to give it a try!
Don't know about RA but my Doc gave it to me to help with post Shingles pain. It does help a bit.
Capsaicin cream is a topical painkiller made from peppers ( watch where you touch after applying) as it is a bit like chopping chillies and and touching delicate areas. It can help with the pain if rubbed into a joint. As a nurse we used it a lot in the hospital for patients with arthritic conditions and they all seemed to feel relief with it. But not specifically for RA
cris xx
I was given it for RA in the early days, but found it no help at all - didn't even feel any heat with it!! Maybe they left the chilli out of mine!
Ally x
Hi Josie2
As with all complementary and alternative supplements they may work for some but not others and it's always best to check with a health professional that they will not interact with any prescribed medications before you try them (as you have done).
I thought you might find it interesting to read the Arthritis Research UK report on complementary and alternative medicines as there is a section specifically on capsaicin gel. In line with what the others have said, the report concludes that capsaicin gel can be effective in reducing pain and tenderness in joints, but would usually be used to treat osteoarthritis. If you follow the link below you can download the full report if you'd like to read more: arthritisresearchuk.org/art...
I hope it does offer you some relief if you do decide to give it a go 
Kind regards
Sarah Kate
NRAS
It is something that doctors can prescribe, and it does have some definite benefits for some things. As I understand it, it works mostly because of the way it kind of stimulates the superficial nerves in an area, plus the heating effect. For that reason it can end up actually being quite irritating for some people. Its something thats possibly worth a try, though I'd be more tempted to go for an NSAID gel (like ibuprofen gel or voltaren gel) because those have definitely anti-inflammatory properties, so are more likely to help. Both of those can also be bought over the counter or prescribed. In Scotland or Wales (free prescriptions) I'd go for prescribing, but in England, just check with your GP that its OK for you to use and buy at Boots (much cheaper than a prescription).
I was prescribed this before RA diagnosis when it was originally decided I had osteo. I liked the warmth it gave to my joints, but as I needed it on all my fingers and it had to be applied 4 times a day which meant that after application you couldn't wash your hands or do stuff like try and chop veggies, meant that it was a no-no. I found it a nuisance and I do not work, and am not sure how helpful it would be if you were using your hands in a job as opposed to putting the cream on and then sitting with your hands nicely nestled on a cushion for a couple of hours! Like anything, if it works for you it is worth doing and if not, bin in! Good luck, Virge.
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