Can Eating Spicy Food Help My Neck Pain?

What if food could be used as medicine? The good news is that it can! Many of today's pharmaceuticals are based off of compounds found in foods we eat everyday. One such compound is capsaicin , the active ingredient in spicy foods like jalapenos, cayenne and habaneros.  Capsaicin works in general by effecting the nervous system, and specifically by blocking Substance P, a neurotransmitter responsible for pain. 

Capsaicin can be used to fight pain by eating the above named hot peppers 2-3 times per week, and can even by applied topically over painful areas.
(WARNING: Make use this does not come into contact with eyes, nose or other mucosal membranes!)

To use topically, make a salve by:

1. warming 1/2 cup coconut oil, using a double boiler, with 2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper powder.
2. Warm the oil and let it steep for 20 minutes (repeat warming and steeping for 1 - 24 hours).  
3. Strain the oil.
4. If you'd like it to be more "salve like," heat  1/2 ounce bee's wax and mix with infused oil.
5. Pour mixture into a container and let cool before using.

Additional benefits of spicy foods include weight loss, fighting heart disease, increasing longevity and even cancer prevention. 

This will work to help with Neck Pain, Low Back Pain, Arthritis Pain, Sore Muscles or Joints, Bruises, Nerve Pain and More. 

Dr. Ryan Tichauer is a Holistic Chiropractor located in Midtown Manhattan. In addition to holistic treatments, we utilize a multidisciplinary approach by using Chiropractic, Physical Therapy, Acupuncture and Massage Therapy. This style of care will speed up your healing time to get you back out on the streets of New York City faster.

We serve patients from all boroughs of New York City, including 10036, 10022, 10020, 10017 and 10019.

Contact us today (including same day appointments).