Capsaicin (8%) Patch

Capsaicin is a naturally occurring compound found in red chili peppers. The Capsaicin (8%) patch is a topical system indicated in adults for the treatment of neuropathic pain associated with postherpetic neuralgia (shingles) and diabetic peripheral neuropathy of the feet. A 60-min application of capsaicin patch in patients with neuropathic pain can provide effective pain relief, if other medications have failed to do so already. Kansas Pain Management offers the capsaicin (8%) patch as this treatment can provide longer duration of effect and it has less chances for drug–drug interactions than some medications. It is believed that capsaicin acts in the skin to reduce pain by a process best described as ‘defunctionalization’ of pain receptors.