The chili pepper, is the fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum which are members of the nightshade family, Solanaceae. Chili peppers are widely used in many cuisines as a spice to add heat to dishes. Capsicum fruits have been a part of human diets since about 7,500 BC, and are one of the oldest cultivated crops in the Americas, as origins of cultivating chili peppers are traced to northeastern Mexico some 6,000 years ago. They were one of the first self-pollinating crops cultivated in Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America.
The substances that give chili peppers their intensity when ingested or applied topically are capsaicin and related compounds known as capsaicinoids. Capsaicin is the stuff in chili peppers that makes your mouth feel hot. But it's also got a medical purpose. It's a key ingredient in creams and patches that can give you relief from pain.
When you put capsaicin on your skin, you help block pain messages to your nerves. Studies show capsaicin creams and patches can help relieve pain that's due to: Joint conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, Fibromyalgia, Muscle sprains and strains, Migraines and other severe headaches, Surgery. Also some research suggests it may help improve scaling, inflammation, redness, and pain from psoriasis. It may also help relieve pain from nerve damage that's due to: Shingles, Postherpetic neuralgia, HIV and Peripheral diabetic neuropathy.
For most types of pain relief, your doctor may suggest you try capsaicin cream, lotion, ointment, gel, stick, film, or ointment. You usually don't need a prescription.