Effect of Capsaicin Cream on Chronic Low Back Pain in Patients With Inter-Vertebral Disc Herniation

Abstract

Background: Low back pain is one of the most common debilitating disorders worldwide and the third cause of visiting a physician. One of the most common causes of low back pain is spinal disc herniation. Still there is no general agreement on the most effective treatment for it. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effect of Capsaicin cream on low back pain in patients with inter-vertebral disc herniation in Ahvaz. Patients and Methods: This was a double blind clinical trial in which 43 patients with chronic low back pain, according to characteristics of the subjects, were randomly divided into two groups of treatment (n = 23) and control (n = 20). Data collection instruments included demographic specifications and visual analogue scale (VAS) questionnaire completed on arrival and at the first, second and third weeks after intervention. The treatment and placebo groups used the ointment for three weeks and three times a day as a thin layer on the painful position. Data entered SPSS (version 18) and analyzed using the analytical descriptive statistics. Results: There was a significant difference in the average pain intensity between the groups of study pre-and post-intervention (P = 0.0001) and the rate of using analgesics in the treatment group significantly decreased (P = 0.008). Also patients’ satisfaction was significantly different between the two groups using the ointment (P = 0.0001). Conclusions: Capsaicin cream has beneficial effects on pain relieving and reducing analgesic use in patients with inter-vertebral disc herniation. Therefore, the ointment can be recommended in the treatment of low back pain caused by inter-vertebral disc herniation.