Posted by John R on September 11, 1998 at 09:03:25:
In Reply to: capsaicin treatment posted by Alex P. on September 10, 1998 at 06:28:12:
Alex, Good Afternoon!
I spoke with my mother (she's a medical doctor, but specializes in family practice, not headaches) and she knew of a pharmacist here in Phoenix who made a lot of special preparations and might be able to help with capsaicin drops. I called and he checked around and called back and said he could make a nasal spray that someone else had ordered before for cluster headaches.
The nasal spray that I am going to pick up today is 0.015% capsaicin. I have no way to compare that with the strength you are using. Didn't you measure it miligrams?
If this preparation doesn't work, I may ask for more help in getting the same exact mixture from you pharmacy in Israel. Thank you again so much for telling me about capsaicin.
I also e-mailed two different companies that sell the capsaicin ointment or cream to rub in topically at the site of arthritis pain. One of them responded that they did sell their ointment to cluster headache patients who got relief by rubbing it right into the skin of the temple over the spot where the pain was worse. I am having them send me a free sample to try. (I'll add the name of the company to a follow-up--I found them by doing a web-search on excite with the words "cluster headache capsaicin.")
I am a little cautious because I once took the advice of another cluster headache patient and rubbed ICY HOT (an over-the-counter cream for muscle pain to rub in the skin at my painful temple). It worked great the first time--stopped the headache in just a few seconds. The second time it gave me a headache that was much worse that I had in a long time and that lasted much longer. I may have got some of the ointment in my eye that time however.
Anyway, thanks again for your help.
I'll keep you updated on how I do with the nasal spray. I may take the advice of one of the comments and have it formulated with lydocaine the next time if it burns too much when I apply it. Lydocaine itself has been an effective abortive treatment (but I think it was drops, not spray) for the clusters.