Favorite Products: Salonpas Hot Capsicum Patch

Capsicum is a type of plant that produces chili peppers. Capsaicin, the active ingredient in the patch, is a chemical compound found in capsicum plants that gives the peppers their heat sensation. 

 The adhesive on the back of the patch has capsaicin in it. When the patch is applied to the skin, the capsaicin is absorbed by the body.

"The hell fire patch"

The patch creates the sensation of heat – so much so, that it can feel like it will burn your skin, though it absolutely won’t. The capsaicin just activates the same neural pathways that heat does, causing the brain to perceive the reaction as heat.

 How does it work?

The capsaicin relieves pain by irritating the pain receptors in the skin and desensitizing them. Also, the heat sensation travels on different nerves, which are faster than the pain nerves. The heat sensation is so prominent, that it basically bombards the nervous system, making it pay less attention to the stimuli from the pain nerves. This is known as the Gate Control theory of pain modulation.

Cut to fit

The patch comes in a 5 x 8 ish inch sheet. I cut the patch into smaller pieces, depending on the size of the area I’m wanting to cover. I find it really helpful for low back pain, but I often use it on other muscle areas as well, such as the hamstrings, groin or hip flexors. Many athletes prefer using them to wearing a sleeve, as they don’t like to wear anything on their legs.

Make it extra sticky

Though the patch sticks to the skin, it will stay on better if both the skin and the adhesive back of the patch are sprayed with skin tuffner before the patch is applied to the skin. This allows it to stay on even when the athlete sweats. The patch must be applied before the athlete starts to sweat however, or it won’t work at all.

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