Believe it or not, cayenne pepper can save your life.
You may have heard about how science is attempting to create life-saving bandages that stop the bleeding of serious wounds.
Once again, science is only catching up to what Mother Nature already has to offer.
Cayenne In Your First Aid Kit
While gauze and direct pressure certainly help minimize bleeding, it can take a few layers and a few minutes to get it under control.
That’s when cayenne comes in hand.
According to eHow, the spice can stop bleeding in 10 seconds and control blood loss in under one minute. It can even work on serious wounds, although stitches may be required eventually to ensure that they heal properly (1).
Cayenne works by equalizing your blood pressure to clot blood and prevent further blood loss.
Cayenne also has mild antibacterial properties that prevent infection and promote proper wound healing (2).
How To Use Cayenne
To work in first aid, cayenne must be generously applied directly onto the wound. First, the site must be rinsed with clean water to remove any dirt. After the cayenne has been applied, the patient must stay still for at least 5-10 minutes to prevent changes in blood flow. If the wound is deep, it’s best to call emergency medical services in the meantime.
Cayenne can also be taken orally or nasally to treat internal hemorrhages inside the nose, stomach and throat. In these cases, it’s best to have your doctor or nurse administer the spice.
Other Medical Uses
Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin, a natural anti-inflammatory and analgesic compound.
Topically, Capsaicin cream is used to treat (3):
- Reduce itching and inflammation from psoriasis
- Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, as well as joint or muscle pain from fibromyalgia or other causes.
- Nerve pain from shingles and other painful skin conditions (postherpetic neuralgia)
- Pain after surgery, such as a mastectomy or an amputation.
- Pain from nerve damage such as diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
Cayenne has also been used in traditional Indian Ayurvedic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Native American medicine, so there’s no reason you shouldn’t give it a try too!
sources:
[1]https://www.ehow.com/how-does_4925036_cayenne-pepper-stop-bleeding.html
[2]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19919287
[3]https://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/cayenne