The Facts:
-
Forty-two people with non-allergic rhinitis used a homeopathic nasal spray containing capsaicin (Sinus buster„¥) or placebo twice daily for 2 weeks to assess its effects on sinus pain, sinus pressure and sinus congestion.
-
After 2 weeks, those who used the capsaicin spray felt much better than those who used the placebo spray, with sinus relief reported as early as 1 minute after application.
-
The authors concluded the capsaicin-containing spray was safe and effective for the treatment of non-allergic rhinitis.
Dr Shaun Holt: Lots of people have a drippy nose for no good reason, it's an annoying symptom and there's usually not much you can do about it. We know that an extract from chilli peppers, capsaicin, can help reduce certain types of pain when applied as a cream. This small study found that inhaling capsaicin powder for just 2 weeks reduced the symptoms of nasal inflammation not due to allergy in a good proportion of those who tried it. Disclaimer: however tempting it may be, I would recommend waiting until a product is available and not try sniffing chilli pepper extracts!
http://www.annallergy.org/article/S1081-1206(11)00383-8/abstract