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Bonnie (Manlius, New York, Onondaga) on 01/27/2010
1 out of 5 stars

Cayenne pepper for headache

First of all, I'd like to give praise to Earth Clinic for such a fabulous website! I have tried many remedies from the site and they ALL worked...with the exception of the cayenne pepper for my headache! I had a headache behind my left eye and decided I'd snort some of the pepper as I'd read that it cured many a headache. Not too familiar with snorting foreign substances up my nose, I wasn't sure how to do it. So I grabbed a spoon, dug out some pepper (mistake number one) and sniffed. My first thought was that the synapses in my brain were misfiring when I decided to try this method. My second thought was that I wondered if this is how it felt to stick a blowtorch up my nostril and light it. Before I looked in the mirror, I seriously wondered if my left eyeball had shrunk to the size of a raisin and fallen into my now empty eye socket. (It hadn't...my eyeball, albeit on fire, was thankfully intact)! In my haste to grab a tissue and blow this fireball out of my nose, I ran into the open cupboard door (this REALLY happened)and smacked myself square on the forehead...(mistake number two). After a minute or twenty, the pervasive burning had dissipated, but a new, equally as fun sensation was happening....the cayenne was dripping from my nasal cavity into my throat. For pete's sake, I was now TASTING the pepper! I drank a tall glass of water and decided that i had had it....and took an ibuprofen. Unfortunately, the cayenne did not take my headache away. Although, who knows what would have happened had I not ran headfirst into the cupboard! So, this will be my very first "Nay" post on the site...with a gentle reminder that if you decide to try it, do NOT use more than a teensy bit of cayenne and for the love of God, shut all cupboard doors FIRST!

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Replied By Tricia (Ireland) on 01/28/2010

Brilliant.

Deirdre - how about a page for the funniest posts. I'd definitely nominate this one along with ouchy mcnumbface for earache and BC boy from smithers for canker sore. I often go back to those two when I've had a bad day. Wonder if they aren't the same person.


EC: Yes, great idea, thanks!!  Perhaps a new remedy page called "Laughing Remedies". I would also nominate the stress test, which I go to when I need a good laugh and a few Youtube videos.

Deirdre

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Replied By Kathlee (Vancouver, Canada) on 10/23/2011

My gosh! That's the best laugh I've had in a long time! (I'm sorry to laugh at your calamity but you did put a smile on my face. Thank you! Hugs
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Replied By Monica (Twinlake, Mi) on 11/14/2011

I'm just reading along... Then bam... That post was hilarious!! ... I must say... But sorry that happened- lol.
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Replied By Susana (Creston, North Carolina) on 02/10/2012

I'm laughing so hard I have tears running down my face, almost as severe as when I snort cayenne pepper!!! Yes, thanks for the belly laugh--what a great remedy for a headache! I find the cayenne pepper brings temporary relief only. I have concluded that my sinus headaches are about irritation and believe that practicing mindfulness about life's irritations help me reduce the number and severity of these irritations. What did help recently was applying a few drops of peppermint oil to a tissue and relaxing while breathing it for the hours it took for the headache to finally go away.
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Replied By Jparadiseoneluv (Decatur, Ga, United States) on 09/27/2012

LMAO!!!! Classic! It works for me. I swear by the stuff. I drink it in water 3 times a day. For a headache I mix one half teaspoon neem powder, one teaspoon moringa powder and a quarter teaspoon organic cayenne in about three ounces of water. Drink staright down then sip water afterwards to dilute in your belly. The neem brings down your blood sugar and blood pressure as the moringa and cayenne also do. I love it!
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Replied By James As Cmmonly Called ;-) (Rugby, Warks) on 11/18/2012

Honestly, Bonnie with the pepper up the nose and cupboard ACTUALLY had me crying with laughter :-D
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Replied By Jolly (A2 Michigan) on 11/15/2015

Yes Thank you EC and Thank you Bonnie for the laugh - your humor echoing through the years - now 2015! I've been with this head ache for two days and looking for a remedy here on EC. Laughing with your post has helped relieve a big piece of the tension! As others have shared - yes, sorry for your experience, but thank you so much for sharing it in such a humorous and healing way!
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Replied By Organicfarmer (West Virginia) on 05/25/2016

Laughter is the best medicine. The first time I tried cayenne I was pretty shocked with the firey punch, and I only put a 1/4 teaspoon in 8oz water and applied with a qtip. I could feel the pain of your directly applied mega dose! I am trying ACV right this minute on a bad one and I can say that ACV mixed with belly laughter (and earlier homeopathic nux v) seems to be easing the pain behind my right eye radiating from my right shoulder.
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Replied By Valerie (New York) on 07/18/2018

I've never heard anyone suggest SNORTING cayenne pepper for a headache or to clear sinuses, but adding some to any kind of smoothie, juice or tea is a better way to take an ample amount without it burning or creating a queezy feeling in your tummy. Many people get results with cayenne hot sauce or powdered cayenne, but clear liquid cayenne tincture is nicer to add to something you're going to drink, then shake or stir well. Start with the smallest recommendation, diluted in order not to burn, then gradually increase if necessary, to test efficacy for headaches or sinus conditions.
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