Chili pepper cream takes on painkiller gel for jaw pain
NCT ID NCT07598994
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jul 02, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This study tested whether a cream made from chili pepper extract (capsaicin) or a common pain-relief gel (diclofenac) works better for long-term jaw joint pain. Fifty women with chronic jaw pain applied one of the creams four times a day for a week. Researchers measured pain levels, jaw function, and sensitivity at the start, after one week, and again a month later.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Capsaicin 0.075% cream and diclofenac 1% gel
- What this could lead to
- If capsaicin works better, it could offer a new, non-drug option for managing chronic jaw pain.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed trial with only 50 women, so results may not apply to everyone. Capsaicin can cause burning or irritation.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
50 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Aug 2025
- Finished
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Apr 2026
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 to 65 years
- Sex
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Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Female participants aged between 18 and 65 years * Diagnosis of temporomandibular disorder (TMD)-related pain * Presence of pain for at least 3 months * Baseline pain intensity sufficient to require treatment * Willingness to comply with study procedures and follow-up visits * Signed informed consent form Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnancy or breastfeeding * History of allergy or hypersensitivity to capsaicin or diclofenac * Presence of systemic inflammatory or neurological disease * Use of systemic analgesics, corticosteroids, or muscle relaxants during the study period * Active skin lesions or dermatologic disease in the application area * Previous temporomandibular joint surgery * Participation in another clinical trial within the last 30 days * Inability to comply with study procedures
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Istanbul University Faculty of Dentistry
Istanbul, Istanbul, 34093, Turkey (Türkiye)
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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