Frequently asked questions to assist in your QUTENZA treatment

There are several medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for diabetic nerve pain of the feet. These include oral medications and topicals. Please speak to your doctor for more information about your condition.

QUTENZA is a topical system that contains capsaicin that may provide up to 3 months of pain relief for patients with diabetic nerve pain of the feet. QUTENZA is the first and only treatment of its kind to deliver prescription-strength capsaicin directly to the skin.

The most common side effects are application site redness, application site pain, and application site itching.

QUTENZA contains prescription-strength capsaicin capable of producing severe irritation of the eyes, mucous membranes, respiratory tract, and skin. Only a physician or healthcare professional under the close supervision of a physician is to administer and handle QUTENZA.

While administering QUTENZA, special gloves are required and must be disposed of properly to prevent accidental contact.

Your blood pressure may be monitored periodically during and following treatment because pain during the treatment may cause your blood pressure to increase.

Tell your physician or healthcare professional if you have experienced any recent heart problems prior to QUTENZA treatment.

Tell your physician or healthcare professional if you:

Have high blood pressure that is not well controlled by medicine, or have had recent heart problems, stroke, or other vascular problems.

Your physician or healthcare professional may monitor your blood pressure periodically during and following treatment.

Some pain and burning during and following the treatment is common, due to the prescription-strength capsaicin in QUTENZA. It's important that you tell your physician or healthcare professional how you are feeling during the application process. If you experience pain, tell your physician or healthcare professional. Your healthcare professional may use cold packs or pain medicine to reduce treatment-related discomfort.

Also, because the pain may cause an increase in blood pressure, your physician or healthcare professional may monitor your blood pressure periodically during and following treatment.

For QUTENZA, temporary increases in pain may be common on the day of treatment. Pain increases that occur during QUTENZA application usually begin to decrease after QUTENZA removal.

On average, for most patients in clinical trials, pain subsided by the end of the treatment day.

Do not touch QUTENZA during treatment, as this may irritate your eyes, mucous membranes, respiratory tract, and skin.

The areas treated with QUTENZA may be sensitive to heat, so you may wish to avoid hot showers or baths, direct sunlight, and vigorous exercise for a few days following treatment.