Does CBD Help With Pain? This is What Studies Say

With the uprising of CBD taking the world by storm, those living with pain symptoms from health conditions such as arthritis, lower back pain, sore muscles and tendons, and menstrual cramps are looking for safer and better alternatives for effective pain management as opposed to prescription medication and over-the-counter drugs. Let’s see If CBD help with pain or not.

CBD may offer individuals an alternative to treat chronic pain while avoiding over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen that can eat away at stomach linings and prescription-strength painkillers such as opioids that have been shown to cause unwanted side effects coupled with their habit-forming qualities.

To discover if CBD for pain really works and what recent scientific studies are saying about this cannabinoid, keep reading the truth.

What is CBD for Pain?

CBD is emerging as one of the promising pharmaceutical agents for treating pain. Although, the human understanding of the significance of CBD in pain management still continues to evolve as more evidence from studies are showing the pain-relieving effects of CBD through its interaction with the endocannabinoid and nociceptive system. 

5 Case Studies About CBD for Pain

The endocannabinoid system or also known as the cell-signaling system consists of the cannabinoid receptors that modulate and interact with naturally occurring cannabinoids. Typically, receptors are only the tiny proteins attached to the cells that receive the chemical signals and help the cells to respond. 

As CBD tends to interact with the core component of endocannabinoid receptors in the immune system and the brain, it creates pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects that may help with pain management. There are several case studies conducted regarding the efficacies of CBD for pain management. 

Here are five case studies about CBD for effective pain management:

1. Case Study on CBD for Migraine Pain Relief

In a 2017 study, it showed that the combination of THC and CBD can reduce the acute and intense pain for people suffering from migraine. This was a two-phase study where participants took the combination of CBD and THC. One of these compounds contained almost zero THC and 9% of CBD while the other contained almost 19% of THC. 

In the first phase, it was noticed that there was no effect on pain management while participants were using a dosage less than 100mg. However, as the doses increased up to 200 mg, the pain fell almost by 55%. In phase two, participants noticed their migraine pain fall by at least 40.4% by taking a combination of CBD and THC. 

2. Case Study on CBD for Arthritis Pain Management 

A 2016 study, conducted on rats having arthritis pain to check on the influence of CBD. Researchers used CBD gel on these rats continuously for four days. They received almost 0.6mg, 3.1mg, 6.2mg, and 62.3 mg on a day. Promisingly, there were zero side effects noticed on these rats while the inflammation reduced to a significant percentage. 

Although, those who received CBD with a lower dosage such as the 3.1mg daily or 0.6mg daily didn’t improve much while the rats who were given a higher dosage of CBD showed noticeable changes in their pain reduction along with swelling. Therefore, the pain-relieving effects of the CBD gel may help people with arthritis. 

3. Case Study on CBD for Chronic Pain Management 

Chronic pain tends to last longer than a few months and it doesn’t easily go away even after the person recovers from the ailment. A few instances of chronic pain include frequent headaches or back pain. There are prescription medications to treat these chronic pain but they all come with several unpleasant side effects. 

A 2020 study report suggested that CBD may help to relieve chronic pain by reducing inflammation. Researchers compiled several systematic reviews of multiple studies and trials. It summarized that there is enough evidence to consider CBD an effective treatment of pain management.  

4.Case Study on CBD for Neuropathic Pain Management 

Neuropathic pain is caused due to damages to the nervous system. This kind of pain is pretty common for people with infections like shingles or have multiple sclerosis. Although a few trials only have explored the efficacies of CBD oil in managing neuropathic pain, a 2017 report found the benefits of CBD for treating this pain. 

The research looked at 11 controlled trials on 1219 patients and concluded that CBD could help people with chronic neuropathy pain. Also, there was another research conducted following the 2017 study, where researchers observed 16 studies over 1750 patients to check the effect of the cannabis-derived medicines. 

5. Case Study on CBD for Cancer Treatment Pain Relief

Traditional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy often cause unpleasant side effects in patients. There are studies conducted on humans to investigate the pivotal role of CBD in terms of managing cancer treatment pain. Although research also has been conducted on mice that showed the influence of CBD in reducing tumor growth.

In a 2010 study on people with cancer-related pain, researchers used oral CBD with a combination of THC. The extract was used combined with the opioids. It showed that the dosage offered effective pain management than the opioids alone. 

Still, more research on humans needs to be done before bringing CBD products like  CBD gummies for pain relief to the market. Currently, only Epidiolex, a drug for epilepsy is the CBD product approved by FDA.

The Benefits of CBD for Pain

There is conclusive evidence till now to support CBD oil’s efficacy in pain management still researchers agree that CBD-induced products have several potentials. These products may offer pain relief without causing any drug dependence or intoxication. 

There are several places to buy CBD oil or other CBD products. People can either opt for online or offline stores for shopping. However, the COA certification needs to be checked prior to buying these products.