CBD oil for back pain as an alternative – what to make of it?
More and more people and among them doctors as well as therapists see cannabis oils or cannabis as a natural and gentle remedy. This also applies to CBD oil for back pain.
- What can CBD (cannabidiol) do about widespread back pain and how does this substance work?
- Is there already scientific evidence for the activity of the oil?
- What to consider if you want to try cannabis oil for back pain?
In this post, we’ve compiled what you should know about the topic, and you can find more information here: https://rueckenfit.info/cbd-against-back-pain/.
Back pain – the widespread ailment, its causes and the classical treatment approaches
According to surveys, up to 40% of all working Germans suffer from low back pain more or less regularly. Back pain is so widespread that the number of unreported cases in this area is probably much higher. Especially when it comes to chronic pain, the suffering of those affected is great.
Low back pain has just as many faces as well as possible causes. This can make treatment more difficult. Especially in the case of long-term treatment with classic painkillers or synthetic opioids, very serious side effects are sometimes to be expected.
Possible causes of pain in the back
Pain conditions around the spine may be due to degenerative changes in the vertebrae and adjacent areas. Also, primary diseases such as rheumatism, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, tumor diseases, multiple sclerosis or injuries often lead to (mostly chronic pain) at the back.
Often, no clear cause for the low back pain can be found either. Research indicates that stress and tension are also often responsible for the pain conditions. This cause variety often leads to the fact that physicians fight orthodox medicine only the symptom pain.
You then go with classic painkillers alone against the pain conditions. These do not work equally well for all sufferers and often cause their own problems due to severe side effects. Accordingly, the desire of most sufferers for alternative ways to act on the annoying pain symptoms is great.
CBD oil for pain – what are the potential scientific findings behind this idea??
The endocannabinoid system and its function in the human body
CBD and also the psychoactive substance THC are cannabinoids. When scientists started to investigate these interesting substances from the leaves of cannabis plants in more detail, they made a very interesting discovery. We humans produce substances ourselves in the form of messenger substances (neurotransmitters) that have a cannabinoid-like effect.
Neurotransmitters have many functions in the human organism. Among other things, they interact with receptors in the human nervous system that are tuned to them. Through this interaction, certain perceptions such as pain and anxiety, as well as states such as sleep, are partially regulated.
This is made possible by the messenger substances interacting with the receptor sites in a way that reduces or increases irritation. Put simply, certain neurotransmitters match their surface area to a receptor like a key to a lock.
It is exciting that not only the neurotransmitters produced by the body itself can become active in this way. Cannabinoids from hemp plants are also known to act as a key for some receptors.
Although this area has not yet been conclusively scientifically researched, it is believed that CBD oil can produce a positive effect in many pain conditions.
In addition to pain relief, cannabis oils also seem to be able to contribute to deep relaxation. This is an extremely positive effect for tension-related back pain.
Which oil in which application?
A high quality CBD oil is not a hemp seed oil with some cannabis aroma extract. Apart from the fact that cannabis aroma extract is a rather bitter affair, the valuable cannabinoid cannabidiol has to be extracted from the leaves of the useful plant in a more complex extraction process.
For example, the CO2 fraction can be considered here. When cannabis oil is mentioned, reference is usually made to CBD oils derived exclusively from commercial hemp. The two hemp species Cannabis sativa (commercial hemp) and Cannabis indica differ in their CBD and THC content.
Commercial hemp contains no or less than 0.2% of the addictive and intoxicating tetrahydrocannabinol. Although both cannabinoids are active in the human endocannabinoid system, CBD is not psychoactive. For self-administration, e.g. in the case of low back pain, only products obtained from hemp can be considered.
CBD oils are also considered a possible alternative for back pain because they are available over-the-counter without the psychoactive THC. Other cannabis products with tetrahydrocannabinol are subject to the narcotics law.
Is there scientific evidence?
The endocannabinoid system was only discovered in the 1990s. Potential findings on the effects of CBD oil are also still relatively new.
Scientists and medical professionals have only recently begun to look at the effects of cannabis oil alone, CBD oil for pain and cannabidiol compared to medical cannabis, which also contains tetrahydrocannabinol and is available by prescription.
Accordingly, the number of studies that focus exclusively on the effect of the oils is still small. Therefore, there is still a lack of scientific studies that deal exclusively with back pain and back disorders.
However, many experts see the great potential of cannabinoids especially against neuropathic (based on nerve damage or disease) pain, which also applies to some back pain.
Also, many enthusiastic reports from self-users indicate that especially chronic pain conditions in the back area respond to cannabis oils. Quite a few sufferers think that they have found a more gentle remedy for low back pain in the oil.
Why a full-spectrum oil may be able to do even more
Full-spectrum oils contain other secondary plant compounds in addition to the cannabinoid, such as terpenes. If you will, the cannabinoid in these oils is in its natural active ingredient environment. Some scientists describe an entourage effect for these full spectrum oils.
They are of the opinion that the other secondary plant substances could enhance the effect of the cannabinoid in the oil even more. Using such a CBD oil for pain might therefore be the better choice compared to other oils.
So consider a full-spectrum product as CBD oil for back pain and other aches and pains.
An oil with future potential
The interest in the cannabis oils does not let up. This also applies to the scientific side. There are already first indications that CBD oil can be an alternative in case of back pain.
Back pain seems to respond to the oil especially in its chronic form. There is therefore a lot to be said for giving the oil a try as a sufferer of back pain and low back pain.
Compared to traditional painkillers, there is no fear of stomach damage or addiction as with synthetic opioids. While there are still some unanswered questions regarding dosage and application regimen of the oils. However, no serious side effects have been reported so far.
In many cases, back pain sufferers also seem to benefit from a relaxing effect that CBD oil has on most people.
However, only rely on a high quality and convincing oil in doing so. Cannabis aroma extract mixed with some edible oil cannot produce any effect.
The more in demand cannabis oil is, the more inferior products come on the market. High quality cannabis oils can be more expensive.
However, the benefits that a natural alternative against pain conditions could offer are worth a possibly slightly higher price as well.
Therefore, choose your CBD oil for back pain wisely if you want to relieve your symptoms.
