Nearly all the discussions surrounding cannabis and pain relief focus primarily on THC. That is understandable. But what about CBD? Is there any science supporting it as a potential pain reliever? Yes. The science is by no means overwhelming, but we do have a growing body of evidence to look at.

A recent Forbes Health article from contributor Lauren Silva cites a number of studies showing CBD might be an effective pain reliever. Without getting into all the details, the studies looked at CBD as a treatment for "multiple sclerosis-related central neuropathic pain" and "chronic, non-cancer pain."

CBD for Neuropathic Pain

Neuropathic pain is a type of pain caused by nerve damage. People suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS) frequently complain of debilitating neuropathic pain. It is also a pretty big issue for diabetics. One of the most difficult things with this type of pain is how deeply it is felt.

According to Silva, the Canadian government approved a CBD-based drug for treating neuropathic pain more than 15 years ago. A couple of years later, they approved the same medication for treating cancer pain when patients do not respond to other medications.

CBD for Non-Cancer Pain

Fast-forward to 2020 and a study that looked at treating peripheral neuropathy with a topical CBD medication. The study divided participants into two groups. The control group received a placebo while the test group received topical CBD.

The test group reported a significant reduction in pain sensations. They reported fewer sharp and intense pains, fewer cold sensations, and less itchiness – all symptoms of peripheral neuropathy. Best of all, none of the study participants reported any adverse side effects.

Talk to Your Doctor About CBD

None of this is to say that a CBD oil or drops is a magic elixir that will solve all your problems. As much as we know about CBD, there is still a lot to learn. What we can say is that the evidence in support of CBD as a pain reliever is growing. At the very least, ask your doctor about it.

If you are suffering from any type of chronic pain for which no other treatments have been successful, take a look at CBD drops or gummies. Silva mentioned in her article that topicals seem to work better than ingested products, so maybe that's the ticket for you. It's something for you and your doctor to talk about.

As for the mechanism behind how it all works, that's one of things we still need to learn. As you know, CBD is a cannabinoid. It reacts with the human body by binding to cannabinoid receptors. What you might not know is that those receptors are not limited to the brain.

Receptors Throughout Your Body

You have cannabinoid receptors throughout your body. They influence everything from pain sensation to sleep patterns to nausea and vomiting. Right now, the speculation is that CBD binds to cannabinoid receptors separate from the brain, receptors that influence how you feel pain.

None of this has been proven yet. But researchers now have an angle to study. As you are reading this post, there are researchers around the world looking at the effectiveness of CBD as a pain reliever. The more research they do, the more promising the results.

We cannot say for sure if CBD oil or drops will help you feel better. We cannot say that CBD is the right pain reliever. We don't know. But we do know that a growing number of studies show that patients suffering from neuropathic pain, cancer pain, and certain types of chronic, non-cancer pain have found relief.