Large Review Finds CBD Products Don't Relieve Chronic Pain After All

[Warpy]

Evidence does not support the use of cannabidiol (CBD) products as a treatment for chronic pain, a new review found.

A meta-analysis of relevant studies published in scientific journals found a lack of convincing evidence that CBD – packaged as oils, vapes, creams, gummies, drinks, and more – reduces pain, prompting the team of UK and Canadian researchers to advise caution when comparing the marketing claims of CBD products.
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The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) issued a position statement in 2021 stating there was insufficient evidence from high-quality research to support the general use of cannabinoids to treat pain. While animal studies suggested potential pain relief mechanisms, human trials were lacking.

"This is not a door closing on the topic," an IASP summary said at the time, "but rather a call for more rigorous and robust research … and to ensure the safety of patients and the public through regulatory standards and safeguards."

https://www.sciencealert.com/large-review-finds-cbd-products-dont-relieve-chronic-pain-after-all

It's certainly what I've found and neither THC or D-8 THC acts directly on pain, but neither do opiates. Mostly, effective pain drugs remove the anxiety connected with pain. You still hurt, but you don't give a damn. I still see cannabis as an adjunt to standard chronic pain treatment, one that has the potential to lower opiate dosage and even use. Getting lightly toasted on an edible sends my brain on a mildly pleasant 4 hour vacation during which an opiate is the last thing in the world I want, no matter how bad the pain has been. That, I think, will be the eventual medical use for cannabis in chronic pain..

[AkFemDem]

1. This-

"Mostly, effective pain drugs remove the anxiety connected with pain. You still hurt, but you don't give a damn."

I have NEVER found relief with CBD gels and creams and teas that do not contain THC. CBD on its own seems like a complete placebo to me. THC on the other hand, relaxes you and makes you feel happyish. You're no longer focused on the pain and worrying about it worsening.

[brewens]

2. Roger that. The CBD products did nothing for me. I have a mad scientist grower buddy that grew some

weed high in CBD and gave me some. I made cannabutter and edibles and it was great, but probably just because of the THC. I couldn't tell the difference from my usual edibles.

[forgotmylogin]

33. I think THC/cannabis has good medical uses, but it's not really a painkiller.

It's good for bronchial/vasodilation, and although not a cure for glaucoma, it can temporarily lower the pressure in the eyeball.

It's can be great for nausea (though for certain people it can cause nausea) and appetite for people having chemotherapy or conditions who would benefit from eating when they're not prone to be hungry.

My neighbor dealt with fibromyalgia all her life and tried everything including every variation of CBD - turns out full on cannabis/THC was the actual miracle for her - it potentially might provide some relief on systemic pain syndromes. Cannabis doesn't work for pain caused by general injury, but it can cause muscle relaxation and potentially make pain more tolerable due to its chill-out effects.

(I had the same reaction to Vicodin - an actual painkiller. I still had the pain, but it took the "sharp point" of it away and made me not obsess about the pain. Unfortunately opiates have that "everything is groovy and awesome" effect only for like 10-15 minutes - that and the lack of plateau for pain relief tends to be what hooks people on it.)

Some people I've known say Cannabis is the only remedy for a migraine headache that works - likely due to vasodilation and muscle relaxation.

Sativa strains are good for social anxiety, depression, motivation (some weed will make you want to get things done - like I've decided to paint the bathroom right now!); indica strains for hyper-anxiety and insomnia - especially if caused by "racing intrusive thoughts" or lack of sleep due to general pain or discomfort. Sativa usually is inspirational; indica is calming.

[tazkcmo]

7. Same for me.

24 hours a day I'm in pain. I get high and still feel the pain but I'm nice and toasty. Booze does it too but it's got other effects
I would rather avoid.

[Dave Bowman]

32. Yeah, I've drastically cut my booze consumption

for the same reasons and use pot in small quantities for the pain.

[Warpy]

10. Yes, the creams are junk unless they've got a lot of menthol in them

in which case they're like Ben-Gay, which gives the illusion of warming a sore area. Then they're overpriced Ben-Gay.

CBD, taken internally, is a mild anxiolytic so it can be an adjunct in pain relief., although I've found a combination of plant alkaloids to work better. Those plus Tylenol do give improved relief over just the Tylenol and, as I said, the last thing I want is an opiate.

Come to think of it, that might be why opiate use drops in recreational cannabis states, there's an actual aversion to them when cannabis is used, instead. Or maybe a lot of us are just clean living, one drug at a time.

[AllyCat]

18. I actually feel the same about opiate pain relievers.

I still hurt, but I no longer cared. Really relieved when the bones knitted, I got back to moving again, and PT/neuromuscular therapy for soft tissue sequelae.

Feel badly for those for whom the pain becomes chronic.

[yliza]

29. Morphine definitely works

Only had it once when I broke my arm, they gave me a small dose in the ambulance. Felt relief from pains I didn’t know I had until they were gone, and that was from a dose so small I barely felt high. That being said, I don’t think opioids are appropriate for long or even medium term use since they are highly addictive and become less effective over time.

If you’re old enough to remember Darvon, now that was a painkiller that didn’t relieve pain, at least it didn’t for me.

[AllyCat]

38. Darvocet. Got that as a kid with first clavicle fracture

Utterly worthless.

[sybylla]

31. Exactly. Opiods are the same.

You still hurt; you just don't care.

With the exceptions of side effects, it keeps the pain from multiplying across the body.

[RAB910]

3. First hand experience, CBD relieved some chronic hip pain

I wasn't even expecting it to do so as I was trying CBD for anxiety and helping me sleep better.

I told my father about it, and he started taking it for spinal stenosis when no other drug was working for him. It worked great


I have told a couple of other people, but both of them had no relief

So, my limited data set suggests it's hit or miss in terms of pain relief.

[BComplex]

30. That's been my experience, too. I got some to help with sleep, and sure enough, it helped

with muscle soreness (inflammation?).

[RAB910]

4. I looked at the studies that were used for this report and it was a terrible selection

What I have seen is that chronic muscular and skeletal pain cam be helped. Yet that wasn't the types of pain most of the studies looked at. Plus CBD is long term, yet there were studies looking at it trying to treat acute rather than chronic pain (like after surgery)

There was even a study involving irritable bowel syndrome which is really off the rails

[TheRickles]

16. Not surprising, since CBD is a threat to the pharmaceutical industry. So biases in reviews

are to be expected because of the influence of the industry; check out how many pharma companies advertise in journals like this one. The misrepresentations and misleading comparisons in this article sound pretty egregious, though.

Full article here: https://www.jpain.org/article/S1526-5900(23)00582-5/fulltext|

[rubbersole]

5. Duuude...

CBD just helps lighten your wallet.

[Wonder Why]

6. The problem is that most of it is just junk. There are no real standards on how much active ingredient there

is in any CBD you buy. From FDA website:

Some CBD Products are Being Marketed with Unproven Medical Claims and Could be Produced with Unsafe Manufacturing Practices

Unlike the FDA-approved CBD drug product, unapproved CBD products, which could include cosmetics, foods, products marketed as dietary supplements, and any other product (other than Epidiolex) making therapeutic claims, have not been subject to FDA evaluation regarding whether they are effective to treat a particular disease or have other effects that may be claimed. In addition, they have not been evaluated by the FDA to determine what the proper dosage is, how they could interact with other drugs or foods, or whether they have dangerous side effects or other safety concerns.

Misleading, unproven, or false claims associated with CBD products may lead consumers to put off getting important medical care, such as proper diagnosis, treatment, and supportive care. For that reason, it’s important to talk to your doctor about the best way to treat diseases or conditions with available FDA-approved treatment options.

In addition to safety risks and unproven claims, the quality of many CBD products may also be in question. The FDA is also concerned that a lack of appropriate processing controls and practices can put consumers at additional risks. For example, the agency has tested the chemical content of cannabinoid compounds in some of the products, and many were found to not contain the levels of CBD they claimed. We are also investigating reports of CBD potentially containing unsafe levels of contaminants (e.g., pesticides, heavy metals, THC).

CBD products are also being marketed for pets and other animals. The FDA has not approved CBD for any use in animals and the concerns regarding CBD products with unproven medical claims and of unknown quality equally apply to CBD products marketed for animals. The FDA recommends pet owners talk with their veterinarians about appropriate treatment options for their pets.

The FDA’s top priority is to protect the public health. This priority includes making sure consumers know about products that put their health and safety at greatest risk, such as those claiming to prevent, diagnose, treat, mitigate, or cure serious diseases. For example, the agency has warned companies to stop selling CBD products they claim are intended to prevent, diagnose, treat, mitigate, or cure serious diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, psychiatric disorders and diabetes. While we have focused on these types of products, we will continue to monitor the marketplace for any product that poses a risk to public health, including those with dangerous contaminants, those marketed to vulnerable populations, and products that otherwise put the public health at risk.

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/public-health-focus/fda-regulation-cannabis-and-cannabis-derived-products-including-cannabidiol-cbd]

[DownriverDem]

8. CBD helps me

I get it from intrensichemp.com

[HandmaidsTaleUntold]

9. Delta 9 THC Relieves Pain

CBD can help in conjunction with THC. Alone it helps with anxiety. People who get anxiety from smoking weed should pick strains that have a little bit of CBD in them along with the THC to mitigate.

[Warpy]

13. I would suggest that people who react badly to anything avoid it

Some of that "anxiety" is actually tachycardia, a well known side effect of cannabis in some people and one which is very unpleasant.

[Marcuse]

11. Whatever helps.

[Botany]

12. I just spent 3.5 months in the hospital/nursing home and the THC gummies really helped me

….. then and now too. I was cut open, had my guts messed with, paralyzed for a time, and
almost died.

[Warpy]

17. There is nothing wrong with sending your brain on vacation for a few hours

I'm glad cannabis helped. A friend went through something similar but cannabis wasn't legal yet. The boredom really got to her.

I'm happy to say she's fine now.

[AllyCat]

14. Never helped me in any way with nerve pain.

[Warpy]

20. OTC lidocaine patches can help

Follow the instructions exactly, you need to remove them in a timely manner or the drug can affect your heart.

I was a little surprised to find them OTC because of this.

Still, the patches do offer a lot of relief and the relief persists for hours after the patches come off.

[Qutzupalotl]

15. "Chronic" pain -- I see what they did there.

My experience with back and joint pain is the CBD-only products were ineffective, but those with THC or THC/CBD helped.

[slightlv]

19. My experience mirrors yours.

I was thinking there must be something wrong with me... that people were all getting so much relief, and here I was... it wasn't doing anything for me. And it didn't seem to make any difference what the price of the CBD... expensive was just as ineffective as cheap. At least I see others have had my experience, too. That actually helps a little. Now, if only we could get cannabis legalized in KS (sigh).

[Warpy]

26. I think it's coming

They're going to have to delist it from the schedules, period. As research goes on and more substances made by that clever little plant are isolated and tested, it might provide some actual drugs. Or it might turn out cannabis is effective only when all the components work together.

Eradication of the plant hasn't worked, there are too many farmers. Grass needs to join the GRAS list.

Whenever I worked on an oncology floor here in NM or back in Boston, the policy was turning a blind eye to any patient who headed for the stairwell with a joint and a lighter. Those were the patients who could continue to eat and had more energy to fight the cancer and the horrible treatments.

[Martin68]

21. I tried CBD to alleviate arthritic pain, and it was useless. The CBD deal is all hype in my opinion.

I tried oral, topical and smoking. THC does have some effect.

[Mr.Bill]

22. I have been smoking marijuana since 1967,

and eating home made edibles since the mid 70s. I have never noticed any sort of pain relief whatsoever. I do not have any chronic pain issues, so I'm talking about the kind of pain you get from a sprained ankle or a moderate rib injury.

My wife has several serious types of chronic pain, mainly arthritis. She used opiods for years just to function. Now she makes pot butter and cookies and she is completely if not pain free, at least able to be up and about in relative comfort. She has not taken an opiod for years.

I guess it's just different for different people, which is true of many pain relief products.

[Marthe48]

23. I think that things that are effective for one person

might not be effective for another. I put cinnamon powder in my first cup of coffee in the morning and I think it helps keep my blood sugar lower. Studies suggest cinnamon might have that effect, but not for everyone.

I also eat avocado almost every day to help with cholesterol, and I think it has. I don't mind if it hasn't!

If we think something works for us, and it's affordable and legal, use it. If we have individual fingerprints, who knows what else is unique?

[stage left]

27. How much

cinnamon powder do you use?

[Marthe48]

28. probably about 1/4 tsp

I just tap the cinnamon bottle against the cup, don't measure No sugar or cream. My daughter gave me a big bottle of Vietnamese cinnamon, hope it doesn't have a high lead content like the stuff sold at the discount stores.

[stage left]

42. Thanks. Marthe nt.

[Elessar Zappa]

36. Interesting.

I’ll give cinnamon a try. Anything that possibly helps my blood sugar is worth a shot.

[Marthe48]

37. I wish you luck

I went on a low carb diet (under 100 grams a day) and I lost weight. I think the cinnamon predated the diet. I got my sugar down to around 100 fasting. At least if I take it at home, it is low. I noticed if I am fasting and get bloodwork, it is higher. Bloodwork is only annual, so not that good of a comparison, but next time I get labs, I'm going to sneak in cinnamon and see what kind of a reading I get

[Bundbuster]

24. Glad I only wasted $50 on one CBD cream

after talking with some friends who swore by it. The stuff did nothing for my shoulder and hip pain.

Different strokes for different folks.

[toad-eye]

25. Absolutely

CBD's don't do crap.
But it will take your mind off of the pain.
The downside is, if you have pain, you might need medical treatment.
Pain is your body telling you something.
Best not to get so baked you ignore it.
Unless there is no medical remedy.
In which case, as the saying goes, "Knock yourself out."
Manage it.
Don't get carried away.

[doc03]

34. CBD has helped my knee pain. I take 1/2 a Delta 8 or Delta 9 gummy helps me sleep.

I think the Delta 9 works better but a whole gummy makes me very dizzy.

[Elessar Zappa]

35. Huh.

My dad swears by it. He takes it sublingually for his chronic hip pain.

[Warpy]

40. Hey, whatever does the trick

and has a low potential for either dependence or harm is peachy with me.

[Joinfortmill]

39. Moringa leaf capsules help pain.

I've used it since 2019 for joint pain. I use more than the recommended dose, but it's the leaf of a tree. It's safe. NIH has a page on it. They use it to help populations in poor countries. It's considered a super food. Get the capsules 'cause the powder tastes awful. There's a ton of info on youtube. My doc also knows I take it.