Fact checkedExpert's opinion

We believe information about products and services that could benefit people should be made available to consumers to help them make informed decisions about their health care. Therefore, we try to provide accurate and reliable information by working with different fact-checkers to review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. A team of qualified and experienced fact-checkers rigorously reviewed our content before publishing it on our website. At EHproject, we rely on the most current and reputable sources cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact-checked after it has been edited and before publication.

CBD Oil For Back Pain: How To Use & How It Helps 2024

Zaakir Shakoor
by

Reviewed by Dr. Drew Sutton, MD
CBD Oil For Back Pain
CBD oil is an effective method for treating back pain. Photo: Nhung Nguyen/Shutterstock

Each article is created without any external influence. When you use our provided links to buy products, we receive a commission as an affiliate. To understand how we generate revenue, please read our advertising disclaimer.

Because of sitting too much or lack of physical activity, some of us have to suffer from all kinds of back pain. Inflammation and nerve issues were the most common. If you are interested in reaping similar benefits and a better understanding of how to use CBD oil for back pain, how it helps you to relieve pain, and more; this article will provide you with all the information you need to know.

How To Use CBD Oil For Back Pain?

We suggest getting around 15mg twice a day. Simply place the drops underneath the tongue, which is a capillary-rich area. This allows the oil to reach the bloodstream as rapidly as possible. 

How To Use CBD Oil For Back Pain?

We suggest getting around 15mg twice a day. Simply place the drops underneath the tongue, which is a capillary-rich area. This allows the oil to reach the bloodstream as rapidly as possible. 

We would suggest taking CBD at times of the day when you feel the most pain in the back. You can use it once after breakfast and once at night when you feel the most back pain. Not only did this help back pain, but promoted a good restful night of sleep, without pain disturbances. 

Dosage

The research is still scarce, so at this moment in time, we are unsure of what the optimal dose for ‘over-the-counter’ CBD products is. 

In the practical setting, we know a good starting dose to be 20-30mg/day and then increase the amount by 5mg every week until you feel symptoms of back pain subside.

Safety And Side Effects of Taking CBD Oil For Back Pain

There have been documented side effects via the use of CBD and MCT oil. Side effects are generally nausea, headaches, and frustration. 

Furthermore, it may be more difficult to break down prescription drugs, as liver enzymes may be used on the CBD oils. This is common in blood tests.  

How Does CBD Oil Work For Back Pain?

CBD works around the muscles and nerves that have been mentioned below:

CBD And Chronic Back Pain

It reduces inflammation[1] around the back, thereby it can indeed reduce or eliminate pain depending on the exact issue.

CBD And Neuropathic Pain

Neuropathic pain can be caused by a variety of issues like nerve compression, multiple sclerosis, chemo-induced nerve pain, surgical damage, carpal tunnel syndrome, and diabetes. This can occur around the nerves of the body, including the back and spine.
CBD has been shown to relieve the pain associated with neuropathy. It works by weakening or eliminating the neuropathic pain signals that are being sent to the brain.

What Is CBD?

What Is CBD?
Cannabidiol known as CBD is a marijuana extract. Photo: IRA_EVVA/Shutterstock

Cannabidiol more commonly known as CBD is a marijuana extract. Unlike the cannabis plant, High-quality CBD oil has low levels of THC, which induces negative side effects like hallucinations and intoxication. 

So basically, CBD is the ‘good stuff’ taken out of cannabis. High-quality CBD oil has many medical benefits. One of these benefits includes acute and chronic pain[2] relief, which is relevant to this current article. 

There are many CBD products and types that we will explore. You can attain; full-spectrum CBD oil, broad-spectrum CBD, and CBD isolate.

Is CBD Oil Legal?

CBD is perfectly legal in over 33 countries around the globe. Although their rulings on the quantity of THC may vary. In most of these countries, CBD can be brought over the counter. 

Research on CBD began in the year 2015 due to permission from the FDA. In 2018 hemp was legalized, which can now be used to extract CBD. However, some forms of CBD can only be prescribed by your medical doctor.

Type Of CBD

Full-Spectrum CBD

Full-spectrum CBD oil is normally available in the form of Plain oil, gummies, and topicals. This is nice to know, but what is so different about full-spectrum CBD? Full spectrum CBD consists of 3 main ingredients, which include:

  • Cannabinoids – Full spectrum oil includes a variety of cannabinoids, including CBD, as you know has great therapeutic benefits. Full spectrum has a very low THC content and therefore poses a low risk of negative side effects.
  • Flavonoids – Flavonoids are found in food products like fruits and vegetables. They have anti-inflammatory and neurogenic properties. For this reason, we could agree that as they are present in full-spectrum CBD, they can really aid in back pain management.
  • Terpenes – Terpenes may help reduce anxiety[3] and depression through their natural fragrances. Other than smelling nice they do not have any other benefits. Speaking for myself, this is important as a bad odor could put you off from a product.

Broad-Spectrum CBD

The broad-spectrum CBD oil is free from THC, so that adds value to the product right off the bat. This variant does not only contain CBD but also some unique ingredients including:

  • Cannabinol (CBN) CBN is an excellent inclusion into the broad spectrum. It has antibiotic properties so it can help gut health. More importantly for us, it has anti-inflammatory[4] properties, which may help reduce inflammation around the back. This would be great for chronic pain management.
  • Terpenes – As we have already mentioned, the odor of a CBD product can really influence one’s decision to use it or not. Lucky for us, the broad spectrum also contains plant-based terpenes.
  • Cannabichromene – cannabichromene also has some anti-inflammatory properties, thus it may help the cause of fixing back pain.

CBD Isolate

As the name suggests, this is an isolated form of CBD (pure CBD oil). So basically it is amongst the purest hemp-derived CBD products. We all know that CBD has many therapeutic properties. There are many ways in which CBD is extracted for the ‘isolate’ CBD oil. Without going into too much detail these include:

  • Carbon Dioxide Extraction
  • Lipid Extraction
  • Steam Distillation
  • Solvent Extraction

Type Of Back Pain

There are 3 different types of back pain that are common. These have been highlighted below:

Acute Back Pain

Acute is another word for the short term. This type of back pain shows up and usually subsides within a few days. Nevertheless, CBD products can still be used to treat pain in the area. 

Subacute Back Pain

Subacute back pain takes a little longer to make its appearance. It may also take around 1-3 months for it to settle. Perhaps CBD oil can help.

Chronic Back Pain

Last but not least to be worried about, is chronic back pain. Chronic back pain can occur quickly or over time. It usually lasts over 3 months and can come from time to time. 

How Long Does CBD Take To Provide Pain Relief?

How Long Does CBD Take To Provide Pain Relief?
CBD can get to work in 15-45 minutes. Photo: Girts Ragelis/Shutterstock

Perhaps to your surprise, the relief in pain is quite rapid. After consuming your CBD supplement, it may enter the bloodstream within around 15-45 minutes. 

The time it takes really varies from person to person. At times you may come across outliers who take longer to respond or do not respond at all.  

Once CBD reaches the bloodstream, it can interact with the brain and promote some pain relief around the back.

How Strong Does CBD Need To Be For Back Pain Relief?

CBD research is relatively new, so a lot of the recommendations do go off trial and error. For back or neck pain specifically, you could try a 2:1 ratio tincture. 

This contains 2 parts CBD and 1 part cannabigerol (CBG). You could choose between the 1000 mg to the 6000 mg solution depending on tolerance and what works for you specifically. 

This formula should have the correct anti-inflammatory and anti-pain effects. 

How We Choose The Best CBD Oils For Back Pain?

There are 4 criteria of CBD that we look at before purchasing or recommending to clients.

Certificate Of Analysis

Some companies have their CBD oil analyzed in a lab to ensure that it does not have any other foreign substances, which is then certified. 

This would give you the peace of mind that you are not getting a dangerous product with adverse effects.

Ingredients

Typically you would go for a product with organic ingredients and low in THC.

As you know THC induces the negative side effects that we see in marijuana. Perhaps even an organic hemp seed oil? Other helpful ingredients are flavonoids, terpenes, and some micronutrients. 

Spectrum Types

All of the spectrum types will work as they contain CBD. Personally, we do admire the full spectrum CBD for its inclusion of flavonoids and terpenes, which both have therapeutic effects. 

Pricing

Take into account that the industry average is currently $30-$127 for products containing 500-2000 mg of CBD. We think it’s not an issue when paying a little extra as long as the product is authentic, good quality, and certified.

Avoid paying an exaggerated amount, say $500 for a product. We try to stay at 40% ± of the industry average. So, personally, we recommend that you would not pay more than $177.8 for 1 bottle of the highest-content CBD oil. 

Conclusion

All in all, CBD is excellent for back pain. CBD is extracted from the cannabis plant, which can be formed into CBD oil products. We generally recommend taking 15-20mg of CBD oil twice per day at times when you may feel the back pain the most. So you could start with 30mg per day and increase it by 5mg every week until your pain symptoms heal. CBD oil can help reduce severe back pain from its anti-inflammatory properties and is neurogenic (nerves). It can get to work in 15-45 minutes. 

You should choose CBD oil brands that are; lab tested and certified for authenticity. They must also have good quality ingredients, a full spectrum, and a reasonable price. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is CBD legal?

Approved nonprescription CBD products are legal and can be picked up from a store or online. Do the due diligence to check the product thoroughly before purchase.

Best CBD oil?

I like the quality of the Joy Organics CBD products. High-quality CBD products,  concentration, organic ingredients, and lab tested.

CBD oil or CBD cream for back pain?

Both of these products were extracted from the hemp plant. The one you decide on will depend on your preference. Personally, I like oils.

What is broad spectrum extract?

Broad-spectrum oil retains high amounts of phytochemicals but removes THC.

+ 4 Sources

EHproject has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We work mostly with peer-reviewed studies to ensure accurate information. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

  1. Aggarwal, S., Carter, G.T., Sullivan, M.D., ZumBrunnen, C., Morrill, R.L. and Mayer, J.D. (2018). Medicinal use of cannabis in the United States: Historical perspectives, current trends, and future directions. Journal of opioid management, [online] 5(3), pp.153–168. doi:https://doi.org/10.5055/jom.2009.0016.
  2. ‌Healthdirect.gov.au. (2023). Medicinal cannabis. [online] Available at: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/medicinal-cannabis.
  3. CDC (2023). What We Know About Marijuana. [online] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/marijuana/featured-topics/what-we-know-about-marijuana.html.
  4. Eskander, J.P., Spall, J., Spall, A., Shah, R.V. and Kaye, A.D. (2020). Cannabidiol (CBD) as a treatment of acute and chronic back pain: A case series and literature review. Journal of opioid management, [online] 16(3), pp.215–218. doi:https://doi.org/10.5055/jom.2020.0570.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Zack Shakoor Kayani was born and raised in the South East of England/London. Zack has attained a bolus of knowledge regarding biosciences through academia and his career experiences. In terms of his educational background, he has… See More