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Do you often suffer from back pain, and would like to find a natural alternative to paracetamol, Ibuprofen and muscle relaxants?
Cannabidiol (CBD), a molecule derived from hemp known for its anti-inflammatory properties, is one of the most popular natural active compounds for treating pain.
And in patch form, it's said to be even more effective...
Today, the Nobilis-Product team offers you a summary of information that will help you determine whether CBD patches are useful for back pain.
Of course, and we prefer to make this clear from the outset, this article does not replace a consultation with a physiotherapist or osteopath...
Table of contents
Back pain: the different types of back pain
Before considering whether or not the CBD patch is useful for relieving back pain, it's worth remembering that the term "back pain" encompasses several types of ailment.
Back pain can take many forms, and is generally classified into several categories according to intensity and duration.
- Acute pain : This type of pain occurs suddenly and is often linked to a sudden movement or injury. It usually lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Acute pain can result from poor posture, wrong movement or muscle injury.
- Chronic pain: When pain persists for more than three months, it is considered chronic. This type of pain is often more difficult to treat and can be caused by degenerative pathologies, such as osteoarthritis, or structural problems in the spine.
- Low back pain: Pain in the lower back, also known as lumbar pain. Low-back pain is very common and can be acute or chronic. It is often caused by muscular tension, herniated discs or worn vertebrae.
- Sciatica : Sciatica is pain caused by compression or irritation of the sciatic nerve. It often manifests as pain radiating from the lower back to the legs, sometimes accompanied by tingling or numbness.
The CBD patch cannot, of course, act on the "mechanical" causes of back pain. However, as we shall see, it can have a beneficial impact on certain other causes, such as stress and inflammation.
Therapeutic properties of CBD
We'll explain what a CBD patch is in more detail in the next paragraph, but as you can imagine, it's a dermal patch soaked in cannabidiol (CBD). So it's important to understand what CBD is, what it does for the body and what it can do for you.
What is CBD?
Discovered in the 1940s by chemist Roger Adams, CBD is a cannabinoid. In other words, a molecule found in abundance in hemp flowers.
Unlike THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the cannabinoid responsible for the psychotropic effects of cannabis, CBD has no euphoric effect. It is therefore mainly sought after for its therapeutic properties, such as its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anxiolytic and neuroprotective effects.
👉 Want to know more about CBD's countless properties? Check out our "Pathologies" section ! Find out everything science has to say about the potential benefits of this hemp molecule.
Its use is totally legal and considered safe for health. In fact, in 2020, the United Nations (UN) officially recognized that CBD poses no risk to public health and has significant medicinal properties.
Studies have not reported any serious side effects. Consumption of a high dose of CBD (over 1500 mg) may, at most, cause drowsiness, stomach pains and vomiting.
CBD and back pain: mechanism of action
If CBD - and more broadly, cannabis molecules - are attracting so much interest from the scientific community, it's for a good reason: the endocannabinoid system.
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a complex network of receptors found throughout the human body (and in animals too!). It plays an essential role in regulating many physiological functions, such as pain, mood, appetite, sleep and the immune system. Its ultimate goal is to maintain internal equilibrium, or homeostasis.
CBD, while not acting directly on these receptors, influences this system by modulating the activity of certain receptors and enzymes, helping to regulate various processes such as pain management and inflammation.
Is the CBD patch effective against back pain?
As you can see, if you're looking for a natural way to relieve back pain, then CBD is a serious contender. But is a CBD patch the best way to take advantage of its potential pain-relieving properties?
What is a CBD patch, and how does it work?
As we've already mentioned, a CBD patch is a transdermal patch soaked in CBD. To use it, simply apply it to the painful area... And that's all? Yes, that's all!
In fact, CBD interacts with our endocannabinoid system by binding to receptors present on the skin's surface, called TRPVs. These receptors play a key role in pain perception mechanisms, by transmitting the associated nerve signals.
In practical terms, the transdermal application of CBD helps to reduce the intensity of pain experienced. And to maximize this effect, the patch is designed to release CBD gradually and continuously.
So a patch can work for 8 to 12 hours, depending on the dosage of CBD, which generally varies between 15 and 30 mg per patch.
Advantages/disadvantages of the CBD patch compared to other forms of CBD
It won't have escaped your notice that there are dozens of ways to take CBD. So, is the CBD patch the most suitable form for back pain? Well, that depends on the type of pain and your needs:
| Forms of CBD | Speed of action | Duration of effects | Ideal for ... | Big + | Petit - |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sublingual oil | Fast (15 to 30 min) | 4 to 6 hours | Rapid relief from acute pain | Act fast and act well! | The action is not targeted |
| Topical cream | Medium (30 to 60 min) | 3 to 4 hours | Targeted relief of topical pain | Pleasant to use, targeted action | Relief is short-lived |
| Transdermal patch | Medium (30 to 60 min) | 8 to 12 hours | Continuous, targeted relief of persistent pain | Can be used overnight! | Not necessarily suitable for severe pain |
| Capsules | Slow (1 to 2 hours) | 6 to 8 hours | Continuous, all-round relief | Very practical | No targeted action |
CBD transdermal patches: what about the scientific evidence?
As we've said, CBD is said to have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties that could help relieve your back pain. But is there any scientific evidence to back this up?
Several studies have examined the effect of CBD on pain, and their conclusions are very encouraging. However, they are not considered proof, as they were carried out on an animal model or on too small a sample of patients.
In fact, studies have shown that CBD is capable of inhibiting the action of some of these receptors, thereby reducing the influx of nerve messages linked to the sensation of pain.
Put another way, CBD acts in a similar way to analgesics and opioids (aspirin, morphine, etc.).
Other studies have also highlighted its potential anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties.
Back pain and backache: how to choose a CBD patch?
If you want to buy CBD patches to relieve your back pain, then here are 3 buying criteria:
- The right dosage: between 15 and 30 mg CBD/patch. This way, the patch will have a continuous action throughout the day or night;
- The right composition: prefer CBD broad spectrum patches. Compared to patches containing ONLY CBD, broad spectrum patches contain all cannabis molecules (except THC). This allows you to take advantage of the entourage effect, the principle by which cannabinoids act synergistically.
- The right brand: choose a manufacturing brand (like Nobilis-Product 😊) that will be able to provide you with laboratory analyses guaranteeing the CBD content of the patch, but also the absence of any allergenic substances.
Using a CBD patch to relieve back pain: our recommendations
There is no definitive proof that the CBD patch is effective in relieving back pain. However, the initial data are rather encouraging, not to mention the fact that we receive a lot of customer feedback indicating that our patches are effective.
In this regard, we generally recommend that our customers pair the CBD patch with a special CBD oil with CBG for aches and pains. This allows us to benefit from a global action, both on the body's equilibrium and on the painful area.
CBD has anxiolytic properties. It can therefore get to the root of the problem if your back pain is caused by chronic stress. In this case, taking CBD oil is all the more justified.
Generally speaking, at Nobilis-Product we recommend a holistic approach. The CBD patch is one of the actions you can easily implement to relieve your back pain, but it's probably not the only one.
For example, practicing yoga or stretching exercises (supervised by a professional), but also massages, can potentiate the effects of CBD.
One thing's for sure, a CBD patch won't replace the advice of a physiotherapist or osteopath, but it can help relieve you while you wait for the consultation 😉
