_{^{CBD and sciatica.}}

CBD and sciatica are the main reasons I started this website. I wanted to share with other sciatica sufferers the enormous benefit I receive from taking CBD for sciatic pain. I must point out that although CBD is freely available from chemists such as Boots, Lloyds Pharmacy and health stores etc, I can’t make any medical claims, I can’t claim it will cure your chronic pain. All I can do is tell you about my experience of taking CBD and how I feel it helped with my sciatica which you can read more about on the homepage here Sciatica Help. I also refer to reports by respected medical bodies such as NICE, National Library of Medicine and the World Health Organisation.

_{^{What is CBD?}}

_{^{Ways of taking CBD.}}

CBD is normally supplied in a number of ways including oil, lotion, edibles, drinks and sprays. The oil is supplied in bottles with a dropper. You use the dropper to administer individual drops under the tongue, hold for a minute or two before swallowing (this is known as sublingually). For convenience the oil is also supplied in capsules – similar to Cod Liver Oil capsules – this has the benefit of being easier to take and more accurate for dosing purposes. Edibles and drinks come in the form of jelly type “Gummie” sweets, chocolates, teas etc mixed and infused with CBD. CBD skincare balms, lotions and CBD massage and muscle rubs are also very popular, these are applied externally by rubbing into the skin.

There are different strengths normally indicated as milligrams (mg) of CBD in total, per dose or as a percentage. 

_{^{Is CBD legal in the UK?}}

The simple answer is yes. As mentioned earlier CBD is available from many high street chemists and stores.

_{^{Will CBD get me high?}}

THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the psychoactive part of cannabis that gets you high. THC is only allowed in CBD in very very small trace amounts and so CBD will not get you high.

_{^{Does CBD benefit sciatica and sciatic nerve pain?}}

In a study (published November 2019) on CBD the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the UK body responsible for medical guidance, showed there was some evidence that CBD provided modest improvement for chronic pain. It also stated people with treatment resistant nerve pain are often taking high doses of medicines for pain relief, with their usual side effects, so they made a recommendation for further research for CBD in adults with neuropathic pain and also stated CBD can be offered to adults with chronic pain as part of a clinical trial.

In a World Health Organisation report of 2017 it was stated that CBD may interact with our nervous system to block the bodies reuptake (reabsorption) of one of our naturally occurring pain killing neurotransmitters called anandamide. What this means in basic terms is that as our body senses pain, we release a natural analgesic (pain killing) chemical – anandamide. Unfortunately, this pain killing sensation is weak and short lived as other bodily processes quickly reabsorb the anandamide. THC (the part of cannabis that gets you high) interacts with our endocannabinoid system (ECS) to inhibit or block this reuptake so that the anandamide is available for longer and provide more effective and greater pain relief. The problem with THC is of course it also affects function, memory, mood, it’s not practical (or legal!) to take.

CBD interacts with our bodies chemistry in a similar way to THC but without the negative side effects, which is why it’s freely available. This interaction, blocking the reuptake and prolonging of anandamides pain reducing abilities is the reason CBD is so effective against my sciatica, it enables one of the body’s own natural pain blockers to last longer and stronger.

It’s not practical to go into all the research into CBD, our endocannabinoid system and pain relief on one web page so I would really encourage you to refer to the articles, sources and reports linked to throughout this page.          

_{^{How does CBD make you feel?}}

I don’t feel high, euphoric, happy, uplifted or any other “mood” sensation after taking CBD. It doesn’t numb my senses or stop any feeling in my back or legs. The only difference I’m aware of is that my sciatica pain is eliminated! It’s interesting, as I typed this, I just pinched myself to see if I could feel the pain! It hurt!

From my limited amount of research into pain and pain management it seems we have two types of pain, good pain, the pain we feel when we touch something sharp or get near something that’s hot. The pain that acts as a warning to be careful! And bad pain, that persistent, long lasting, sometimes excruciating pain that continues even after we become aware of, and sought treatment for, the thing that is causing the pain. Pain is our bodies way of telling us to slow down, be careful, an indication to us to seek medical advice. Once it’s done that though surely its function has been served!  

_{^{What CBD dose do you take for your sciatica?}}

I’ve tried a few different brands of CBD and also strengths. One of the things that confused me at the beginning of my research was different suppliers used different ways of indicating strengths and potency which doesn’t make it easy to compare CBD products. After trying a few alternatives I settled on one 10mg capsule every morning and this generally lasts me all day. Some work days, when I’m on my feet all day, I might take another 10mg capsule in the afternoon. So on days when I’m not on my feet much one 10mg capsule is perfect for me. I sometimes also take a few extra drops of CBD oil (roughly 2mg CBD per drop) if I’m going out for a walk or if I’m going to do some DIY or gardening, i.e. anytime I know I’m going to be on my feet for a while. For less than £1 a day I have my sciatica under control!

I also use a CBD lotion rub. I use the lotion sometimes at night before going to sleep and also, as with the oil, as an extra boost if I’m going to be on my feet for a few hours.

_{^{What dose of CBD should I take?}}

Dosing is different depending on things like:

One of the main recommendations when starting on CBD is to take it low and slow and build up your CBD dosage to a level where you feel its benefits. I’d recommend starting on one 10mg capsule at the beginning to judge your reaction to it.

It’s important to stress that CBD should be taken daily in a regular “back pain reduction routine” to feel the full benefits in reducing your sciatica. Consider it similar to a daily supplement like a vitamin tablet rather than a medicine only to be taken at certain times.  

_{^{Sciatica and CBD. What are the maximum daily amounts you can take?}}

Most days I will take 10mg of CBD, this seems to be almost the perfect dose for me. Some days, if I need an extra pain relief boost, I’ll take a few drops of the oil, and/or, use some of the CBD lotion or take another 10mg capsule. For me then 10mg, or sometimes 20mg, of CBD per day has worked brilliantly. I think in the early days of trying CBD for my sciatica I may have gone to 30mg some days but I’m not sure this resulted in any extra pain relief – I’m not saying the extra 10mg wasn’t providing any more pain reduction – just that the 20mg had already provided enough relief for me not to notice any more pain reduction benefit.

In fact 20mg, either once or sometimes twice a day, seems to be recommended a lot for pain relief, depending on its severity, with a maximum dosage of 70mg per day – although I’ve seen many recommendations as high as 200mg per day (always start low). Some studies have shown that individual daily doses of up to 1600mg are not harmful.

_{^{CBD and Sciatica. What are the side effects?}}   

In the same World Health Organisation report mentioned above it stated:

• In humans, CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependency potential i.e. it’s non addictive.
• No concerning side effects.
• In a number of trials of the potential therapeutic effects of CBD it was generally well tolerated.
• CBD has low toxicity.

_{^{General advice on taking CBD for Sciatica:}}

1. Seek proper medical advice before starting CBD.
2. Don’t take CBD whilst pregnant or lactating.
3. Check CBDs interactions with any other medicine you take.  
4. Allow 2 hours between taking CBD and other medicine to allow each to process through the liver.
5. Buy from a reputable source.
6. Start low and slow and build up your dose gradually.

_{^{What are the CBD products you recommend for sciatica?}}

We’ve sourced our very own supply of top-quality CBD available to take in a convenient easy to swallow capsule. Each capsule contains 10mg of CBD and is the perfect way to introduce CBD into your life in an easy, manageable and consistent way.

If you’re new to CBD then our intro pack is perfect to judge whether you feel CBD makes a difference to you without a big cost outlay.

Articles, research papers and reports used in this article include those linked to within the content above. Please read these for more detailed information than I can go into here. I would also highly encourage you to read this article on the work of Benjamin Cravatt, an expert in cell biology, entitled “Turning off Pains Pathways”. There’s also a great academic presentation on understanding the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) with Cravatt as a speaker here on You Tube.

If you’ve had success with CBD and pain relief it would be great to hear your story. Please get in touch through the contact page.