Finding the right back pain relief can be difficult. Since much of the chronic pain management drugs have significant side effects, patients have turned to alternatives like cannabis plants for help.
Many people report significant improvements with CBDA or CBD oils that do not have the same side effects as other prescription medications.
Article Highlights
- CBDA has enhanced absorption and anti inflammatory properties compared to CBD
- Hemp based products do not have significant side effects
- CBDA does not have psychoactive effects is not addictive
Can CBDA oil benefit back pain? What the research shows
New research is finding that the natural acidic cannabinoids, such as CBDA (cannabidiolic acid), from the cannabis plant may have greater health benefits than its neutral form, CBD. This include enhanced absorption and many anti inflammatory properties that can help with pain relief.
What is CBDA?
CBDA (cannabidiolic acid) is the natural form of CBD (cannabidiol) found in the hemp plant. All CBD oil is made from hemp extract that contains CBDA, but has been exposed to heat which converts CBDA to CBD. As hemp derived CBD products have evolved, new research has found that their acidic acid precursors, such as CBDA, may have much greater potency than originally thought.
CBDA is a non psychoactive compound, similar to CBD.
CBDA Discovery and benefits
Recent discoveries found that CBDA vs CBD absorption is 450-1000% better!
This mean a CBDA product can get into the body at much higher amounts, and is thus able to exert a more powerful medicinal effect.
Additionally, CBDA is found to be a potent inhibitor of COX-2, a pro inflammatory pain enzyme that is the classic target of non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen and aspirin.
CBDA oil may have much greater effects on inflammation than CBD oil products.
CBDA and back pain relief
Back pain often goes hand in hand with increased inflammation, which is a common driver of most pain sensations. There are many therapeutic benefits to full spectrum CBD oils, but the natural ingredients of full spectrum CBDA products may turn out to have more potent pain relieving effects.
Many users report CBDA tinctures or CBDA creams are able to help with back pain relief when taken with their daily routine.
Back pain relief, anxiety and stress
Not only does CBDA oil help with pain relief, but users and preclinical studies also report substantial benefits with anxiety and stress, which are known to associate with back pain.Stress and anxiety is associated with back pain, and may be through the tightening of muscles that are critical to supporting the back and spinal cord.
New studies show that CBDA is able to activate serotonin receptors, such as 5HT1A, which is a classic target for SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), a class of drugs used to treat depression. These new targets may the reason people report decreased anxiety and stress with CBDA products.
Where back pain comes from
Back pain has become one of the most common reasons people see their doctor, and affects 8 out of 10 people during their lifetime. The rise of back pain is a consequence of sedentary lifestyles, long hours in front of the computer, poor diet, and an aging population.
Back pain symptoms
Back pain can take a couple different forms depending on the individual. It can start out with some minor aches in the lower back, and can develop into shooting pain or a stabbing feeling when bending over. Often, these painful sensations may end up migrating down the leg as well.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So if you suspect you may be experiencing some of these symptoms, see your doctor or physical therapist and stop it before it gets too late.
What are risk factors for back pain?
There are a number of risk factors that associate with higher likelihood of getting back pain.- Age: Older individuals have a elevated risk of back pain due to many secondary health factors associated with aging.
- Poor exercise routine: Strong supporting muscles are required to help stabilize the spine and back.
- Elevated weight and obesity: Increased fat puts more strain on your back and legs, as well as increased systemic inflammation.
- Arthritis: arthritis can cause significant back problems as inflammation in the joints lead to poor lifestyle routines, and a weaker physique.
- Poor lifting form: Did you try to lift something heavy, maybe bending over instead of lifting with proper form?
- Mental illness and anxiety: This may be counterintuitive, but people with high anxiety and stress are at higher risk of back pain. This may have to do with constant muscle tightness and inability to relax properly.
- Cigarette smoking: Smoking is associated with increased chance of back pain, possibly due to its effects on the cardiovascular system and increased systemic inflammation.
Preventing back pain
There are a couple of very effective ways to reduce the chances you get chronic back pain. Because the complications of pain management are so significant, its important to start a healthy routine today.- Exercise regularly: Aerobic exercises that are low impact, such as walking, biking, or swimming are great ways to improve the cardiovascular system and strengthen important muscles.
- Increase muscle strength and flexibility: Its important to strengthen your back and core muscles (abdominal muscles) which help support good back posture. Flexibility is critical to making sure your muscles do not get too tight, which can happen with too much sitting, or weight lifting with no stretching.
- Keeping a healthy weight: Excess body fat causes significant strains on the back since its extra load is experiences whenever your body moves. Reducing weight can have significant long term benefits for reducing back pain.
Types of CBDA products
Similar to CBD oil products, CBDA oil products can come in multiple forms:- CBDA tinctures - tinctures usually have mct oil, CBDA oil and a natural flavors
- CBDA gummies - flavored with natural ingredients, these are a tasty and discreet way to consume CBDA oil
- CBDA creams - topical products are easily applied to areas of pain or discomfort, these work well for muscle relaxation
- CBDA breath mints - looking for relaxation and great breath, look no further!
Types of CBD and CBDA oils
How the hemp plants are extracted and purified determines the kind of CBD oil or CBDA oil is made. Some of oils may be of higher quality, and depending on the other cannabinoids present, may also have superior effects.- Full spectrum CBD oils - this type of CBD oil contains all the decarboxylated (neutral form) of cannabinoids found in the hemp plants, including THC.
- Natural Spectrum CBDA oil - this CBDA oil contains all the acidic cannabinoids found naturally in the hemp plant, and is based on a proprietary purification process developed by Natural Dos.
- Broad spectrum CBD oil - this type of CBD oil contains all the neutral form cannabinoids, except THC.
- Broad spectrum CBDA oil - this type of CBDA oil contains all the acidic cannabinoids from the hemp plant, but without THCA or THC.
How Long Does CBD Take to Provide Pain Relief?
When you have back pain you are looking for a fast pain reliever, and to get back to your normal routine. If you are used to prescription medications and are looking for an alternative without significant side effects, the cannabis sativa plant has much to offer.
Enhanced oral absorption of CBDA happens within the first 15-30 minutes, and can stay in your system for hours to days depending on how much you take and how often.
If you are used to topical CBD products, you should know that CBDA topical cream is absorbed 200-300% better than topical CBD products!
Cannabis plant compounds have been used for thousands of years for their pain relieving effects, and with minimal side effects.
What's the Best CBDA Oil For Back Pain?
We generally recommend a Natural Spectrum CBDA product that has all the cannabinoids from the hemp plant, which provides the Entourage Effect. This is where having multiple cannabinoids together creates a greater benefit over just a single cannabinoid product.
If you want to start from the inside out, check out Natural Dos CBDA Tinctures or Natural Dos CBDA gummies for best results.
If you want to start from the outside in, try CBDA topical cream and apply to the area where the discomfort is.
Note: taking a CBDA tincture or CBDA gummie will typically result in much higher amount in the blood.
How to Choose a Good CBD Cream
Any good CBDA supplier will have a certificate of analysis, termed a CoA, which is a lab tested report from a third party analytical company. It should contain the following analysis:- Potency - how much cannabinoids are in the product.
- Heavy metal - the presence of heavy metals like mercury, there should not be any.
- Pesticides - while the use of pesticides for hemp growing is not approved by the USDA, the hemp plant may absorb them from the soil if left over from prior years.
- Chemical - solvents left over from the extraction and purification steps that should not be there.
- Microbial - presence of harmful microbes, should test negative.
Check out our CBDA CoA guide for tips on how to interpret the testing results.
Safety and Side Effects of Taking CBDA For Back Pain
The studies on side effects of CBDA oil show that there are not many complications. Some users have reported these side effects, but usually at high doses (over a couple 100mgs), but it still rare:- Dizziness
- Dry mouth
- Upset stomach
- Drowsiness
In the pain management field, addiction and side effects are well documented. If its opioids, addiction is the main issue, and these class of drugs can also cause constipation.
The other medications used to manage pain are typically NSAIDs (non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen. While the side affects are usually minor, at higher doses they can cause stomach issues, and blood thinners like aspirin can be a problem for some.