The 6 Best CBD Products for Nerve Pain in 2023

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Healthline has sole editorial control over this article. Potential uses for the products listed here are not health claims made by the manufacturers. The information in this article is intended to be general in nature. It’s not intended to be a substitute for medical advice from a healthcare professional. Healthline encourages you to make any treatment decisions with your healthcare professional.

• Best salve: FAB CBD Salve, 3,000 mg | Skip to review
• Best cooling formula: CBDfx Muscle and Joint Cream, Cooling Formula | Skip to review
• Best unscented: PlusCBD Pain Relief Penetrating Cream | Skip to review
• Best ointment: Charlotte’s Web Arthritis Aches and Pain Relief CBD Ointment | Skip to review
• Best body balm: Aspen Green Pain Relief Body Balm | Skip to review
• Best high potency oil: Lazarus Naturals Full Spectrum High Potency Oil, Strawberry Lemonade | Skip to review

Cannabidiol (CBD) holds great promise as a treatment for many medical concerns, including inflammation.

For all of CBD’s known benefits, it’s unclear how much CBD can do for nerve pain. Why? Few studies have looked at CBD by itself and nerve pain specifically.

What’s different about nerve pain?

But nerve pain, or neuropathy, is a different issue altogether. Neuropathic pain is a pain condition that affects the body’s nervous system. It may cause burning, stinging, and shooting pain throughout the body or in particular areas, such as arms and hands.

It’s usually chronic and may grow progressively worse. Certain conditions, like diabetes, may increase your risk of nerve pain.

How CBD might help with nerve pain

With neuropathy, CBD research is even more limited. However, there’s some promise that CBD can help with neuropathy pain. And because CBD has relatively mild side effects, using CBD to help ease this type of pain may be an acceptable alternative to other potential pain relievers, like opioids.

Read on to learn how CBD might help neuropathic pain. You’ll also learn about different types of CBD products, from CBD oil to CBD gummies.

There’s no perfect CBD product for nerve pain. We chose these products based on indicators of safety, quality, and transparency. Each CBD product in this list:

• is made with U.S.-grown hemp
• is produced by a company that provides a certificate of analysis (COA) and third-party testing results from an ISO 17025-compliant lab
• contains no more than 0.3% THC, per the COA

Other factors we considered in making these selections include:

• product potency
• CBD type
• overall ingredient list, including ingredients that may support pain relief
• certifications and manufacturing process
• brand reputation, including:
  • customer reviews
  • any warning letters from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
  • any unsubstantiated health claims

CBD lotions, creams, and salves may help reduce aches and pains. It’s unclear how well CBD crosses the skin barrier, but the early test results are promising.

CBD is one of the cannabinoid compounds found in the cannabis or hemp plant. These compounds interact with our endocannabinoid system. This interaction leads to many of the positive benefits associated with all types of cannabinoids, from boosting calmness to pain management.

Several studies have looked at the effect of CBD and other cannabinoids on pain, and the results have shown great promise.

Most studies have multiple cannabinoids

Keep in mind, a few studies have looked at CBD alone and its effect on nerve pain. Indeed, many of the studies involving cannabinoids and pain have used a mixture of CBD and THC together. Some other cannabinoids in studies have also included dronabinol, a synthetic form of THC.

Lowering inflammation

A 2020 study in rats found that CBD may provide neuroprotective benefits by reducing inflammation in the brain. CBD may also reduce how many immune cells build up in the spinal column, which can reduce inflammation and pain as well.

Reducing nerve pain from chemotherapy

In a 2014 study of rats, CBD did appear to reduce neuropathy caused by chemotherapy treatment.

More research needed for neuropathy

But the research is so limited that it’s not yet clear what benefit CBD has on nerve pain in humans. Indeed, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says there’s a “lot of uncertainty” around the use of cannabis or cannabinoids and chronic pain.

The CBD world is filled with a lot of claims and terms that may be a bit confusing when you’re first shopping for CBD. This list of basics can help you make an informed decision.

Potency

Doses in CBD products vary widely, and the true amount of CBD in each serving may be hidden on the back of a label. Don’t confuse the number of doses per bottle with the size of individual doses. The smallest amount of CBD per serving is typically 5 milligrams (mg).

Start low, at a smaller dose, and build to higher doses as you begin to feel comfortable with the product.

Quality

The FDA doesn’t approve CBD products, so there’s no agency verifying the claims these products and companies make. For that reason, it’s important to look for third-party testing and verification.

Reputable CBD companies will promote the testing they do by clearly providing a COA either on their website or by email. These results will confirm the claims the product makes and also list any other findings, such as impurities or unnecessary ingredients. If a product or company doesn’t provide a COA, be wary.

Ingredients

You may want to scan labels for additives like artificial flavorings, preservatives, and colors. Gummies and flavored CBD products may contain these, but outside of flavoring, these additives may be unnecessary.

It’s also useful to read the ingredients label since certain non-CBD ingredients and methods for having CBD may also be useful for pain management.

How you take your CBD product will depend on the type you buy. Gummies often administer highly accurate amounts in a single dose. Topical products, on the other hand, can be less precise.

Figuring out the right dose will take time. Most manufacturers suggest that beginners start with a small dose and increase over time. This way, you can get a feel for how the product works with your body and affects your symptoms. However, there’s no official recommended dose for any CBD product.

You may also choose to dose as needed, instead of on an ongoing basis. Topicals, salves, and oils may be a good option for this, as they can be used when the nerve pain is particularly sensitive. Oils, on the other hand, may be a good option for regular dosing, but you could build up a tolerance.

If you’re new to CBD, it’s important to understand the many types of CBD products, what they may do, and how they may benefit you. If you’re already taking medications, it’s a good idea to talk with your doctor or pharmacist before you begin using CBD.

Some medications may interact negatively with the hemp-derived product, which could cause unwanted side effects or make certain medications ineffective.

CBD oil is relatively new as a treatment for many conditions. Research is limited. But the research that does exist shows a great deal of promise both for specific conditions, like pain, and overall health.

Is CBD legal? The 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp from the legal definition of marijuana in the Controlled Substances Act. This made some hemp-derived CBD products with less than 0.3% THC legal at the federal level. However, CBD products containing more than 0.3% THC still fall under the legal definition of marijuana, making them illegal at the federal level. Some states have legalized CBD, so be sure to check state laws, especially when traveling. Also, keep in mind that the FDA has not approved nonprescription CBD products, and some products may be inaccurately labeled.