If you’re experiencing chronic pain, a doctor may recommend that you have a nerve block, a temporary or permanent procedure that disrupts specific nerve activity. It can help diagnose or treat certain types of neuropathic pain, or pain caused by nerve dysfunction or damage. Nerve blocks may be performed by injecting chemicals or anesthetics to the area or by deliberately cutting or damaging certain parts of the nerve.
Many people receive nerve blocks without even knowing it. For example, dentists commonly use nerve-blocking agents such as novocaine to numb the mouth during potentially painful procedures.
If your doctor is trying to diagnose a chronic pain condition caused by nerve dysfunction, he may use a nerve block to pinpoint the exact problem area. In addition to a nerve block, he may also perform an electromyography (EMG) and/or a nerve conduction velocity (NCV) test to narrow down the exact cause of your chronic nerve pain.
Nerve blocks can also treat chronic neuropathic pain, such as pain caused by nerve damage or compression. They are regularly used to treat back and neck pain caused by herniated discs or spinal stenosis. Nerve blocks may be used to control pain temporarily or permanently, depending on the procedure used.
A local nerve block is performed by injecting or applying local anesthetics, such as lidocaine, to a certain area.
An epidural is a local nerve block that involves injecting steroids or analgesics into the area that surrounds the spinal cord. Though common during childbirth, an epidural may be also be used to treat chronic neck or back pain caused by a compressed spinal nerve. Local nerve blocks are usually temporary, although some may be repeated over time.
A neurolytic block uses alcohol, phenol, or thermal agents, such as cryogenic freezing, to treat chronic nerve pain. These procedures actually cause damage to certain areas of the nerve pathway. This means a neurolytic block is usually appropriate only in severe chronic pain cases, such as cancer pain or complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).
A surgical nerve block is performed by a neurosurgeon and involves surgically removing or selectively damaging certain areas of the nerve. Like a neurolytic block, a surgical nerve block is usually reserved for severe pain cases, such as cancer pain or trigeminal neuralgia. Most surgical nerve blocks are permanent.
Even a temporary nerve block such as an epidural carries a risk of permanent nerve damage. Because nerves are extremely sensitive and regenerate slowly, even a tiny error in calculation can cause devastating side effects. These include muscle paralysis, weakness, or lasting numbness. In some rare cases, nerve blocks may actually irritate the nerve further, causing an increase in pain.
Fortunately, skilled and licensed health practitioners, such as dentists, surgeons, and anesthesiologists, perform these delicate procedures.
While there is always a risk of nerve damage during these procedures, most nerve blocks successfully reduce chronic nerve pain.
You may feel temporarily numb or sore after your nerve block, and you may notice some redness or irritation to the area. This is usually not permanent and should fade with time. If you have had a surgical block, you may be asked to rest for a certain period of time after your procedure. Depending on the complexity of the surgery, you may have to spend a few days recovering in the hospital.
Some pain may persist after your nerve block, but that doesn’t mean the procedure wasn’t effective.
Additionally, some nerve blocks may cause swelling, which compresses the nerve and requires time to subside. If you find the side effects of your nerve block are lasting longer than expected, contact your doctor.
In some cases of fibromyalgia, the pain is so severe that people have to seek out alternative treatments in order to reduce or stop the pain that they are dealing with. One treatment that has been getting a lot of attention lately is trigger point injections. What is this treatment? What can it do to help reduce or eliminate all of the different health issues that happen with fibromyalgia? Let’s take a look here.
Trigger point injections, in short, are treatments that are injected into the areas in your muscles that cause you to feel the most pain and pressure from your fibromyalgia (or other health issues that are related to muscle pain and stiffness).
These injections actually play a significant role in helping a lot of people, because what they do is that they are put into those areas of the body and, as the injection goes into it, it allows the muscle to become loose and more flexible, thus reducing the amount of pain that you are feeling and giving you a larger range of motion as well. The medications used in the injection are either corticoids or anesthetics, both of which allow the body to relax.
There are two major types of trigger point injections that you may consider if you are trying to reduce the pain and stiffness that come with fibromyalgia. One of the types of injections is directed right into the trigger points, allowing the medication to get in there and deal with it immediately. Of course, this can be really difficult, because it’s not necessarily easy to find where the trigger point is located.
It takes a bit of searching and message in order to find the spots, but the time they take can end up making the treatment more effective than if they just arbitrarily injected the medicine into your body. The other type of trigger injection uses imaging in order to try and help the doctor find the trigger areas.
This type is definitely more accurate because the imaging shows the doctor exactly where the problem is, thus allowing them to put the medicine right into the affected area. While both methods work, imaging has been shown to be more effective in the long run.
Okay, so now that we have a better understanding of how trigger points work, it’s time for us to take a look at exactly what these treatments can do for those who are fending off fibromyalgia symptoms on a regular basis. As we mentioned in the introduction, these types of treatments have been a lot more popular in recent years, and doctors are starting to become more comfortable with suggesting trigger point injections as part of an overall treatment plan for their fibromyalgia patients.
First off, one of the immediate things that we notice is that the pain that fibromyalgia patients feel is greatly reduced. Stress, anxiety, and pain make our muscles tense up, and in fibromyalgia patients, it’s that much worse. So, with the use of trigger point injections, patients find that these symptoms are greatly reduced.
Finally, a way to allow their muscles to relax; and that’s something that doesn’t happen very often with those who are fending off fibromyalgia problems. The great part, as well, is that it’s immediate. Other forms of treatment may take a while to set in, but with a trigger point injection, you start to feel at least some of the relief right away.
Trigger point injections can also play another important role in helping fibromyalgia patients, many of them dealing with the secondary issues that come with fibromyalgia. As you likely know, fatigue is a huge part of dealing with fibromyalgia, and there are lots of different ways that doctors will recommend to help reduce the fatigue. But trigger point injections can actually play a huge role in helping the fatigue to go away. Why?
Mainly, because you aren’t feeling as much pain as you did. Carrying pain all of the time can make it hard for you to sleep, thus making you feel more tired. By dealing with the pain in such a quick manner, you can get back to a regular sleeping schedule, and you can feel a lot less fatigue than you would have otherwise. Stiffness and inflexibility are also positively affected by trigger point injections
Last but not least, it’s important for us to note that, unlike other forms of therapy and treatment, trigger point injections actually pose one of the lowest threats of “lost time.” What do we mean by this? Some treatments, including surgery and physical therapy, can cause your body to feel sore for a couple of days (but then, in the long run, allow for long-term recovery). Trigger point treatment doesn’t have that issue.
The amount of recovery time that a person with fibromyalgia has to deal with is a lot less than it would be for other types of treatments. Because of that, doctors are really starting to feel a lot more comfortable allowing trigger point injections as part of treatment. Put that together with the fact that you can get it done in a few minutes at your specialist’s office, and you’ve got a pretty quick and effective way to deal with that pain for the long term.
Trigger point injections can actually play a huge role in helping to reduce the pain and suffering that you are dealing with. What we’ve discussed here is just the beginning of how it can help you to cope with your current symptoms. If you are interested in the possible effects that this can have on your fibromyalgia and you want to learn more about it, you can discuss it with your specialist. They will be able to give you a better idea as to whether or not it’s the right way for you to go with your treatment plan.
People around the world are becoming increasingly aware of natural remedies and alternative medicine.
However, this does not change the attitude of Big Pharma to enforce their drugs on an open-mouthed public despite their numerous and well-documented, harsh side-effects.
The almighty health benefits of cannabis are becoming increasingly accepted in mainstream society and are being bolstered by numerous recent studies.
The Foria Relief Company has even invented a vaginal suppository, based on aromatic cocoa butter, which is a perfect substitution for Vicodin, Midol, and Ibuprofen. It effectively treats menstrual cramps by relaxing the muscles. Additionally, it does not lead to psychotropic properties.
It is produced from pesticide and additive-free cannabis. Therefore, their active ingredients are used in a process without microbials and are combined with exact doses; 60 mg of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and 10 mg of cannabidiol (CBD).
The pain is blocked by the THC, which inhabits the pleasure areas of the brain’s cannabinoid system. CBD relaxes the muscles, treats the spasms, and has a favorable effect on inflammatory mechanisms within the body.
According to a woman who tried the vaginal suppository, it relaxed her clenched and cramped muscles and soothed the pain in her midriff. She explained that she felt the area below the waist to the thighs “as if floating in some other galaxy”.
Yet, this amazing remedy is only sold in California and is still not approved by the FDA. However, if you decide to use it, make sure you consult your doctor beforehand, even though there have been no complaints from people who have tried it.
A woman who has spent the past eight years in constantpain is hoping the specialist treatment will help her to rebuild her life.
In 2016 Emma Parslow Cope was diagnosed with the long-term condition fibromyalgia which causes an increased sensitivity to pain, exhaustion, headaches and problems with mental processes.
The 27-year-old, who lives in Thetford, said the condition has had an enormous impact on her life. She has had to leave her job and it has put a strain on her relationships with family and friends.
Miss Parslow Cope describes the pain throughout her body as like a “burning sensation” and she suffers from fatigue and has trouble sleeping.
She is now hoping to raise £10,000 to cover the costs of seeing a specialist at the Fibro Clinic in London and any treatment, medication and accommodation needed.
Miss Parslow Cope said: “I am desperate to get help so I can get myself in a state of managing so I can then do some volunteer work to build my life up.
“The specialist should be able to put me on a programme and understand me as a person. I hope they should be able to give me treatment to help me get some sort of proactive life back.”
A keen sportswoman, in 2010 Miss Parslow Cope hurt her hip during a college football match.
She believes it was this injury which led to the fibromyalgia but she was not diagnosed for six years.
On December 31 last year the former West Suffolk College student said she tried to take an overdose because of the condition.
“I just did not want to be here anymore,” said Miss Parslow Cope who attends the Fibromyalgia Bury St Edmunds support group run by fellow fibromyalgia suffer Brett Robertson. “It just takes over your head.”
She is now hoping to help raise awareness of the condition – which her twin sister Louise was also diagnosed with this year – which she says is misunderstood.
She said: “I want people to be behind fibromyalgia suffers. I want people to understand and the more people who are aware of it and understand it the better.
“I am tired of people saying it is not real because I am living with something which is severe and nasty 24 hours a day.”
A license to treat chronic pain with medicinal cannabis has been granted here for the first time, it has emerged. A 3-month agreement was given the green light by the Department of Health to use Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) people in constant agony.
THC is the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis. It is currently illegal to use medicinal cannabis here – but medical consultants can apply for the license on a case by case basis. A three-month license can be granted on foot of an application made directly to the Minister for Health under section 14 of the Misuse of Drugs Act.
Under guidelines from Chronic Pain Ireland, the THC would NOT be consumed via smoking. A patient would ideally take it by vaping or in their tea. Under the strict terms, a medical professional would administer a starting dose, monitor the patient, and adjust the dose accordingly, they say. Patients will be placed under constant medical supervision.
Last February, Health Minister Simon Harris announced that he would implement a Health Products Regulatory Authority recommendation that cannabis–based products be made available to some patients with multiple sclerosis and epilepsy, and those suffering nausea in chemotherapy.
However, chronic pain was not included in Mr. Harris’ plan. It was on this basis that Chronic Pain Ireland applied to the minister for a license, for one of their members, along with their medical consultant.
There were no formal application guidelines from the Department of Health, so Mr. McLoughlin created one from scratch. This is now available on Chronic Pain Ireland’s website.
The application included how THC would be administered, details of the patient’s medical consultant, and what dosage they would potentially start on.
The patient can take the medicinal cannabis either through tea or by vaping.
“Some people are desperate due to chronic pain,” said Mr. McLoughlin. “I personally know of people who use cannabis for chronic pain. Some say it works, some say it doesn’t. But you must always go to your doctor.”
Professor of pharmacology and therapeutics David Finn, who is also the co-director of the Centre for Pain Research at NUI Galway, said the granting of the license was an “important development”.
“This is a very interesting and important development which demonstrates a recognition by Irish medical professionals and the minister for health of the potential therapeutic value of medicinal cannabis for the treatment of chronic pain,” said Prof Finn.
“Chronic pain is the most researched indication for cannabinoids, and the majority of clinical studies, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews conclude that cannabis or cannabinoids can be effective in alleviating certain types of chronic pain.
“Approximately 20% of the Irish population suffers from chronic pain, and up to 40% of patients report that the management of their pain is inadequate, either due to the limited efficacy of existing treatments or unacceptably high levels of side-effects.”
Solidarity-People Before Profit Alliance TD Gino Kelly has been a longtime campaigner for legalizing cannabis for medicinal purposes and brought forward an opposition bill towards this end.
The Cannabis for Medicinal Use Regulation Bill 2016, is now entering its third stage of debate and will go before the Oireachtas health committee early next year. “The tide has now turned. It is a significant day for people with chronic pain in Ireland,” said Mr. Kelly.
It started as a dull ache right above the base of my spine.
There was no injury, no clear cause — just pain that seemed to come out of nowhere. At the time, I thought it would go away in a few weeks. I didn’t know it would turn into a four-and-a-half-year-and-counting odyssey of experimentation to battle lower back pain that simply refused to retreat.
I tried everything. I dove into twice-a-week physical therapy, daily exercises, regular walking breaks, and meditation. I bought a sit-stand desk. Nothing worked. After several months, if anything, my pain was worse.
This health problem, coincidentally, arose just as a career shift made improving US health policy my focus. After working as a consultant for hospital systems and insurance companies, I accepted a position at the federal agency that runs Medicare and Medicaid. My work focused on designing new ways to pay health care providers to reduce waste and provide higher-quality care.
Through my work, I realized just how massive the chronic pain problem is in the US. Defined as any pain lasting longer than three months, chronic pain afflicts more than 50 million Americans each year and has a net economic impact of around $600 billion. Lower back pain alone is the most common cause of disability for Americans under 45.
It struck me that policy and business leaders tackling the problem-focused almost entirely on what not to do: avoid excessive imaging studies, avoid invasive treatments and surgeries. Especially avoid opioid painkillers.
Given how common my problem was, I was surprised at how little research and policy was focused on what could be done to fix my pain.
It is certainly true that US clinicians went overboard on opioid prescribing, with horrifying repercussions. I am not going to argue here that opioids are a good treatment option — they appear not to be in most cases — or minimize the devastating effects of opioid addiction.
However, a full response to the opioid epidemic must go beyond reducing opioid use: We need to find ways to reduce pain through better treatment. Policymakers need to put more focus and public dollars toward understanding pain, and patients need to be supported in their pursuit of pain treatments that work.
Every day at work, I was learning about innovative programs to improve health outcomes for populations with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension. There was nothing similar for pain management. Chronic pain seems to be something that few doctors, let alone administrators and policymakers, really understand and know how to treat.
My own journey to find relief made the problem deeply personal. In the absence of clear knowledge and robust treatment options, patients like me are forced to spend a lot of time, energy, and money experimenting with different remedies.
I received an MRI to figure out the source of my back pain — it showed nothing. I am one of the 85 percent of low back pain patients whose pain is “nonspecific”: Doctors cannot pinpoint a cause. Of the many treatments that exist, there is not a definite winner. I tried various medications, several physical therapy regimens, and creams and injections of all sorts. I tried a small patch that sends high-frequency electrical pulses to suppress nerve activity, a treatment that actually helped a bit.
Desperate to exert control in the absence of effective treatments, I funneled my energies into remaking my office workstation. I was lucky to be able to work from home often, a privilege many lacks, so I had complete control over my environment. With the help of a specialized vendor, I fashioned a workstation that allowed me to either walk on a treadmill or lie on my side while working on two large side-by-side monitors.
My closet was full of the flotsam of tried-and-failed ergonomic cushions, massaging implements, and foam rollers. I rarely invited people over, dreading I would have to explain my bizarre apartment setup.
Eventually, I took a short trial of opioid painkillers. The pills were moderately effective but made me very tired. That, coupled with a fear of building tolerance, caused me to stop taking them after a few weeks. Fortunately for me, my pain is relatively low-intensity. The trade-off is different than for someone experiencing more pain. The crucial point is that — for me, anyway — painkillers were simply another treatment with a unique set of risks and benefits. My issue was, and remains, managing pain, not managing opioids.
Throughout my adventure of trial and error, coverage decisions from my insurance companies often seem random. Many treatments — for instance, massage or prolotherapy injections, in which a sugar solution is used to stimulate tissue repair — have been denied, on the grounds that the evidence of effectiveness is weak.
Yet other treatments with similarly weak evidence behind them, like steroid injections, are covered. I understand the reluctance to pay for a treatment that is unlikely to be effective, but this process of experimentation is all I have. I’m lucky to have the means to spend tens of thousands over the years out of my own pocket. Others don’t have that option.
On my quest to figure out why there seem to be so few good solutions to chronic pain, I discovered that less than 1 percent of National Institutes of Health research funding is dedicated to pain research.
Dr. Edward Michna, a pain specialist who works with the American Pain Society, ties this to the stigma around chronic pain. (The American Pain Society previously received funding from pharmaceutical companies that sold opioid painkillers.) “Even before opioid use became an epidemic, funders and politicians equated pain management with addiction treatment, and they ran away from funding it,” he said.
He pointed to a pervasive belief that these patients were exaggerating their pain to receive disability benefits and, in modern times, to get high on painkillers. “With some notable exceptions, it simply wasn’t an issue they wanted to get involved with.” It would be easy to dismiss his views as biased in favor of big pharmaceutical companies, but as someone who is in pain and wants help, his words resonated with me.
Pain is often a symptom of an underlying condition, which means that research into those conditions will ultimately alleviate pain. Cancer-related pain will probably improve if we find better treatments for cancer in general. But for tens of millions of Americans like me, our pain cannot currently be explained by a separate disease. We need more than just 1 percent of government funding devoted to pain research specifically.
Some researchers are beginning to embrace the theory that pain itself is a type of independent disease. They speak of “central sensitization” — the idea that in some people, for reasons yet unknown, the central nervous system changes over time to experience heightened pain. This isn’t New Age hand waving: It’s real science that demands further study.
Another important question for both researchers and health care providers in improving how we match patients to treatments. Often, when treatment ends up working, it remains unclear why it worked for a given patient and not for another, similar patient. When we say a treatment like prolotherapy injections has limited scientific evidence, that usually means that in trials, few saw benefits above placebo. If we could figure out what is different about those few who did see real benefits and identify them, the same treatment becomes more useful.
The opioid crisis — as grave as it is — threatens to overshadow these important issues. Right now, states and governing bodies are focused almost exclusively on reducing opioid prescriptions rather than finding alternatives. The National Committee for Quality Assurance, which sets quality standards for health plans, has a new measure that effectively penalizes providers who prescribe patients opioids over a certain dosage amount. Some states, like Maine, put in place caps on opioid doses.
It’s too early to tell how many patients who legitimately need opioids are having trouble accessing them as a result of these policies. But anecdotes from patients and clinicians suggest some people are suffering. Two small-business owners in Maine are suing the state over rules that require long-term opioid users to lower their dosages.
That policy was an understandable reaction to the fact that 313 people in Maine died from opioid overdoses last year. Yet we have to acknowledge the lack of good options for treating chronic pain. We should also recognize that while evidence behind opioids is weak and they are highly risky, some patients have been well-served by them.
Improving how we apply existing treatments also requires workforce training. A 2011 study found that US medical schools allotted an average of nine teaching hours to painmanagement. (The average for Canada was 19.5 hours.) Clinicians across all specialties should receive better training.
It’s not uncommon for the effects of fibromyalgia pain medications to wane over time. But what can you do about it? Here are seven different treatment options to explore.
If you are one of the approximately five million Americans with fibromyalgia, you know that pain can be severe, unpredictable, and exhausting. It can be constant for a period of time and then get better for a while — but it tends to just keep coming back.
Additionally, a painkiller that worked before may stop working, and what works for some symptoms may not work for others. Pain management needs to be constantly adjusted and may require a team of specialists who are familiar with fibromyalgia.
Common pain symptoms of fibromyalgia include stabbing, burning, shooting, or throbbing pain in any area of the body. Pain is usually worse in the morning. People with fibromyalgia may have tender areas on their neck, shoulders, back, or legs that are painful when touched.
And fibromyalgia pain can become even worse with physical or emotional stress. Common stressors that may make your fibromyalgia pain worse include a traumatic event, such as a car accident, repetitive physical traumas, or a physical illness.
Getting this pain under control is not easy. But it is possible.
Switching to a new fibromyalgiapainmedication is easier if you taper one medicine gradually before starting a new one. Always follow your doctor’s directions carefully and never stop a medication on your own.
Important options for treating fibromyalgia include finding the right pain medication, getting the proper psychological support, trying complementary therapies, and finding the right treatment team. If your fibromyalgia treatment is not working, ask your doctor to help you explore these options:
Pain medications. There are a number of medications now approved for fibromyalgia pain, including pregabalin (Lyrica), duloxetine (Cymbalta), and milnacipran (Savella). The narcotic-like painkiller tramadol (Ultram) has also been effective for fibromyalgia. “Switching between medications may be necessary and can be made easier with samples or vouchers to decrease the financial cost for the patient,” advises Dr. Abeles.
Sleep management. People with fibromyalgia often have trouble getting enough sleep — and lack of sleep can make fibromyalgiasymptoms worse. Make sure you avoid caffeine and stick to a strict sleep schedule. Ask your doctor if a sleep aid medication might help.
Social and psychological support.The stress of living with a chronic painful disease like fibromyalgia can make your symptoms worse. Research shows that increasing social support reduces fibromyalgia symptoms, such as pain. You may benefit from a fibromyalgia support group. Professional counseling to help you develop coping skills and better manage your symptoms has also been shown to be helpful.
Exercise.Exercise is an important part of feeling better if you have fibromyalgia. Studies show that exercise can help you improve your fitness level, feel better about yourself, and reduce the number of painful pressure points in fibromyalgia.
Acupuncture. One survey found that about 20 percent of people diagnosed with fibromyalgia and treated at a university-based clinic tried acupuncture within a two-year period. Some studies have found that acupuncture can help relieve fibromyalgia pain, but other reports say the effects are not long-lasting and the treatment doesn’t help with the fatigue or sleep problems common with fibromyalgia.
If you are being treated for fibromyalgia and your pain medications are not as effective as in the past, you have options. Remember that it is common for people with fibromyalgia to try different types of medications and other management strategies. It is also important to make sure you have a sympathetic, knowledgeable team of experts to help you manage your fibromyalgia symptoms.
Fibromyalgia is an unpredictable disease that requires a flexible treatment plan. One of the best things you can do is to educate yourself about fibromyalgia so that you can work closely with your treatment team and be a good advocate for yourself.
Cannabis-infused sports creams claim to offer muscle relief. We spoke to experts to see if they’re worth a shot.
Chances are you’re no stranger tomuscle aches. Well, what if we told you that cannabis creams might help provide relief?
Yes, there’s a new type of topical ointment on the market, and it’s infused with cannabidiol (CBD) from marijuana. Manufacturers claim it can help alleviate acute pain and muscle soreness. CBD is similar to THC, except it’s non-psychoactive, meaning some researchers view it as the golden child of medicinal use.
Science has confirmed that cannabis is an effective pain reliever, reinforced in a massive new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. But there’s a big difference between ingesting cannabis or its individual chemicals orally and absorbing it through your skin. Here, the lowdown on this new crop (no pun intended) of pain relievers.
The ointment is made from infusing high-quality cannabis flowers in some kind of quality oil—coconut or olive typically—which extracts the active compounds, either CBD, THC, or both depending on the type of hemp used. This oil is then blended with other therapeutic herbs, like arnica or lemongrass essential oils, which are well-known pain relievers.
If you read the ingredient list, often everything in the jar is straight from mother earth. As long as that’s indeed the case with the cream you have your eye on, the formula is immensely safe, chemically, says Gregory Gerdeman, Ph.D., neurophysiologist who researches cannabinoid biology and pharmacology at Eckerd College in Saint Petersburg, FL. And since they’re formulated to be topical—absorbing into the top layer of skin—and not transdermal—which would pass through the skin and into your bloodstream—there’s no risk of getting high.
“When it comes to cannabis-based topicals for muscle soreness or other pain relief, there’s absolutely no reason why it should be a big deal to try,” he says.
They may be safe, but there’s one massive problem: There’s practically no scientific data to support the idea that a CBD-infused topical cream is any more effective than other topical pain relievers, like Tiger Balm, BenGay, or Icy Hot. Michelle Sexton, a San Diego-based naturopathic doctor and medical research director of the Center for the Study of Cannabis and Social Policy says that her patients do seem to have a great interest in CBD ointments, and roughly 40 percent of them have indeed tried one. However, these people are in her office now because the topicals didn’t work for them. “As a medical professional, my opinion is there’s little evidence to back up the claims being made—it’s all marketing for now,” she says.
There is an argument to be made for the simple fact that science hasn’t caught up to the trend (and laws) of 2017 yet. And there are doubtlessly researchers testing the efficacy of CBD–infused creams for pain relief as we speak.
The theoretical logic is there, Gerdeman says. What exactly is that thinking? Well, there are a few different ways CBD could help regulate pain—by increasing your natural endocannabinoids, decreasing your inflammatory response, and desensitizing your pain receptors (although it’s still unclear whether this stands when absorbed topically compared to orally).
Let’s start simple: Endocannabinoids are natural signals in your body that help maintain homeostasis by detecting and regulating hunger, pain, mood, and memory. CBD helps elevate your natural levels of pain-relieving endocannabinoids by blocking metabolism as they’re moving around your body.
The second method of pain relief centers around the damage you do when you work out. When you strength train, you create micro-tears in your muscles, which is why you feel sore as you heal. Once your immune cells detect damage, they release inflammatory mediators in order to repair the tissue. CBD, though has the ability to limit the release of some proinflammatory signals, thereby helping with pain without thwarting the healing entirely, Gerdeman explains.
Finally, you have receptors called TrpV1 that detect and regulate your body temperature. When activated, they put out heat, soothing your pain receptors. Using this channel, CBD makes these pain receptors hyperactive for a period of time, causing them to get hot, desensitizing them, and downregulating those pain–sensing nerve endings.
Phew—enough of that biology lesson. The real problem here is that all of this has yet to be proven in scientific studies on humans.
A study analysis in the Journal of Pain Research confirms that topical use of certain cannabinoid topicals can reduce pain in animals with inflammation or neuropathic pain. And science has found topical creams with THC and CBD help relieve pain for conditions like multiple sclerosis. But for the vast majority of chronic pain—and most certainly for acute pain like post-workout—the scientific jury is 100 percent still out. “There’s a little bit of data in support of CBD for pain relief, but to go from animal to human is a giant leap,” Sexton says.
“The pain and stiffness that comes post-workout or from overexertion certainly has a pro-inflammatory component to it, so it’s reasonable to think CBD or other cannabinoids might have benefits, but we have no research to support this yet,” Gerdeman adds.
The other issue? Topical creams will treat anatomical structures within 1 centimeter of the skin—and the muscle where your actual soreness is located is going to be deeper than that, explains Ricardo Colberg, M.D., a physician at Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center in Birmingham, AL.
The fatty tissue can only hold so much oil, so, theoretically, if you apply enough of a CBD–infused topical cream to your skin it might leak down into your skeletal muscle just out of diffusion, Sexton adds. But there’s no study to show this, and that means you’re going to be rubbing on a whole lot of the stuff.
This takes us to the next problem: There is no regulation around how much active CBD or THC is in each cream or how much of the compound is needed to see relief. Read: “If you have three products that say 1 percent CBD infused in coconut oil, one could be great and the other two could be crap—that’s the reality of cannabis medicine right now,” Gerdeman says.
That’s not to say CBD–infused creams definitely won’t reduce your acute pain or muscle soreness. That’s because pretty much all of these creams on the market right now have other scientifically-proven analgesic compounds, like menthol, camphor, and capsaicin which are also found in other, non-CBD topical pain relievers.
“Any cream with a heating or cooling sensation desensitizes the nerves to pain by distracting them with stimuli on top,” Dr. Colberg explains. Plus you’re often massaging the area as you apply, which improves circulation and reduces muscle spasms, he adds.
So do you need CBD? All our experts agree that until we have more peer-reviewed research, all claims are marketing hype and not evidence-based.
But there is an argument to be made for simply believing the CBD adds that special something. “Scientific literature says there’s a 33 percent chance of the placebo effect helping people, so for some, just using a cream they believe can help will provide some relief,” Dr. Colberg adds.
The short of it: Science hasn’t confirmed creams with CBD will have any greater benefit than those without, but there’s little-to-no risk in trying it out (other than wasting your money, of course). And if you believe in the power of CBD–infused creams, that may be enough to score some relief.
If your state has legalized both compounds, look for a cream with 1:1 CBD to THC as well as another cannabinoid BCP (beta-caryophyllene) if possible, which manufacturers have seen better results with, Gerdeman suggests. Try Apothecanna’s Extra Strength Relieving Creme ($20; apothecanna.com) or Whoopi & Maya’s Medical Cannabis Rub (yes, that’s Whoopi Goldberg’s line), which was designed specifically for menstrual aches and pains (whoopiandmaya.com).
If you don’t live in a legalized state, you can typically still get CBD–infused creams. Since there’s no regulation or standardized testing, your best bet is to find trustworthy brands that use creams free of toxins but with additional pain relievers like menthol, capsaicin, lemongrass, or camphor. Try Mary’s Nutritionals Muscle Freeze ($70; marysnutritionals.com) or Elixinol’s CBD Rescue Balm ($40; elixinol.com).
It’s 7:30 p.m. on a Friday night, and I’m in bed. With my husband and dogs right beside me. Nothing new here, and honestly, most of our friends are probably doing the same thing, but I really wouldn’t know.
It wasn’t the diagnosis, or even the pain really, that caused me to start avoiding party invites and happy hour texts from my girlfriends. I don’t really remember when I started drifting so far away, but I have recently realized that I miss my friends. And my sisters and brothers. And my former colleagues. I miss talking to people. I truly miss laughing out loud with my girlfriends. I even miss seeing how handsome and stunning my husband is when he’s in a crowd.
But, as for my friends and our families that we rarely see anymore, I do wonder what they think. I assume they think my husband and I (married three years in December) are still in the honeymoon phase, that our kids keep us very busy, or they may not think twice about it. But, I bet they haven’t thought for a second that I have avoided pretty much every opportunity to see them that there has been the last couple of years.
I’ve canceled or just not shown up, I’ve postponed or used my typical, “maybe,” or, “probably,” responses, which they’ve all figured out is the same as a “no.” And, when I have made it to dinner or lunch, I had probably been a nervous wreck and even considered canceling the day before.
The truth is that I’m not a good faker anymore. I hurt. More often than not lately, I hurt. Something always hurts. And, because I’m not great at pretending like I feel great these days, I’ve made the choice to let everyone I love think that I’m just really busy and head over heels in love and that they are the ones that don’t fit into my schedule anymore. And, that’s not true at all… so far from true.
I feel stuck, and I’ve never been comfortable admitting it until now. I don’t want to pretend that I am just fine anymore. But, I don’t want to moan and groan, or for people to worry or feel sorry or pity me. I don’t want to overpower the conversation when someone asks how I’ve been feeling, because I could talk all night. But, geez, I really do want to talk sometimes.
In all honestly, I have always been the person in my many circles that organized the get-togethers, ensured the girl’s free drinks from the bars that we would close down, and throw my nieces and nephews the best Christmas parties ever.
And, it sucks not being able to be that person anymore. It sucks to not even have the energy to go to dinner, let alone host one. Fibro sucks. So, if I’m being honest, I don’t feel like my old self at all. And, I guess I’m a little afraid that my friends and family may not enjoy my company anymore, that I may not be as funny as they expect me to be, or as good at conversation as I once was. I definitely won’t close the bar down if I even make it. But, I guess I should tell them that. Because, as I write this I’ve realized that if I was them, I’d want to know.
So, here it goes. I miss you, all of you. And, I’m sorry for the excuses. Instead of reaching out to you when I’ve needed you most, I’ve hidden from you and even lied to you. I’m sorry. And, if I am ever going to find myself again, I need you. So, from now on, I’ll be honest and tell you when I just don’t feel like putting a bra on to leave the house. And, maybe instead of canceling or postponing, you can just stop by. I’d love to see you. I would really love that.
I didn’t ask for this and believe me, I don’t want it. I know you roll your eyes, even when you try and hide it. I know you think I’m exaggerating or being dramatic. But this is something I wouldn’t wish on anyone.
You’re used to seeing me work and cook, clean, walk, go shopping, and even out with friends. I don’t often complain because if I complained every time I was in pain, I would have nothing else to say. If I’m complaining, just know it must be really severe.
But the truth is, I’m living a double life. I do all these things with a smile on my face because I have no choice. The only other option would be to wallow in bed and watch life pass me by. You see me take my pain meds and wonder if I’m addicted.
I take my pain meds and wonder how I will function if they are taken from me. I don’t get high, I get normal. I take those meds to feel as good as you feel when you have a cold. They are the reason I can work, cook and do all the other things you see me doing every day.
The truth is, I’m so sick of the relentless pain that I cry when you’re not looking. I wake up in the night writhing in pain while you’re sleeping. I clench my teeth when you ask me to do something physically daunting while you don’t even give it a second thought. I do 100 things a day that you don’t notice because I hide it. I hide my pain, I hide my fatigue, I hide my guilt and frustration.
The truth is, I watch you and wonder what it’s like to feel like that – to be able to do all these things without pain and fatigue. Sometimes I want to break down and scream and cry. Sometimes I get so angry I want to smash everything around me. Sometimes I wonder if I can keep going like this.
But the part that’s worse than the pain? Knowing you probably don’t believe me. Knowing that no matter how much I try and tell you, you just won’t understand. So, I keep it to myself and even when I’m surrounded by people, I’m still alone with my pain.
I’m not helpless. I don’t want you to feel bad for me. I don’t want special treatment. All I want is some empathy. Don’t get mad at me when I can’t do something. Don’t get frustrated when I can’t go somewhere. Don’t judge me when I take my meds. Don’t think I’m lazy when I sleep more often (especially since I haven’t slept the past four nights). Please just don’t make me feel guilty for having this disease.
Even if you don’t, just say, “I understand.” That’s all I want.
