Sorry that this question about topical CBD is really stupid

January 30, 2019 3:29 PM

I had a minor medical procedure and I am trying to decide whether CBD is a good choice for my recovery. YANMD etc

My doctor said that I could take NSAIDs for inflammation and pain post-procedure, and I told him that I can't (I have ulcerative colitis and can't tolerate NSAIDs). Oh, he said, then acetaminophen or CBD oil now that it's legal.

So what I would really like would be a topical cream that might help ease the minor but annoying pain at the procedure site. Does CBD do this? The procedure was minor surgery so, although healing is under way, I think the wound may not be fully closed as yet so I really truly don't want to put something at the site that will cause burning or pain at the wound.

Or is topical CBD only designed to help pain along the lines of muscle pain or arthritis? If so, does a CBD tincture actually help with inflammation? If so, how well? The above-referenced ulcerative colitis causes inflammation in my lower intestine and if that is something that could be helped by oral CBD I would totally go for it.

BY THE WAY I live in California so this is not illegal any more for the time being.

Thanks!

posted by janey47 to Health & Fitness (5 answers total)

I'm in WA, so we'll have different products available than in CA, but I can give you my experience with topical and oral CBD concoctions.

I have tried 2 topical CBD creams. The first had tea tree oil, which I don't really like and would never put in an open wound. I did use it to massage into my muscles but did not notice much. The second cream has CBD and a little THC in it. It smells like Tiger Balm and I would not use it on an open wound, but if I were shopping for a CBD salve or lotion I would definitely get one with some THC in it because it acts synergistically with the CBD. And neutral oil bases that you can put on sores would be nice!

Oral CBD with a touch of THC is what worked for my pain that nothing else would touch. There are lots of tinctures and oils you can try. My favorite comes in a syringe that you get going under hot water when you're making tea or whatever and then the oil loosens up and you can mix it into a hot drink or put on a cracker or something.

The weird thing I've found about CBD/THC and pain is that it doesn't remove the pain as much as it makes you care less about the pain.

Good luck!
posted by danabanana at 4:35 PM on January 30, 2019

CBG, or cannabigerol, is the cannabinoid that has shown incredibly promising results treating Crohn’s and colitis. Not all strains contain significant amounts of CBG. I usually recommend full-spectrum extracts versus just one cannabinoid or another, but if you can’t or won’t ingest THC that can get tricky.

CBD is an excellent anti-inflammatory both applied topically and ingested. So is THC, for that matter.

If you have access to dispensaries, there is no need to be using (often sketchy and mislabeled) over-the-counter CBD oil. Most budtenders should be used to patients who do not enjoy intoxication and be able to recommend topicals, CBD-only edibles, and other options that will work.

I’m a budtender but I’m not your budtender, and I’m in a different state so our products are all different and I can’t make specific recommendations.
posted by Juliet Banana at 4:47 PM on January 30, 2019

I work in a natural foods store in a state where it is legal for us to sell CBD only products. Many of our customers have commented on getting great pain relief from taking CBC capsules and tinctures. I have not heard anyone specifically mention relief from ulcerative colitis, but it wouldn't surprise me if it helped with that. I've seen doses that range from 10mg-75mg. Based on personal experience I would start at the low end and see what works for you. Anything over 10mg makes me drowsy, but not everyone has that reaction to it. Topicals work for some people, but not for everyone. I've had people tell me that topicals have been effective for muscle pain (from overuse or strain), but have heard others say it has not helped with arthritis or nerve pain.
posted by ezrainch at 5:32 PM on January 30, 2019

The procedure site is an incision? I'd check with your doctor/surgeon for sure, because I don't imagine the topicals are sterile and they may not necessarily be safe for an open wound -- or, at the very least, might slow your healing time or cause irritation. Depending on how the incision was closed, you might not want to put any sort of topical treatment on it at all.

It seems from context like your doctor was recommending oral CBD, so I'd definitely talk with them before trying something topical.
posted by halation at 8:26 PM on January 30, 2019

I was on my phone earlier; here is a study on CBG and IBD. If you're open to using cannabis to treat IBD I would really look into it.

People are using "CBD" (cannabidiol) as sort of a buzzword to mean "cannabis, used in a legally accessible way, not necessarily to get high" and it's super reductive because there are dozens of terpenes, cannabinoids and other chemical compounds in any one strain that might contribute to the healing effects.
posted by Juliet Banana at 9:11 PM on January 30, 2019