When it comes to pain, delta 8 may be the thing you’ve been searching for.
It provides a natural alternative to prescription pain medications, and it does what other cannabinoids can’t.
Delta 9 is a common choice for pain, but many find that it’s too overpowering — the head high is too much, and it causes adverse side effects like anxiety and paranoia. Others find that while it gets them high, it isn’t particularly beneficial for full-body relaxation.
Some people also resort to CBD. But if you want a head experience, this non-psychoactive cannabinoid isn’t what you’re looking for.
And here’s where delta 8 is perfect: it provides a mild head high and deep bodily relaxation, without the possible anxiety and paranoia from delta 9.
In this article, we’re going to cover everything you need to know about how delta 8 works for pain, and how you can start using it.
TAKEAWAYS:
- A recent survey shows that many people find delta 8 beneficial for pain, with many preferring it to prescription medications.
- Delta 8 THC may influence pain response by binding to the CB1 receptors in the endocannabinoid system, which are involved in pain management.
- For most people, a starting dosage of delta 8 for pain is 5-15 mg per day.
What is Delta 8? Is It Legal?
Delta 8 tetrahydrocannabinol (delta 8 THC or delta 8) is a naturally occurring psychoactive cannabinoid found in the hemp plant. However, it only naturally exists in minuscule amounts, so it’s made synthetically for products.
Though delta 8 is psychoactive, it is legal as of the 2018 Farm Bill, which took all hemp-derived products off the DEA’s list of Schedule I controlled drugs.
However, it is illegal in some states — click here to check the legality of delta 8 in your state.
Does Delta 8 Help With Pain? What Research Says
There hasn’t been much research done on the efficacy of delta 8 as a painkiller. However, we do have a few studies and surveys that suggest it has therapeutic potential for pain.
Surveys of Delta 8 Users Show It May Help WIth Pain
In one survey of therapeutic delta 8 users, 41% listed chronic pain as their reason for use.
The scientists who did the survey noted that participants often used delta 8 to partially or fully replace pharmaceutical drugs.
The review concluded that delta 8 may be just as effective as delta 9 for pain, but without the adverse effects.
Another survey focused on the effects of delta 8. Of the participants, 71% experienced feelings of relaxation, 68% euphoria, and 55% pain relief, with many users noting that they did not experience anxiety (74%) or paranoia (83%).
There’s research, too – studies suggest delta 8 may have anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain-reducing) effects.
Anecdotal Evidence in Favor of Delta 8 for Pain
In our experience, customers report that delta 8 is beneficial for many types of pain and inflammation, including nerve pain, back pain, muscle and joint pain, arthritis, IBS, and more.
Learn More: Does Delta 8 Help With Back Pain?
Many people come to us looking to supplement their prescription medications or get off them completely, and delta 8 is often what allows them to do this (though you need to be careful — more on this in a bit).
What is the Delta 8 High Like?
Most people describe the delta 8 high as feelings of euphoria and deep bodily relaxation without the intense “stoned” effects of delta 9.
Some people also report that delta 8 has energizing and mentally clarifying effects.
Delta 8 For Pain: How It Works
Delta 8 works by interacting with your Endocannabinoid system (ECS), a receptor system in your body responsible for regulating most of your vital functions.
Functions the ECS regulates include sleep, immune response, memory, metabolism, and more. Overall, your ECS keeps your body in a state of homeostasis, or balance.
Normally, the ECS functions on its own, producing its own endocannabinoid and regulating your body.
However, during times of physical or mental stress, introducing outside cannabinoids, like delta 8, can help the ECS perform its job better.
There are two main types of cannabinoid receptors in the ECS:
- CB1 receptors — Located in the central nervous system and throughout the body
- CB2 receptors – Located all throughout the body, except for in the nervous system
Delta 8 interacts primarily with the CB1 receptor. Through this interaction, it affects the way your receptors send pain signals to the brain.
Although the exact impact of delta 8 on pain signaling is unknown, anecdotal evidence suggests this interaction can the amount of pain you feel.
So in essence, delta 8 is made to work with your body. And though its exact function is unknown, it renders relaxing effects by interacting with your ECS.
Can Delta 8 Replace Pain Prescriptions?
In most cases, delta 8 should be used to supplement, rather than replace, prescription medications.
If you plan to begin taking delta 8 and cut down on prescriptions, you need to be careful. Cutting down on prescription use too quickly can cause serious withdrawal effects.
For example, if you stop taking opioids or opiates, you may experience sleep disturbances, irritability, mood swings, depression, anxiety, cravings, tiredness, and other adverse feelings.
To ensure a safe transition, ensure that you begin introducing delta 8 gradually, and under the care and advice of a doctor.
Although anecdotal evidence suggests delta 8 may be beneficial for pain, it isn’t a proven treatment and everyone reacts to it differently — that’s why it’s always best to exercise caution when using it.
Potential Side Effects Of Using Delta 8
Delta 8 may cause side effects similar to delta 9, which include the following:
- Red eyes
- Dry mouth
- Trouble with coordination
- Slowed reaction times
- Anxiety
- Memory loss
- Rapid heart rate
However, many people find that some or all of these side effects are much less severe or are nonexistent with delta 8, compared to delta 9.
How Much Delta 8 Should You Take for Pain?
We recommend thinking of dosage in terms of strength, rather than specific amounts. This ensures you take an amount of delta 8 proportionate to what your body needs.
For pain, start with a low dosage. You can calculate it using this formula:
(0.05) x (your body weight in lbs) = your daily delta 8 dosage in mg.
If you’re already familiar with the effects of psychoactive cannabinoids, start with a medium strength dosage:
(0.1) x (your body weight in lbs) = your daily delta 8 dosage in mg.
Of course, if you’re in serious pain, you’d probably need much more than what these formulas give you. These formulas are designed to provide guidance for your initial dose.
Delta 8 affects everyone differently, so it’s best to start low until you get a feel for how it works. Then, you can adjust your dosage until you achieve optimal physical relaxation.
Which Delta 8 Product Should You Use for Pain?
If you’ve shopped for delta 8 products before, you know you have options. No product is necessarily the best for pain, rather, it depends on what you need:
Edibles
Onset Time: About 1 hour
Delta 8 edibles, such as gummies, candy, and brownies, offer a great-tasting way to get your dose. Depending on the type of edible, dosing can be straightforward (gummies) or a bit complicated (brownies).
Capsules
Onset Time: About 1 hour
Swallowable capsules offer a quick, tasteless, easy-to-dose form of delta 8.
Vapes & Flower
Onset Time: 10-20 minutes
Vapes and flower provide two high-potency delta 8 delivery methods. This is because the delta 8 bypasses your digestive system and is delivered straight to your lungs.
However, dosing is difficult — it can be hard to measure how many milligrams of delta 8 each puff contains.
Oil
Onset Time: 20-30 minutes
Delta 8 oils, like vapes, are a potent delivery method. Oils are taken under the tongue and absorbed through the blood vessels in your mouth, therefore bypassing the digestive system.
Topicals
Onset Time: 20-30 minutes
Delta 8 topical products are used externally on the area(s) of your body that you want to target. They absorb into the skin but do not enter the bloodstream.
Because of this, topicals won’t cause a head high. This also means you won’t experience mental euphoria and relaxation. However, they’re very effective if all you need is external application.
How Does Delta 8 Compare to Delta 9 For Pain?
Learn More: Delta 8 vs. Delta 9 for Pain
Delta 9 may have benefits for pain, but it’s most effective for mental relaxation. Most people who use delta 9 do so for the psychoactive effect it gives.
Delta 8, on the other hand, renders deep physical relaxation, in addition to a mild head high. It’s more commonly used for therapeutic purposes.
Anecdotal evidence suggests delta 8 may be more effective than delta 9 for pain, however, this depends on the nature of your situation and your personal preferences.
What About CBD?
CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid with lots of benefits. Research suggests it may have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, just like delta 8.
If you’re just looking for physical relaxation and don’t want the high, CBD is better. However, some people report that delta 8’s physical effects are stronger than CBD’s, and that the high isn’t overpowering.
Where to Buy Delta 8 Products (And How to Choose)
You can buy delta 8 at gas stations and smoke shops, but it probably won’t be very good quality and it may even be dangerous to consume.
This is because gas stations and head shops aren’t required to undergo the same licensing that cannabis-focused companies are, so there aren’t as many rules around what they can sell.
Your local CBD shop is a good place to find delta 8. However, while these companies will typically carry high-quality products, they may have a limited selection available.
Because of this, shopping online is often the best way to find high-quality delta 8 products. But in an industry that isn’t heavily regulated, you have to be careful to ensure you’re getting products that are safe and effective.
Here are some buying tips:
Check Lab Reports
Reputable companies have their products tested in 3rd-party labs to verify their quality.
Use the lab report to ensure the product contains the amount of delta 8 it claims to (not significantly more or less) and that it doesn’t contain heavy metal contaminants. If a company doesn’t lab test their products, don’t buy from them.
Read Reviews
Some companies make outlandish claims about their products that aren’t substantiated by customer experiences.
Read reviews to make sure that people who have bought the product you’re interested in have experienced the benefits it’s supposed to provide.
Understand The Delta 8 Content
Often, products contain other cannabinoids in addition to delta 8, and this may not be obvious at first glance.
Carefully examine products to make sure you understand how much total delta 8 they contain, and how much delta 8 they contain per serving, before making a purchase.
Explore Delta 8 Edibles, Oils, and More from Natural Ways CBD
Obviously, we’re biased, but we believe we offer some of the best delta 8 products that you’ll find online.
Not only are all of our products 3rd-party lab tested and made with American-grown hemp, but they’ve been used by thousands of customers for many different types of pain.
Every day, we hear from customers who have used our delta 8 gummies, candy, oil, drinks, and topicals to substitute and sometimes fully replace their prescription pain medications.
And we were a brick-and-mortar business before we even began selling online.
With six brick-and-mortar stores in the Houston, TX, area, we get real-time, in-person feedback from customers every day which allows us to make better products for all of our customers — online and off. This is something most online CBD retailers can’t do.
So if you’re looking for lab-tested, American-made delta 8 products that have been refined based on thousands of customers, we’re the company for you.
Click here to check out our delta 8 line, or use the button below.
No more weak, ineffective, and potentially dangerous products. It's time for high-strength, American-made delta-8 THC products that have been 3rd-party lab tested.
Conclusion: Delta 8 Promotes Physical And Mental Relaxation
Science suggests delta 8 can be beneficial for those with pain, and the abundance of examples we’ve seen from real people confirms this.
If you want a natural alternative to your prescription that won’t cause harsh side effects, delta 8 is worth trying.
Just be sure to speak with your doctor first. They’ll be able to advise you on how best to supplement with delta 8 so that you get the help you need without compromising your health and safety.
Delta 8 For Pain: Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions customers frequently ask us about using delta 8 products for pain.
Can delta 8 be used for pain?
Research suggests delta 8 may be beneficial for many different types of pain and inflammation. Delta 8 promotes deep physical relaxation without many of the adverse side effects of delta 9 THC.
What kind of delta 8 is best for pain?
The type of delta 8 product you use for pain is up to personal preference. Vapes and flower are faster-acting and extremely potent, but they are hard to dose. Edibles and oil act more slowly but can be easily dosed.
How much delta 8 should I take for pain?
For most people, a starting delta 8 dosage for pain will be 5-15 mg per day. As you go, you can increase or decrease this dosage based on how you feel.
Is delta 8 a good anti-inflammatory?
More research is needed, but preliminary studies suggest delta 8 may have anti-inflammatory properties, and anecdotal evidence suggests it has physically relaxing effects.
Is delta 8 good for pain and anxiety?
Many people find delta 8 beneficial for various types of pain and anxiety. Commonly reported effects of delta 8 include euphoria and physical relaxation.
Is delta 8 or 9 better for pain?
Delta 8 may be more effective than delta 9 for pain. It is not as strong as delta 9, however, anecdotal evidence suggests it may be more effective at relaxing the body than delta 9 is. Delta 8 also has fewer adverse side effects than delta 9 does.
Is d8 better than CBD for pain?
While research suggests CBD may have anti-inflammatory effects, many people find that delta 8 is more effective for physical relaxation than CBD is. However, delta 8 will cause a mild head high, so CBD is the better option for those not looking for the head experience.
