Cannabidiol (CBD) as a treatment of acute and chronic back pain: A case series and literature review

Jonathan P. Eskander, MD, MBA; Junaid Spall, BS; Awais Spall, BA; Rinoo V. Shah, MD, MBA; Alan D. Kaye, MD, PhD

doi:10.5055/jom.2020.0570

Authors

Jonathan P. Eskander, MD, MBA
Junaid Spall, BS
Awais Spall, BA
Rinoo V. Shah, MD, MBA
Alan D. Kaye, MD, PhD

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/jom.2020.0570

Keywords:

cannabidiol, CBD, compression fracture, low back pain, chronic pain, neuropathic, radicular, pain, marijuana, THC, tetrahydrocannabinol, CB1, CB2, receptors, meningioma, dysesthesia, paresthesia, thoracic back pain

Abstract

Objective: Two patient case reports are presented describing the use of cannabidiol (CBD) for the symptomatic relief of a lumbar compression fracture and in the mitigation of thoracic discomfort and dysesthesia secondary to a surgically resected meningioma.

Discussion: CBD appears to have antisnociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects on opioid-naive patients with neuropathic and radicular pain. Of note, the patients in this case series used the same CBD cream: Baskin Essentials Body Wellness Cream (400 mg CBD per two oz.)

Conclusion: Hemp-derived CBD in a transdermal cream provided significant symptom and pain relief for the patients described in this case series. Based on these results, we believe further investigation is warranted to see if CBD-containing products should have a more prominent role in the treatment of acute and chronic pain.

Author Biographies

Jonathan P. Eskander, MD, MBA

Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Portsmouth Anesthesia Associates, Portsmouth, Virginia

Junaid Spall, BS

Department of Chemistry, University of California, San Diego, California

Awais Spall, BA

Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California

Rinoo V. Shah, MD, MBA

Department of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-Shreveport, Shreveport, Louisiana

Alan D. Kaye, MD, PhD

Department of Anesthesiology and Pharmacology, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana

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