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The body’s longest nerve is called the sciatica nerve, beginning at the spinal cord, running through your hips and bum, and ending down each leg. It’s also one of the most important due to its direct effect on your ability to feel and control your legs. Irritation to this nerve is what causes sciatica.
So, what is sciatica, and what does it feel like? It usually results in varying levels of pain in the back, bum and/or legs. And when this starts to stop you from functioning in everyday life, it might be a good idea to seek the help of a licensed medical cannabis clinic like Alternaleaf.
Simply fill out our 30 second eligibility questionnaire to start your journey. To learn more about medical cannabis for sciatica, and whether or not it can help with pain relief, keep reading.
Sciatica Symptoms: What It Feels Like & How It Affects Daily Life
As we mentioned above, the main symptom of sciatica is varying levels of pain that can shoot from the back, through the bum and into the legs. Other nerve damage symptoms are also possible. These can include:
- Numb legs or feet
- Burning pain
- Weakness in the legs or feet - in severe cases this can become loss of feeling or movement
- Pins and needles or tingling in your toes or feet
- Loss of control of the bladder or bowels - this is a very rare symptom, but you should go to your doctor if it is something you’re experiencing
Causes of Sciatica
Sciatica is usually caused by an injury to your sciatic nerve, but can also be caused by injuries to an area affecting the nerve, like the bones in your neck and back. Below we explore a few common causes:
- Herniated or slipped disk - This is when one of the disks that separate the bones in your spine are ripped. The substance that fills the disk can then spill out, and put pressure on the sciatica nerve.
- Degenerative disk disease - This is when one spinal bone extends forward over another, pinching the sciatica nerve.
- Spinal stenosis - This is when the lower spinal canal is abnormally narrow, which leads to pressure on your spinal cord and sciatica nerve roots.
Although there are lots of suggested options for easing the pain that comes with sciatica, like stretching, exercise, and hot and cold compression, these can change depending on the cause, and the individual who is suffering. Medical cannabis could also be an option due to its potential to help with inflammation.
Medical Cannabis for Sciatica: Potential Benefits & Research
Medical cannabis works by harnessing cannabinoids to bind to pain receptors and nerve cells, which slows down the pain response. This, in turn, has the potential to ease discomfort. And, while further studies are needed, a 2015 meta-analysis gave encouraging signs that medical cannabis may provide short-term neuropathic pain relief.
CBD vs. THC for sciatica pain relief
The endocannabinoid system, or the ECS, is a messenger and receptor system that is integral to homeostasis (the management of balance) within the human body. The ECS influences and modulates pretty much every single function within your body, directing, correcting and managing your overall health.
One of the core components of the ECS are the cannabinoid receptors, which includes CB1 and CB2. They’re one of the main reasons behind why medical cannabis can work positively on so many different conditions. Many experts believe that, by consuming compounds like CBD or THC, it’s possible to interact with these receptors in the body.
CBD and THC are two of over 100 cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. CBD is non-psychoactive, meaning it doesn’t make you feel ‘high’. THC is psychoactive, so can be behind that ‘high’ feeling recreational cannabis use is sometimes associated with.
Thanks to research around the ECS, we can see the potential benefit of medical cannabis for pain. So, does CBD help with nerve pain? Yes, for some people, CBD has the potential to relieve pain by reducing inflammation when it indirectly interacts with the CB2 receptors.
But, does THC help with nerve pain? In a 2022 systematic review, researchers found “a quantifiable advantage of cannabis therapy for alleviating back pain” – mostly in high-THC, low-CBD medication.
Although separately, CBD and THC have the potential to relieve pain, some research shows that they can sometimes work better together. Instead of looking at these two compounds against each other, we should be looking at how, together, they both may play a lead role on certain health conditions. This is due to a phenomenon known as the entourage effect. This research also implies a mix of THC and CBD may prove effective.
Summary
There’s no one size fits all approach when it comes to medical cannabis for sciatica. From the severity of your symptoms to how the body reacts, every case and every person is different. And remember that just like with any other medication, medical cannabis can come with its own side effects and risks. Although they are rare, and can vary depending on personal factors such as your past use, physiology and health condition, as well as consumption method (for example oil, vaporiser, edible), and THC and CBD content. If you’re ever unsure, speak to your doctor.
Whether you’re looking for medical cannabis for sciatica, or one of 50+ other conditions, Alternaleaf could be a great option for you. Visit our website to find out more today.