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Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind.
Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:- Evaluate ingredients and composition: Do they have the potential to cause harm?
- Fact-check all health claims: Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence?
- Assess the brand: Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices?
Healthline has sole editorial control over this article. Potential uses for the products listed here are not health claims made by the manufacturers. The information in this article is intended to be general in nature. It’s not intended to be a substitute for medical advice from a healthcare professional. Healthline encourages you to make any treatment decisions with your healthcare professional.
- Best cream: Extract Labs CBD Muscle Rub Cream | Skip to review
- Best salve: FABCBD Body Salve | Skip to review
- Best gummies: Sunday Scaries Extra Strength CBD Gummies | Skip to review
- Best capsule: Social CBD Balance Gel Capsules | Skip to review
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a chemical compound found naturally in cannabis plants. While research into its effects is ongoing, some studies suggest CBD may offer pain and inflammation relief. For this reason, some people use CBD to help relieve sciatica symptoms.
There are many CBD products on the market, but not all of them are created equal. To help you choose a great product, this article will highlight some of the best options out there. We’ll also help you sort out what to look for when shopping for CBD, as well as how to use it. Where available, we’ve included special discount codes for our readers.
It’s important to keep in mind that while research suggests that CBD may help manage pain in general, there’s nothing that makes one CBD product better than another for managing sciatica specifically. Instead, you’ll want to focus on simply choosing a quality product overall.
CBD glossary
- Full-spectrum CBD: contains all cannabinoids of the cannabis plant, including CBD and THC (though less than 0.3% THC)
- Broad-spectrum CBD: contains a mix of cannabinoids, usually without THC
- CBD isolate: pure isolated CBD, without other cannabinoids or THC
We chose these products based on criteria we think are good indicators of safety, quality, and transparency. Each product in this article:
- is made by a company that provides proof of third-party testing by an ISO 17025-compliant lab
- is made with U.S.-grown hemp
- contains no more than 0.3% THC, according to the certificate of analysis (COA)
- passes tests for pesticides, heavy metals, and molds, according to the COA
As a part of our selection process, we also considered:
- the company’s certifications and manufacturing processes
- product potency
- overall ingredients and whether the product contains any additional ingredients that may support pain relief
- indicators of user trust and brand reputation, such as:
- customer reviews
- whether the company has been subject to a
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warning letter - whether the company makes any unsupported health claims
Pricing guide
- $ = under $40
- $$ = over $40
Best cream
Extract Labs CBD Muscle Rub Cream
- Price: $$
- CBD type: full-spectrum
- CBD potency: 1,500 mg per 84 gram (g) tin
- COA: available online
Extract Labs CBD Muscle Rub Cream is a good option if you have sciatica and sore, tense areas. It’s enhanced with menthol, arnica, and fragrant essential oils, and includes hydrating shea butter. This makes it great for massaging your lower back.
With 1,500 mg full-spectrum CBD in an 84 g tin of cream, this topical offers great value. Extract Labs also offers a subscribe-and-save option, a generous 60-day money-back guarantee, and a discount program for teachers, veterans and active military, and first responders.
Pros
- arnica can take down inflammation
- menthol may provide a cooling effect
- generous money-back guarantee
Cons
- it’s an expensive product
- difficult to dose
- it isn’t a vegan formula due to beeswax
Best salve
FABCBD Body Salve
- Price: $$
- CBD type: full-spectrum
- CBD potency: 1,000 mg per 1-oz tube
- COA: available online
With 1,000 mg full-spectrum CBD in a 1-oz tube, the FABCBD Body Salve packs a potent punch. This balm stick is designed to be applied directly to sore muscles and joints. It has a heating and cooling effect as a result of the camphor oil and menthol crystals. It’s a good option for people who want relief on the go.
The FABCBD Body Salve contains a range of nourishing ingredients, including jojoba oil, beeswax, and sunflower seed oil. It also contains fragrant essential oils like lavender, ginger, and rosemary.
In addition to a 30-day money-back guarantee, FABCBD offers a subscribe-and-save program that gives you a 20% discount on recurring purchases.
Pros
- subscriptions offer 20% discounts
- has a heating and cooling effect
- includes a range of natural ingredients
Cons
- difficult to dose
- contains beeswax, making it unsuitable for vegans
- some essential oils may be irritating to sensitive skin
Use code “HEALTHLINE” for 20% off your first purchase.
Best gummies
Sunday Scaries Extra Strength CBD Gummies
- Price: $$
- CBD type: broad-spectrum
- CBD potency: 25 mg per gummy
- COA: available online
Each Sunday Scaries extra-strength gummy has 25 mg of broad-spectrum CBD, which is a big jump from their standard gummies, which have 10 mg of CBD each. If you’re new to CBD, you’ll want to keep that in mind.
Sunday Scaries offers this extra-strength version for stress relief. COAs for all products are prominently displayed on their website. They also offer a 100% money-back guarantee and customer service by real human beings.
Note: These gummies are sold out at the time of this writing. Healthline will keep an eye out for the restock.
Pros
- easy to dose
- the product holds a host of safety certifications
- each bottle contains four different flavors
- may help reduce pain-induced stress or anxiety
Cons
- may be too strong for newer buyers
- primarily designed for stress relief over pain
- unsuitable for vegans or those with a coconut allergy
- 10 servings per bottle may not last regular users long
Use code “healthline20” for 20% off.
Best capsule
Social CBD Balance Gel Capsules
- Price: $$
- CBD type: isolate
- CBD potency: 33 mg per capsule
- COA: available online
With 33.3 mg CBD per capsule, Social CBD Balance Gel Capsules offer a fairly potent serving of CBD. As such, they’re probably best for someone who has already used CBD. Note that these capsules contain gelatin and are not vegan-friendly.
CBD capsules are convenient: Unlike when you use tinctures, you don’t need to measure your dose, making it easier to use.
Social CBD offers a generous subscribe-and-save program, a loyalty and rewards program, as well as discounts for veterans, first responders, and active-duty military personnel.
Pros
- easy to measure the dose
- suitable for people avoiding THC
- one bottle offers a month’s supply
Cons
- not vegan-friendly
- fewer online reviews than other products
- designed for promoting calm over pain reduction
Individuals can receive 30% off their purchase by using code “HEALTH30.”
| Product | Price | Type of CBD | Form of CBD | Discount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extract Labs CBD Muscle Rub Cream | $$ | full-spectrum CBD | topical | no |
| FABCBD Body Salve | $$ | full-spectrum CBD | topical | yes |
| Sunday Scaries Extra Strength CBD Gummies | $$ | broad-spectrum CBD | gummy | no |
| Social CBD Balance Gel Capsules | $$ | CBD isolate | capsules | yes |
CBD is often used to reduce pain and
Research from 2018 looked at studies on CBD and chronic pain conducted between 1975 and 2018. The studies were on various kinds of pain, including fibromyalgia, cancer-related pain, and neuropathic pain. The review authors concluded that CBD was effective at relieving pain with few noticeable side effects.
While CBD hasn’t been tested for its ability to relieve sciatica specifically, the above research is promising for pain in general.
Currently, the FDA doesn’t guarantee the safety, effectiveness, or quality of over-the-counter CBD products. However, in order to protect public health, they can
Since the FDA doesn’t regulate CBD products in the same way they do drugs or dietary supplements, companies sometimes mislabel or misrepresent their products. That means it’s especially important to do your own research and find a quality product. Here’s what to look for.
Test results
Only purchase CBD products that are third-party tested. You should be able to read a lab report, such as a certificate of analysis, or COA, on the company’s website. Some companies might also include the COA with your product shipment. Other times, you may need to request the COA by email.
When reviewing the COA, check to make sure that the product is free of pesticides, heavy metals, and mold. Also, review the cannabinoid profile. This will allow you to confirm that the product actually contains what the label says it does.
Ingredients
Check the label to make sure the product contains CBD. If it only lists hempseed oil, Cannabis sativa oil, or hemp seeds, it doesn’t have CBD in it. CBD is found in the leaves, flowers, stems, and stalks of the hemp plant. It isn’t found in the seeds.
CBD source and type
Look for products made from organic, U.S.-grown hemp. Hemp grown in the United States is subject to agricultural regulations and can’t contain more than 0.3% THC.
Whether you choose an isolate, full-spectrum, or broad-spectrum product is a personal choice. If you want to avoid THC altogether, look for an isolate or broad-spectrum product. If you’re fine with taking in a small amount of THC, a full-spectrum product may be a better choice due to the entourage effect.
Product type
Topical CBD products are ideal if you’re experiencing pain in a targeted area.
However, if you’re experiencing pain all over, you may prefer an oil or gummy. It can be costly and time-consuming to rub your entire body with a CBD topical.
Keep in mind, too, that different methods of taking CBD may have varying degrees of bioavailability, and some may take longer to kick in than others.
It’s difficult to dose topical CBD products because it’s hard to measure how much you apply to your skin. In general, you should use as much as you would if it were a regular topical product. If it doesn’t feel any different after some time has passed, use a little more.
If you’re taking an oil or gummy, start with a low dose — perhaps 10 mg or 20 mg per day. Keep in mind that it sometimes takes a while before you notice an improvement.
After a week, assess your symptoms. If the CBD hasn’t helped as much as you’d like, increase your dose by 5 mg per day. Continue doing this until you find the ideal dosage.
Check out our CBD dosage guide for more information.
CBD is generally considered safe for human consumption, according to older
- fatigue
- diarrhea
- changes in appetite
- changes in mood
Some
It’s also important to note that CBD can interact with some medications, especially medications that carry a grapefruit warning.
Plus, the
Regardless of whether you take medication, we recommend talking with your healthcare professional and a knowledgeable cannabis clinician before using any CBD products.
Will CBD oil help sciatica?
You can use CBD oil for sciatica. CBD is often used to manage pain and inflammation. Although there’s a lack of research on the benefits of CBD for sciatica, other research, such as a 2018 research review, might relieve pain.
Will CBD help with a pinched nerve?
As with sciatica, there aren’t any large-scale human clinical trials that explore whether CBD can help with a pinched nerve. However, because CBD might reduce pain and inflammation, it might also soothe a pinched nerve. Inflammation puts extra pressure on nerves, which can cause or worsen a pinched nerve.
How do you use CBD for sciatica?
People typically use CBD daily. Depending on your tastes, you can take CBD in the form of a tincture, oil, capsule, or gummy. You can also use CBD topical — such as a cream or balm — by massaging it into the affected areas.
Many people find that CBD helps relieve sciatica effectively, and it may be worth a try if you have sciatic pain. Remember to talk with your healthcare professional before using CBD, and do your research in order to find the best CBD product for your symptoms.
Is CBD legal? The 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp from the legal definition of marijuana in the Controlled Substances Act. This made some hemp-derived CBD products with less than 0.3% THC legal at the federal level. However, CBD products containing more than 0.3% THC still fall under the legal definition of marijuana, making them illegal at the federal level. Some states have legalized CBD, so be sure to check state laws, especially when traveling. Also, keep in mind that the FDA has not approved nonprescription CBD products, and some products may be inaccurately labeled.