Using Delta-8 -THC for Pain — How Does Delta-8 THC Work As a Pain Reliever

How effective is delta 8 THC for pain management?

Approximately one in five Americans suffers from chronic pain on a regular basis while facing limited treatment options. 

Delta 8 THC is touted as the go-to natural remedy for pain. If you are dealing with daily discomfort — and are keeping your options open — let’s look at the effectiveness of this cannabinoid for pain, how much to take, and where to purchase the best products.

Last Update: October 14, 2024

Article Summary

• Delta 8 THC is a hemp cannabinoid touted for its pain-relief potential. It exhibits mild intoxicating effects and bodily relaxation.
• Delta 8 THC is more mellow than delta 9 THC. This makes it a preferred choice for those seeking pain relief without intense psychoactive effects.
• Mr. Hemp Flower’s line of premium delta 8 THC products offers purity, potency, and effectiveness for physical discomfort. 
• You can consume delta 8 for pain through smoking, vaping, and orally (edibles). Smoking offers quick relief, while edibles provide prolonged effects.
• The appropriate dosage of delta 8 THC for pain relief varies depending on body weight and tolerance. 
• The baseline dosage of delta 8 for pain for beginners is 5 mg to 10 mg. 
• Delta 8 THC is generally considered safe with few reported side effects. 

What is Delta 8 THC? 

Delta 8 THC is a hemp cannabinoid with mildly intoxicating properties. As a secondary compound in cannabis, it naturally makes up about 0.01% of the plant. Similarly to cannabinol (CBN), delta 8 is a degraded form of delta 9 THC produced during exposure of cannabis flower to oxygen. 

Marijuana flower is richer in delta 8 than hemp flower. Since there’s no hemp flower with naturally high levels of delta 8, manufacturers extract, convert, and refine this cannabinoid from CBD (cannabidiol). 

The Delta 8 High

What does delta 8 feel like? Most people experience delta 8 as euphoric but mellow. Users have pointed out, anecdotally, that it provides fine bodily relaxation without the intense “high” of delta 9 THC. Some people find this compound energizing because it gives them mental clarity. 

Read more: How Effective is Delta 8 for Sleep? 

Have You Tried Our Delta 8 For Pain?

Mr. Hemp Flower offers a line of exclusive delta 8 THC products, including d8 gummies, d8 flower, and d8 edibles. We infuse our gummies, edibles and hemp flower with pure and potent delta 8 distillate made using ethanol (food-grade) extraction and organic ingredients. 

We are all about whole-plant health and the benefits of the entourage effect offered by our CBD-rich hemp flower sprayed with delta 8 distillate. 

Mr. Hemp Flower Delta 8 Flower

Although there’s no naturally cultivated delta 8 flower, the next best thing is our premium delta 8 flower available in several strains. Experience the full-blown effects of the entourage effects with our CBD-rich flower sprayed with d8 distillate. 

Explore premium delta 8 flower here. 

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100mg THC Gummies – Extra Strength THC Gummies

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Mr. Hemp Flower Delta 8 Gummies

Delta 8 is less potent than delta 9, but these Mr. Hemp Flower delta 8 gummies (25 mg) are intense. Infused with pure hemp-derived delta 8 distillate, our premium gummies contain 25 mg d8 per gummy and 200 mg per pack. 

Formulated to offer the perfect texture and juicy flavor, our gummies will excite your taste buds and provide the amount of d8 your body needs. The mixed berries flavor gives these gummies a delicious sweet note that makes you want to savor the entire bag (not recommended unless you’re a very regular THC user).

How to Use Delta 8 THC for Pain 

If you’re experiencing pain and discomfort on a daily basis, you can experiment with different d8 products before finding the one that best works for you. 

Delta 8 THC is available as:

• Vape concentrates
• Oils and tinctures
• Edibles (gel capsules) 
• Hemp flower pre-rolls enriched with d8 oil
• CBD-rich hemp flower sprayed with d8 oil 

Vaping, smoking, or edibles?

As a rule of thumb, pain management requires a faster-acting method for relief. That’s why some people prefer vaping and smoking over edibles. Many have found that combining different forms of consumption, like smoking and edibles, provides the best results. Let’s look at each consumption method separately. 

Vaping & Smoking 

Onset of action: 10-20 minutes

Smokers prefer delta 8 flower or delta 8 pre-rolls for pain management due to quick relief. Sativa strains are known for their energy-boosting properties, while indica provide a calming sensation. 

For pain, you can try Crunch Berries delta 8 flower, which is an indica-dominant flower that may help relax your mind and ease discomfort. Northern Lights delta 8 flower is another powerful indica-dominant hybrid to try for nighttime physical discomfort. 

Smoking is not a recommended method of consumption because it negatively affects your lungs. However, it offers the fastest absorption because once inhaled, the cannabinoids travel directly into your lungs. So, you should feel the effects within 15 minutes after the first puff. 

Hemp flower and pre-rolls are more difficult to dose, so make sure to start with a puff or two if you’re new to this type of product. 

Oral Consumption (Edibles) 

Onset of action: 30 minutes to 1 hour

Delta 8 edibles, like gummies, chocolate bars, and honey sticks, are delicious treats that provide a well-rounded dose of delta 8 THC. These products offer a consistent dose of d8 but can take up to an hour to work. 

Oral consumption of cannabinoids means that the cannabinoids are metabolized in the liver before hitting the bloodstream. As a result, the body absorbs lower amounts of the compound compared to inhalation. However, once they start working, the effects of edibles can last for up to eight hours. 

Edibles can be effective for physical discomfort when paired with smokables. If you want immediate relief, edibles are not the right type of product to take. However, they are the best choice if you want prolonged relief. 

Topical Application (Creams and Ointments)

Delta 8 topical products are applied externally to the affected areas. They are absorbed locally but don’t enter the bloodstream, so you won’t get a “high” from the topical application of delta 8 THC creams and ointments.  

Before taking delta 8 for physical discomfort, please consult your doctor. This is especially important if you’re on pain medications, as some prescriptions can interfere with cannabinoids. 

Will Delta 8 Help With Pain?

The analgesic (pain-relieving) effects of delta 8 THC in humans need further exploration. Several studies provide novel (but limited) evidence of its effectiveness.

Patients around the US have access to THC through state medical marijuana programs. A lot of them use it for pain. One study showed delta 9 THC’s promising effects in the treatment of central neuropathic pain in 172 patients. The patients treated with 7.5mg of delta 9 THC noticed a significant improvement in symptoms and a drop in opioid use over the course of seven months.

The study also found that about 25% of patients did not tolerate the treatment because of delta 9 THC’s side effects. This raises an important question because delta 8 THC shows nowhere near the same side effects as delta 9 THC. But, it can potentially offer the same pain-relieving benefits. 

A 2023 survey of delta 8 users showed that 41% use this compound therapeutically for chronic pain. Some of the surveyed participants used delta 8 to partially or fully replace medications. According to this review, delta 8 may be as beneficial for pain as delta 9, but without the adverse effects. 

One 2018 animal study published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research explored the effects of delta 8 THC (and CBD) on mice with corneal injury. The study showed that delta 8 THC reduced the pain score in mice thanks to its pain-blocking and anti-inflammatory effects exhibited through the CB1 receptor. 

Another preclinical animal study looked at delta 8 THC’s effects on pain. The study confirmed the analgesic effects of this cannabinoid, but it revealed that the rats developed tolerance to the cannabinoid rapidly. 

How Does Delta 8 Work for Pain Relief?

Delta 8 targets the CB1 receptor in the brain, an essential receptor in pain regulation. 

This receptor is strategically located in the regions of the nervous system that control pain signaling. Delta 8 THC influences the endocannabinoid system by binding with one of its core cannabinoid receptors, also known as the CB1 receptor.

Located in the central nervous system, the CB1 receptor regulates major physiological and central neural activities. Some of them include pain, energy metabolism, appetite, learning and memory, anxiety and depression, etc. 

Similarly, delta 9 THC also binds to the CB1 receptor, but due to a slight difference in chemical structure between these two compounds, delta 9 produces a much more potent “high” effect. 

Using different pathways, cannabinoids influence your body’s cell-signaling system, known as the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The endocannabinoid system regulates vital bodily functions, including: 

• Chronic pain
• Inflammation
• Mood
• Sleep
• Learning and memory
• Appetite and digestion
• Reproductive system function
• Metabolism 

As a newly discovered system, scientists don’t have the ins and outs of the ECS. But, several studies show that it has an essential role in the regulation of pain. 

The endocannabinoid system is made out of three major parts: cannabinoid receptors, endocannabinoids (or cannabinoid-like compounds produced by the body itself), and enzymes. 

How Much Delta 8 to Take for Pain?

For pain, start with a baseline dose of 5 mg to 10 mg delta 8.

A baseline dose is a great start for beginners because it gives you control over managing side effects. You can calculate your personal baseline dose using this formula:

(0.05) x (your body weight in lbs.)

So, if you weigh 140 lbs, start with 7 mg of delta 8 per day.

If you have some experience with psychoactive cannabinoids, you can start with a medium-strength daily dose, calculated as:

(0.1) x (your body weight in lbs)

So, if you weigh 140 lbs, start with 14 mg of delta 8 per day.

Those dealing with severe pain may need much more than a baseline of medium strength dosage. But that’s up to you to decide. 

To find the optimal delta 8 dosage for pain, consider the strength of your product (total milligrams) and the amount of d8 per milligram. The goal is to figure out the milligrams of delta 8 in a single serving. 

For products like gummies and capsules, the delta 8 dose is premeasured, so you don’t have to calculate the dosage. You can just pop a 10 mg or 25 mg gummy in your mouth, and you know exactly how much you’re taking. 

However, for products like delta 8 flower, you’ll need to calculate the amount of delta 8 per pre-roll. One pre-roll typically weighs one gram, which equals 1000 mg. 

If the hemp flower contains 20% delta 8 per gram of flower, one pre-roll has 200 mg of delta 8 THC. It’s difficult to calculate how much d8 travels to your lungs with a single puff, so make sure to start with a few puffs and increase gradually.

Delta 8 vs. Pain Medications

Delta 8 should supplement pain medications, not replace them. 

Cutting down on your pain medications immediately after starting delta 8 is generally not recommended. Abrupt discontinuation of prescription meds can cause serious withdrawal effects. For a safe transition, introduce delta 8 gradually under the supervision of a doctor. 

You must start a regular regime to know how your body will react to this substance. Remember that delta 8 is not an approved or proven treatment for pain, so make sure to approach this change gradually. 

Delta 8 vs. Delta 9 for Pain

Delta 8 is milder than delta 9 and produces less overwhelming psychoactive effects. According to anecdotal evidence, you’re less likely to experience intense anxiety or paranoia with delta 8. 

This is really important for people like you who are dealing with physical discomfort because it keeps you more functional during the day. If you have to take THC at night, delta 8 makes you less lethargic and drowsy the next morning than delta 9. 

These properties make d8 more suitable for beginners and people who want to stay productive without the aftermath of THC’s psychoactivity.

Side Effects and Safety Concerns of Delta 8 THC

Several studies performed on humans show that delta 8 THC is a generally safe compound. 

A major study on delta 8 THC in pediatric patients undergoing chemotherapy found that even when administered in larger doses, delta 8 THC’s side effects are negligible compared to the benefits. The study found that delta 8 THC shows powerful antiemetic effects in children — unmatched in preventing nausea and vomiting. 

One 2018 systematic review found that delta 8 THC significantly slowed heart rate in animals but increased heart rate in humans.

Another study on delta 8 THC (and delta 9 THC) in animals found that the component increased blood pressure — followed by a drop in blood pressure and a slower heart rate. 

This goes on to show that the effects a compound has on animals can be completely opposite of the effect it has on humans. People who tried delta 8 THC in a pure form or entourage with other components report experiencing insignificant side effects. 

How Much Delta 8 is Too Much?

You can’t overdose on delta 8 THC, but there’s definitely a limit to how much you can take. 

Consuming a larger amount of delta 8 as a beginner will turn a potentially pleasant experience into a nightmare. You will feel intense effects, like drowsiness, dizziness, extreme anxiety, and even paranoia. 

The way your body responds to this compound depends on your tolerance levels to THC. To avoid adverse effects, make sure you match the dosage to our tolerance levels and sensitivity to THC. That way, you will experience this compound’s positive, relaxing effects.

Final Thoughts: Delta 8 for Pain

For people dealing with pain, delta 8 presents a promising natural alternative. Unlike delta 9 THC, delta 8 tends to provide relief without the intense psychoactive effects, 

Early research shows that delta 8 could play a role in managing pain thanks to its ability to interact with critical receptors within the body’s endocannabinoid system. Explore premium delta 8 products here. 

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