Human Study Finds Topical CBD Oil Associated With 41% Reduction in Myofascial Pain After Two Weeks

A new human study involving 192 people with myofascial pain found that applying topical cannabidiol (CBD) oil was associated with progressively lower pain levels, culminating in an average reduction of about 41% after two weeks.

The study, published September 30 in The Bangkok Medical Journal, was conducted by researchers affiliated with Thammasat University, Thainakarin Hospital and Toyo Business Service Public Company Limited in Thailand.

Participants ranged in age from 20 to 88, with an average age of 54.3. Each had been clinically diagnosed with myofascial pain and reported a baseline pain score of at least three on a 10-point scale.

Researchers instructed participants to apply 1 gram of a 1% CBD oil directly to the painful area twice daily for 14 days. The formulation was prepared using CBD isolate with a reported purity of 99.99%. Participants had not used corticosteroids or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs within two weeks of enrollment or other topical analgesics on the affected area within 14 days.

Pain relief was apparent shortly after the first application and increased over time. Compared with baseline, participants reported approximately 13% pain relief after 30 minutes, 22% after one hour and 27% after two hours. Average relief increased to roughly 37% after seven days and 41% after 14 days.

Reductions in pain scores were statistically significant at every measured time point compared with baseline.

The shoulder was the most common location of pain, reported by 32.8% of participants, followed by the leg at 29.7% and back at 22.9%. Smaller numbers reported neck pain or combined neck and shoulder pain.

Researchers also conducted human patch testing to assess whether repeated exposure caused skin sensitization. None of the 192 participants developed clinically significant reactions such as redness, swelling, itching, papules, blisters or other signs of delayed hypersensitivity.

The authors cautioned that the study did not include a placebo or control group, meaning the improvement cannot be attributed solely to CBD. Massage associated with applying the oil, the carrier oil itself, natural fluctuations in pain and placebo effects could have contributed to the results. The study also relied on self-reported pain scores and lasted only 14 days.

Researchers conclude the study by stating:

The findings suggest that 1% topical CBD oil may reduce pain intensity in individuals with myofascial pain and was well tolerated without observable skin sensitization. Further randomized controlled studies are warranted to confirm its efficacy and long-term safety.