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Best CBD Oil For Shingles 2023 – Top 5 Best Effective Products
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- Written by Kathy Shattler, MS, RDN
Medically reviewed by
Kimberly Langdon, MD
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CBDfx
- Third-party testing
- Vegan and gluten-free
- Great shipping & customer service
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Joy Organics
- No pesticides
- THC-free or full-spectrum
- Nanotechnology
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Spruce CBD
- 100% natural
- Full-spectrum
- Family-run
- No pesticides
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Shingles is a viral infection[1] caused by the varicella-zoster virus or the virus that causes chickenpox. After a bout with chickenpox, the varicella-zoster virus remains dormant in the body at the spinal cord base until something stresses the body and causes the virus to strike again. Shingles cause a painful rash that may occur anywhere on the body but more often than not shows up as a painful red rash that wraps itself around one side of the torso. The rash typically follows a nerve path.
The symptoms of shingles include itchy blisters that cause pain and inflammation that may develop into skin infections from constant scratching. The shingles’ symptoms include[2] fever, chills, headache, itching, a painful red shingles rash, stabbing pain, and an upset stomach. There is an overall increased sensitivity to pain. Although we don’t know what wakes the virus up, we suspect a weakened immune system causes one to develop shingles years later after a chickenpox episode. There is no one way to treat shingles, as it requires a multifactorial approach.
Best CBD Oils For Shingles (June. 2023)
- CBDfx – Editor’s Choice
- Joy Organics – Best Technology
- Spruce CBD – Top-quality CBD oil
- CBDPure – Best Organic Cannabidiol
- Medterra – Best Price
CBD Oil For Shingles
Recently, Epidiolex was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of epilepsy. This patent opened the doors for new investigations into other uses for this drug, including taking CBD for a shingles outbreak. A literature review shows a great deal of anecdotal[3] evidence for using CBD for shingles, but no hard scientific evidence that CBD can help shingles. CBD has minimal side-effects, which make it all the more attractive.
We know that the endocannabinoid system is active in shingles[4] because CB1 receptors and CB2 receptors are found on the shingles rash. Postherpetic neuralgia is a frequent side effect of herpes zoster outbreak, and pain sensitivity is high. Herpes zoster is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus and is what is known as shingles. Traditional painkillers have been notoriously ineffective in shingles pain since shingles damage the nerve endings necessary for the painkillers to work.
The endocannabinoid system is thought to play a role in pain, anxiety, and inflammation, a role using CBD oil may play a part. Activating the CB1 receptor causes a significant reduction in neuroinflammation. While CBD does not directly activate the receptors, it modulates the receptor’s activity through actions in the endocannabinoid system.
Top 6 Best CBD Oil For Shingles
CBDfx
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You want to know that the CBD you’re using has been tested for quality, but it’s also a good idea to know where it comes from. With CBDfx, you’ll be getting high-quality, USA-grown hemp CBD.
- Third-party testing
- Vegan and gluten-free
- Great shipping & customer service
- Some may be overwhelmed by the large variety
At CBDfx, you can choose from a wide variety of products including CBD oil tinctures, capsules, gummies, edibles, and topicals. All CBDfx oil tinctures are 100% vegan and GMO-free, made with CO2 extracted cannabidiol and coconut-derived MCT oil. In topicals, choose from cooling formulas, ultra-moisturizing balms, and calming creams.
All CBDfx products use industrial hemp sourced from Kentucky. Their hemp is free from pesticides and everything is lab tested for quality and safety.
Joy Organics
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Joy Organic prides itself on its transport to all U.S. states and in its freedom from harsh metals, THC and gluten.
- No pesticides
- THC free or full-spectrum
- Nanotechnology
- Unclear sourcing
- Not for vegetarians
- Lack of international shipping
Joy Organic uses only phytocannabinoid-rich hemp that contains a range of 112 cannabinoids in its CBD products. Most CBD oils have a trace of THC in them, but not Joy Organic! However, the user may still benefit from all 112 cannabinoids’ entourage effect in the THC-free version! Full-spectrum CBD oils are also available with both CBD and less than 0.3% of THC to create the full entourage effect.
The CBD products go through a testing process whereby a Certificate of Quality Assurance and a Certificate of Analysis are generated by both in-house testing and a third-party lab. Both of these are indicators of purity and standards of quality.
Joy Organic prides itself on using only the finest U.S. grown hemp. Standards at American hemp farms are higher than those in other countries.
The CBD oils come in four flavors, orange, tranquil, natural, and mint. The four flavors come in different potencies, 250, 500, 1000, and 1500 mg per 30 ml bottle.
The oils undergo a process to make them more bioavailable, a nanotechnology
emulsion technique that involves breaking down the molecule into smaller, more digestible components.
The company offers free shipping with a minimum purchase, thus saving the customer valuable money. It also has a Rewards Program.
Customer service is highly responsive, with someone available to answer your questions via the chat window. Customer service can look up stores that carry Joy Organic products within a 25-50 mile radius of your home. They also offer free shipping.
Spruce CBD
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Spruce is a family-run CBD brand that offers high-quality, lab-tested, full-spectrum CBD oils made from one of the finest, oldest hemp strains in the United States.
- 100% natural
- Full-spectrum
- Family-run
- No pesticides
- Limited potencies
Established in 2018, Spruce is a brand based in Raleigh, North Carolina. The company prides itself on making American-made CBD products and some of the best CBD oils available.
Spruce stands out from the competition in several ways. For instance, it’s a family-run business, which is unusual in the CBD industry.
Its CBD is sourced from a time-tested strain of hemp cultivated in the United States for over two hundred years. The CBD oils are harvested from organically grown hemp from farms in Kentucky and North Carolina.
Spruce is also unique for using a moonshine (alcohol) extraction method to isolate a CBD-rich extract from hemp. Alcohol extraction has proven to be safe and effective.
Spruce’s CBD oils are made with a lab-tested hemp extract, and it provides all of the cannabinoids, terpenes, and other beneficial compounds found in the plant. The THC content is <0.3%. The downside of using a full-spectrum product[5] is that you may not pass a drug test depending on your dosage and test form even though there are only trace amounts of THC present in the oil.
The oils have a pleasing peppermint taste and come in 30 ml bottles with two CBD potencies: 25 mg of CBD per ml (750 mg total) and 80 mg of CBD per ml (2400 mg total).
The company carries a wide range of products, including topicals, lotions, balms, tinctures, oils, and capsules.
Free shipping is available, and a full refund is offered if products are returned within 30 days.
The company uses third-party testing to make sure the product is pure, has a high quality of ingredients and shows an absence of heavy metals, pesticides, microbial growth and solvents.
CBDPure
Free Shipping and 15% Off Coupon: HEALTHCANAL
CBDPure is a family-run business that offers organically grown hemp at an affordable price.
- Organic
- CO2 Extraction
- No pesticides
- Family-run businesses
- Limited flavor choice
This organic farm began in 2016 in Colorado with a mission to provide the best CBD products on the market. The farm does not use pesticides or herbicides on its organic ranch to produce the best organic CBD oils. They also have a family-run ranch in Washington.
The company does third-party testing with the Certificate of Analysis on its products’ purity for downloading off their website. Their Certificate of Analysis outlines the presence of cannabinoids, terpenes, solvents, pesticides, microbial growth, and heavy metals.
All of their products are minimally processed and grown on family-run farms.
They are affordable and even offer coupons to help defray expenses. These coupons can be applied at check-out for all CBD products.
They offer one natural flavor in three different concentrations of full-spectrum hemp oils, 300 mg, 600 mg, and 900 mg in 30 cc bottles.
The company customer service is highly responsive, with a chat window on the website for immediate assistance if needed. They make sure your needs are taken care of.
To prove confidence in their product, CBDPure offers a 100% money-back guarantee. If you are not satisfied with the products, return them within 90 days for a refund.
Medterra
Medterra manufactures broad-spectrum oil with entourage effects, plus its wide variety of products are all CO2 extracted to yield the best CBD oils for the money.
- No THC
- Vegetarian
- Wide variety of products
- Limited flavor options
Medterra is a reputable brand with various CBD products to choose from, including creams, tinctures, edibles, oils, and supplements. Their product line-up includes supplies for your pets.
Their CBD broad-spectrum tincture comes in two potencies, 1000 mg. and 2000 mg. in two flavors plus natural unflavored. CBD oil comes in 500 mg. – 3,000 mg. bottles.
CO2, the gold standard extraction method, can remove THC and impurities from the hemp seed oil to ensure quality CBD oil products.
The wide variety of CBD products all come with a detailed third-party Certificate of Analysis of potency and contaminants. Better yet, it is certified by the U.S. Hemp Authority, which issues guidelines on stringent hemp processing. Third-party testing, as for most products on this list, is conducted on all Medterra products.
MCT is added as a carrier oil and to provide fatty acids. MCT helps the body absorb cannabinoids in the products.
Plus CBD
PLUSCBD oil is an affordable vegetarian oil blended with extra virgin olive oil to produce an oil that has both CBD and CBDA plus essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
- Gluten-free
- Non-GMO
- Vegetarian
- Lacks high potency options
The Maximum Strength Formula includes non-GMO, plant-based, vegan, and gluten-free ingredients. Even if you are allergic to gluten products, such an assurance will make it easier for you to consider it.
The Plus CBD brand sources its top-quality hemp extract from EU supplies, ensuring you can always enjoy the benefits associated with CBD.
The formula is also among the most potent options that the brand offers. It might be why the drops are among the most expensive products you can buy from the Plus CBD Oil brand.
From 3 pumps of CBD oil drops, you get 12.5mg of CBD and from 6 pumps of CBD oil drops, you get 25mg of CBD. You can always adjust the CBD oil drops depending on your needs.
CBD Oil Dosage For Shingles
Medical marijuana has been shown to play a role in the activation[7] of the endocannabinoid receptors in modulating neuroinflammation and pain management. Shingles is a stress-related, immune dysfunction pathway to nerve damage that cannabinoids may interfere with. The dosage for humans in shingles is unknown, but if nerve pain is a problem and you want to try CBD, seek a health professional’s advice on what dosage to begin with and what products to use. Or, try the product label or website for dosage guidelines.
Overall, the data is conclusive[8] that CBD is an immune-suppressant, and we think that the immune system plays a role in the outbreak of shingles. High stress can cause immune dysfunction, so anxiety and stress may precipitate an attack of shingles. Studies in animals have used dosages ranging from 5mg/kg – 25 mg/kg in immune dysfunction research. Topical doses may be different than oral doses, and further research is needed for an adequate amount for pain relief. In humans, oral doses of 25 mg-600 mg have been used to reduce anxiety and stress. Since these studies mixed isolates with full-spectrum oils, the dosage ranges are vast and inconclusive.
CBD can reduce your sensitivity to pain by elevating anandamide, the body’s endogenous cannabinoid. It also elevates the endocannabinoid 2-AG which binds to the CB2 receptor and turns down inflammation.
Topical For Shingles
Studies have shown that topical cannabinoid applications[4] in neuropathic pain are effective. In a study, eight patients suffering from postherpetic neuralgia were given topical therapy with a cannabinoid cream. Five of eight patients reported a pain reduction of 87.5%. Thus, CBD lotion may help with the side-effects of shingles symptoms through actions in the endocannabinoid system. Using it topically might help with shingles pain and soothe a shingles outbreak.
Administering CBD products until the rash has cleared may not only help with the neuropathic pain, but the CBD may help with the overall nervous system disorders associated with shingles such as fever, chills, and headache. Although there is currently no research to support this, anecdotal reports from many people on the internet claim that CBD helps them with their other symptoms of shingles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Anecdotal reports from many people who use CBD products for shingles swear that it helps relieve the pain, itching, and inflammation caused by the rash. There are no scientific studies that say CBD helps with the rash or prevents the virus from migrating from the base of the spinal cord which causes shingles. Studies support the topical use of cannabinoids in the relief of neuropathic pain, which is frequent in shingles. CBD may play a positive role in pain management of the shingles rash, and does have an anti-inflammatory response that may aid in pain relief. People who use CBD oil report a reduced sensitivity to pain, probably similar to lidocaine use from reports.
Yes. You can apply topical CBD lotion to your shingles rash. It may help fight the virus since some studies show an antiviral activity[3] to CBD. Many people on the internet who use CBD oil state that it helps with many of the symptoms when they get shingles and soothes the red rash by its anti-inflammatory activity.
Capsaicin topical patch, Neurontin, topical lidocaine and amitriptyline are the most effective pain relievers for shingles.
Peppermint, capsaicin, geranium, thyme and lemon oils might help shingles.
Those who use CBD oils might experience minimal side-effects and that includes dry mouth, drowsiness, fatigue, and reduced appetite.
+ 8 sources
Health Canal avoids using tertiary references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic researches from medical associations and institutions. To ensure the accuracy of articles in Health Canal, you can read more about the editorial process here
- Mayo Clinic. (2020). Shingles – Symptoms and causes. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/shingles/symptoms-causes/syc-20353054
- WebMD (2016). Shingles. Available from: https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/shingles/shingles-skin#1.
- Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research. (2020). Cannabidiol for Viral Diseases: Hype or Hope? Available from: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/can.2019.0060.
- Phan, N.Q., Siepmann, D., Gralow, I. and Ständer, S. (2009). Adjuvant topical therapy with a cannabinoid receptor agonist in facial postherpetic neuralgia. Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19744255/.
- Leson, G., Pless, P., Grotenhermen, F., Kalant, H. and ElSohly, M.A. (2001). Evaluating the Impact of Hemp Food Consumption on Workplace Drug Tests. Journal of Analytical Toxicology, 25(8), 691–698. Available from: https://academic.oup.com/jat/article/25/8/691/727606.
- Citti, C., Pacchetti, B., Vandelli, M.A., Forni, F. and Cannazza, G. (2018). Analysis of cannabinoids in commercial hemp seed oil and decarboxylation kinetics studies of cannabidiolic acid (CBDA). Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 149, 532–540. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0731708517322367.
- Zoppi, S., Pérez Nievas, B.G., Madrigal, J.L.M., Manzanares, J., Leza, J.C. and García-Bueno, B. (2010). Regulatory Role of Cannabinoid Receptor 1 in Stress-Induced Excitotoxicity and Neuroinflammation. Neuropsychopharmacology, 36(4), 805–818. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3055736/.
- Nichols, J.M. and Kaplan, B.L.F. (2020). Immune Responses Regulated by Cannabidiol. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 5(1), 12–31. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7173676/.
Written by:
Kathy Shattler, MS, RDN
Medically reviewed by:
Medically reviewed by:
