Top 10 THC and CBD Cannabis Strains for Chronic Pain Relief

Among the results of cannabis legalization and the broader access to medical marijuana is the multiplication of products. There are candies, beverages, cookies, oils, salves, lotions, patches, and many more options.

Dispensaries are chock-full of devices and accessories, and they’re inviting people to shop expanding inventories for flowers they are used to and new strains they’ve never tried. Most customers are browsing through flavors and potency to find new experiences.

Those suffering from chronic pain are drifting in to find strains with therapeutic benefits. But now they face larger menus to make decisions about the best in THC and CBD cannabis. I’ve divided the top 10 strains for chronic pain here for convenience.

Top 5 THC strains for chronic pain relief:

You’ll find some of these recommendations hard to find for the time being. New strains tend to remain local for a while, so most of these are located on the west coast and northwest. But medical needs will increase the demand for:

1. BlackBerry Kush is a California Indica with a hefty 17 to 24 percent THC. That’s enough THC to lay you low and put you to sleep. It won’t hit you hard or quickly, but It will creep up on you so prepare to go to bed. It’s not for daytime use or socializing, but it tastes great and kills your pain for a long sleep.

2. Mega Queso™ is a Sativa-dominant hybrid bred by Nameless Genetics to deliver a cheesy and earthy taste and aroma. With THC averaging 21.9%, it will deliver a rejuvenating euphoric without knocking you out. The SoCal Medical Cannabis Cup winner in 2017, it delivers a full body relaxation with an unfocused bliss.

3. Mandarin Cookies come from Ethos Genetics in Washington. A mix of Forum Cut Cookies and Mandarin Sunset, it holds 70% Sativa, and some tests show a whopping 30% THC . Fast growing with heavy yields, it is attracting pain patients who grow at home. You can’t work under this influence, but it will not sedate you. A euphoric tingle will wash over you quickly before setting into a lasting creative relaxation.

4. French Cookies comes from TH Seeds with a spicy grape flavor. The hybrid is only slightly sativa-dominant but tests at 17 to 23% THC. This is for evening use because the impact progressively expands your brain with each puff. You’ll feel increasing euphoria and clarity before settling into comfortable relief from pain and anxiety.

5. Kush Mountains by Cannabiotix won High Times First Place Hybrid of the Year (2018). A child of White Walker OG and Flame OG, it has tested at 29.5% THC. But the experience in smooth enough for late afternoon or after dinner with a slowly calming sedation reducing stress and treating chronic pain.

Top 5 CBD strains for chronic pain relief:

While the Sativa-dominant strains will help you accept or ignore the pain, CBD has research-proven anti-inflammatory benefits. There’s always Charlotte’s Web, of course, but if you are not comfortable with the euphoric headiness of THC-strong cannabis, you can shop for the top CBD strains:

1. The Wife has a super CBD: THC 20: 1 ratio. It has proven helpful for chronic pain as well as chemotherapy side effects and pain-related depression. Effects are mild enough to use throughout the day and last for hours. Tasting of cherries and bananas, the slight euphoria helps you move into its lasting bodily calm.

2. Dancehall is an award-winning slightly-sativa strain of rare parentage. It hits fast and giggly, so you’ll want to avoid this at work. But the giggles will settle into a deep happiness after you pass the -1% THC into a comfortable pain-free socialization. It’s perfect for end of day and after dinner.

3. ACDC remains a favorite go-to. Another 20: 1 CBD: THC item, it’s the “gold standard” in pain reduction for many. It’s an effective therapeutic remedy for pain patients. With little sense of being high and breeding from Ruderalis and Cannatonic, ACDC has an aroma that will give you away, but it removes the pain so you can work and socialize while treating chronic pain, chemotherapy side effects, and seizures.

4. Remedy has a flower garden in each puff. With a CBD: THC content at 18: 1, its attraction is largely medical. Worth trying during the day or evening, it is a smooth therapy for chronic pain, tremors, and spasms. Mildly and slowly relaxing, it doesn’t come with sedation or paranoia.

5. Ringo’s Gift comes from ACDA and Harle-Tsu with a very high CBD content at 24: 1. The effects are slowly warming and cerebral for a mellow and relaxing buzz with an earthy taste and minty aftertaste. Commonly available, Ringo’s Gift is supplying an increasing medicinal cannabis demand.

Parting thoughts!

The THC-dominant strains help you forget the pain. They distract you with an uplifting euphoria and make life easier for those suffering from multiple sources of chronic pain. But the CBD-strong cannabis strains will significantly reduce the pain for long periods allowing less adventure and more cellular recovery and rejuvenation.

CBD-dominant strains also suit patients who are less comfortable with the THC experience, so you might eventually expect some of these strains to appear in options other than smoking experiences. But we’re not there yet!