Decoding Cannabis: Can CBD, CBG and CBN help block chronic pain at the source?

So many of us here in the UK suffer from chronic pain, the number is really quite shocking. 

Estimates suggest that between one-third and one-half of the UK population lives with some type of chronic pain. That includes everything from arthritis, fibromyalgia, endometriosis to nerve damage and pain issues with no obvious cause at all.

In this edition of Decoding Cannabis, our blog series where we translate medical cannabis research into something a little more accessible, we look at a truly fascinating 2025 study that zooms in on the nerves themselves. Titled “Nav1.8, an analgesic target for nonpsychotomimetic phytocannabinoids”, it focused on the sodium channel Nav1.8, and how certain cannabis derived cannabinoids might help regulate its function.

NOTE: We usually link to the study we are unpacking, but since this study is behind a paywall, we are unable to for copyright reasons.

Nav1.8 acts like an amplifier inside pain-sensing nerves, helping signals fire repeatedly, especially when pain becomes chronic. 

This study asked whether three non-psychoactive cannabinoids (CBD, CBG, and CBN) could reduce the activity of this channel directly, calming the excitability of nerves before those signals reach the brain.

It’s a highly technical paper, but an important one to unpack for the people it affects most: patients using medical cannabis. 

At its core, the takeaway is simple. This research points to a possible new path toward pain relief. A non-psychoactive option, one that doesn’t rely on opioids (and the issues this class of painkillers can come with), and targets the problem at its root source.

Pain signals travel through nerves, and Nav1.8 keeps them firing

Before we get into the guts of the study, it is important to briefly explain how pain moves through the body. 

When we experience pain (whether it’s caused by an injury, inflammation, or nerve damage), special nerves send warning signals up to the brain. These pain-sensing nerves are found outside the brain and spinal cord, and they rely on tiny electrical signals to do their job.

Those electrical signals are controlled by channels that open and close in the nerve cell. One group of these is called sodium channels. A simple way to think of them is as little gates that help turn a nerve on and off.

What makes Nav1.8 different from other pain-related channels?

Nav1.8 is one of those gates. 

What makes Nav1.8 important is how easily it keeps pain signals going. Even when a nerve isn’t being strongly triggered, this channel can stay active. It also resets quickly after each signal, which means it’s ready to fire again almost immediately. That’s useful in short-term injury, but in chronic pain, it becomes a problem. 

The nerves stay switched on when there is no actual issue.

Because Nav1.8 is found mainly in the body’s pain pathways but not in the brain or heart, it has quickly become one of the more promising targets for new pain treatments. If we are able to ‘block’ this channel, we may be able to turn the volume down on pain without causing major side effects.

This is where medical cannabis treatment for chronic pain comes in. 

While the majority of medical cannabis research has focused on the plant's interaction with the endocannabinoid system, many of the therapeutic compounds (like CBD, CBG, and CBN, along with THC) may also affect nerve channels directly. 

The question this study asked is simple: “Can any of these cannabinoids block Nav1.8 and calm down overactive pain signals?”

Testing CBD, CBG, and CBN on pain-sensing nerves

This study did not directly involve human patients or animal subjects. Instead, this was a preclinical lab-based study, specifically using in vitro electrophysiology.

What does that mean? 

The researchers worked with nerve-like cells in the lab. These cells were specifically designed to produce Nav1.8 - so, by using isolated versions of the target cannabinoids and looking at how the cells responded electrically, the team could report on how each of the cannabinoids affected the earliest stages of pain signalling.

How did the researchers test the cannabinoids?

Each cannabinoid was tested one at a time to see how it affected Nav1.8. Was it still firing off signals? Did anything quieten it down? Could it reset and then go again as quickly as before?

CBD, CBG, and CBN don’t produce any intoxicating response, which makes them useful for this kind of work. Any changes in nerve activity could be traced to the channel itself, not the brain or a change in perception.

What did the results show about the specific cannabinoids and chronic pain?

This wasn’t a study of symptoms. It didn’t ask patients how they felt or track pain levels over a certain period of time. But it did show that these specific cannabinoids, and one in particular, can directly influence how this key pain channel behaves.

Which cannabinoid made the biggest difference?

All three cannabinoids showed an impact on the Nav1.8 pathway, but CBG was the true standout. 

CBG, in this lab setting, heavily reduced how quickly Nav1.8 was able to ‘reset and fire again’, meaning the pain signal couldn’t easily keep repeating. That’s a big deal in chronic pain, where the problem isn’t just that nerves fire, it’s that they don’t stop.

CBD also helped reduce this process, also known as excitability, though not as strongly. It made it harder for the channel to reopen right away, which could still slow down persistent signalling. Given how widely available CBD already is here in the UK, and how safe it has been proven to be (at almost any dosage size), this adds a useful piece to the puzzle.

CBN showed milder and more inconsistent effects. It didn’t show any real inhibiting effects, but with its already documented sedative properties, it may still play a secondary role in pain and/or sleep support.

What does this mean for people living with chronic pain?

It means that cannabinoids might be doing more than we thought. 

Not just by changing our base perception of pain, or reducing inflammation (though they do both), but by interfering with the mechanism behind pain itself, potentially at the nerve level. That could open the door to a new type of non-opioid, non-psychoactive treatment. One that doesn’t mask pain so much as stop it in its tracks.

This was a lab study, yes. Much more research is needed before any of these results are fully confirmed in humans. 

But for many patients still searching for something that works, something that doesn’t come with the downsides of some of the heavy pharmaceutical options currently being overprescribed, it’s the kind of finding that’s worth paying attention to. 

For patients still searching for something that works, an option that doesn’t come with the risks of opioids or the limitations of over-the-counter options, these findings matter. They give substance to what many already know through experience. The growing body of evidence around nerve-level mechanisms only adds strength to the case for medical cannabis treatment for chronic pain. 

And here at Releaf, we see it every day. Patients who are finally being given legal access to an option that offers substantial, lasting relief where other options have fallen short.

Real patients, real success - What Releaf patients have to say about medical cannabis for chronic pain

Since opening our doors in early 2024, Releaf has become the most trusted name in UK medical cannabis care. 

As of June 2025, we’re the highest-rated medical cannabis clinic in the country on Trustpilot, not because we shout the loudest, but because our patients do. Real people, sharing real stories, leaving the kind of feedback that matters.

We also have a dedicated Patient Stories section on our website, and with chronic pain being the number one condition we support, it’s no surprise that many of those stories highlight the power of cannabis-based treatment options for chronic pain issues. 

For example, Amber was asked, “Has there been a noticeable difference in your symptoms since starting your treatment?”

“It's been life-changing, actually, and in so many ways that I didn't expect. 

I use the medical cannabis oil for sleep, which has worked well. I also have the vape, which is great because I'm not a smoker. For my joint pain, I take a mixture of some stronger and weaker strains depending on what I need at that time. 

A common comorbidity to chronic conditions like mine is depression, something I've struggled with my whole life. If I start spiralling, my vape just relaxes me. I have more patience for my kids, and I'm not having such extreme mood swings. I also get IBS symptoms because of all my food intolerances, and it calms those symptoms right away. 

Having a prescription and being able to actually carry medical cannabis with me on holiday is also an unexpected benefit. I love to travel, but I get a lot of anxiety due to my general health. I have one flower that is mostly CBD, and it just curbs that anxiety immediately, which in turn calms my body. Often, when I travel, I get really sick, and then I'm unable to eat and can't leave the hotel room. Now, I know I can just have a quick vape to get me through those moments. 

I also like the fact that I'm not dealing with opioids - my treatment is natural, and it's regulated, and I know it's not off the street. There's nothing that feels unhealthy about it.”

Similarly, we asked Lisa, who suffers from fibromyalgia, “What would you say are the biggest changes for you day-to-day since joining Releaf?”

“Pain-free days, definitely, and I can switch off at night, which has been a huge benefit. 

“I’ve always been a good sleeper, getting eight hours, but before starting with my Releaf medical cannabis treatment, I wasn’t getting into a deep sleep. My sleep tracker used to show around 40 minutes of deep sleep, and now I’m getting about three hours of deep sleep each night.

I’m still getting the same amount of sleep, but it’s much better quality, and that’s helped with my energy levels. I’m finally able to focus on myself instead of constantly thinking about my pain. When I was suffering from heavy pain all the time, it was really hard to fully focus on anything else.

In terms of work, I am three years into my most recent project now, and it’s about to wrap up. I honestly don’t think I could have done it without medical cannabis.

I’m looking forward to what's next!”

The bottom line

This was early-stage research, yes, but it is research with huge potential. The idea that cannabinoids like CBD and CBG might help calm pain at the nerve level, before it ever reaches the brain, adds something meaningful to the wider picture of how cannabis works.

We are not saying that it will be the right fit for every single person in the UK with chronic pain issues - nothing is a one-size fits all solution. But if you’re living with ongoing discomfort, pain that conventional treatments haven't been able to properly control, medical cannabis could be an option worth exploring. 

You can start by heading over to our medical cannabis eligibility checker - it only takes 20 seconds to complete and is totally free.