People who are in search of a safer pain reliever opt to use cannabis-derived CBD or cannabidiol. CBD has enjoyed its popularity, as it promises to treat conditions like insomnia, anxiety, pain, and many others. CBD is also available in various forms like oils, lotions, and even foods and drinks.
About CBD
CBD is not the same as marijuana and is safer than cannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) because it does not give its users a “high” or the psychoactive effect that is often associated with THC. Both compounds THC and CBD affect the body’s endocannabinoid system. This is the system that is responsible for many functions of the body such as memory, appetite, and pain.
What CBD Can Do for Pain
What exactly can CBD do for your chronic pain? Based on research, 62 percent of CBD users who use the compound for medical purposes use it for treating chronic pain, joint pain, arthritis, and anxiety.
There are many ways to take advantage of CBD’s pain relief benefits. Some of the more popular options with the general public include CBD topical applications and CBD gummies. Something to be aware of is that some CBD salves that are to be applied topically are pretty much just Ben-Gay or Tiger Balm alternatives, with similar ingredients. Vaping CBD oil or smoking CBD flower are also viable options for pain relief.
Characteristics of CBD
CBD has been shown to possess the following characteristics: anti-inflammatory, anti-emetic, anti-oxidative, neuroprotective, and anti-psychotic. Being anti-inflammatory means CBD can help alleviate joint pain caused by arthritis. It is also anti-psychotic, which means it can help with anxiety and PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder. CBD is also anti-oxidative, which means it can help reduce inflammation of the system by fighting off oxidative stress and decreasing symptoms of auto-immune conditions, e.g., lupus. It is also anti-emetic, which helps reduce the tendency to vomit and feel nauseous due to cancer treatments. CBD is also neuroprotective, which means that it can reduce the progression of neurological conditions like multiple sclerosis and associated neuropathic pain.
There are several ways to use CBD for pain relief
- Slave
- Vape
- Gummies
- Flower/bud
- Oil
The Science Behind How CBD Works for Pain
The natural endocannabinoids of the human body function according to the demand. This means that when it senses inflammation in the body, it strives to return to homeostasis by releasing endocannabinoids that will bind to cannabinoid receptors, relieving inflammatory pain.
CBD does not bind to the receptors. Instead, they work by inducing other components of the cannabinoid system. It brings a lot of impact on the central and peripheral nervous systems as well as the immune system. CBD works with the body’s endocannabinoid system to work as an antioxidant, reduce inflammation, and function as an analgesic or pain reliever. CBD also can slow the progression of osteoarthritis and prevent the onset of nerve damage.
Potential Benefits
CBD dissolves in fat, which makes it easy to be carried across the blood-brain barrier and affects the CNS, giving way to several positive effects on pain, such as the reduction of pain signals, an increase in immune response, and improvement in mood and sleep, and inflammation reduction.
Because of these benefits, CBD is thought to help in easing the symptoms of these conditions: osteoarthritis, cancer, Alzheimer’s, type 2 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, anxiety, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus.
Signs show that CBD gummies, vape, oil, etc., are viable options for pain relief. However, keep in mind that CBD may only be a complementary treatment to your entire pain management plan.
