Science has not seen any major advances in the pharmaceutical treatment of pain relief in half a century. Medications for mild pain are usually Tylenol, Ibuprofen or Codeine, while medical professionals will prescribe Oxycodone for severe pain, or Morphine for extreme cases.
This may be about to change, as CBD has recently found some steady increases in popularity as an alternative to pain medication. Also known by its scientific name cannabidiol, CBD is one of more than 100 compounds found in hemp plants. Thousands of years ago, the ancient Chinese used CBD to treat various types of pain, but today’s medical community only recently began investigating it. That’s why CBD is on its way to becoming the next big thing in non-addictive, non-psychoactive pain relief.
CBD is most commonly extracted from industrial hemp, as it can contain a higher percentage of CBD than hemp. It is also important to note that cbd will not get you high, unlike as the psychoactive hemp compound THC. Psychoactive substances affect thoughts and feelings, which in turn can affect behaviors, which researchers tend to agree is not helpful when treating pain.
CBD appears to help with pain relief by reducing inflammation which relieves the level of pain with conditions such as arthritis and back pain. In addition, CBD oil is said to help reduce sleep disruption that is also commonly experienced by people with pain.
How does CBD help with pain relief?
CBD may be able to help with pain regulation by increasing the number of natural endocannabinoids in the body. These additional endocannabinoids help reduce the inflammatory response while also desensitizing pain receptors.
Endocannabinoids are naturally created to maintain a state of homeostasis in the body by regulating receptors for things like pain, temperature, hunger, or mood. CBD is believed to activate any receptors that are causing pain so they are hyperactive enough to increase their temperatures. The heat induced by this rapid movement is what soothes and desensitizes the pain receptors, ultimately causing the nerve endings that detect pain to go numb.
Does the research support the treatment of pain relief with CBD?
Most of the research on the use of CBD for pain management comes from animal-based trials at this stage. That said, there are a growing number of studies that appear to highlight the anti-inflammatory effects and analgesic qualities of CBD products.
Some of the data evaluated from studies on hemp as a treatment for pain have already been published. For example, the Journal of Pain Research has published a study analysis that confirmed that CBD topicals can reduce both neuropathic pain and inflammation.
So preliminary research supports the use of CBD as an analgesic, and it appears as if it may even alleviate painful arthritis symptoms. This evidence also shows promise for topical use of creams containing CBD and THC to relieve pain caused by multiple sclerosis. While outside of studies, there are mounting anecdotal reports of people crediting their back pain relief to having massages with CBD oils.
Does CBD pain relief treatment cause side effects?
CBD appears to be relatively safe at all times for most people. The WHO or World Health Organization has reported that there is no evidence at this stage to suggest that CBD can be addictive. Furthermore, the most serious side effects of CBD reported so far are benign problems such as grogginess, cotton mouth, or lethargy.
That said, even though CBD is a natural compound extracted from plants, negative interactions with other supplements or medications is at least possible. So before using CBD, it is essential to discuss your treatment options with a doctor or medical professional who has an expert level of knowledge about pain conditions and relief.
How is CBD used to treat pain relief?
CBD is available in a variety of different formats and strengths. Just as the exact dosage for pain will vary from condition to condition and person to person, so will the most effective CBD delivery method.
CBD is available in formats such as vapes, oils, or edibles such as capsules and gummies. Of all these methods, vaping CBD causes a much faster effect than most other forms. And edibles will generally have longer-lasting effects, so it’s advised to wait until you know what works for you before vaping or eating CBD.
Start consuming low doses of CBD, as it seems to work best for pain relief. Try taking twice daily 5mg to 10mg doses of Isolate CBD, as it has little to no THC with nothing artificial added. Then if necessary, slowly increase your doses to a maximum of between 50mg to 100mg per day.
Much of the research on CBD and sleep notes that many of the patients studied did not see immediate results. Researchers said it took about 4 weeks for subjects to feel changes.
If you find after a month of 100mg dose of Isolate CBD twice daily does not provide enough pain relief, switch to 5mg to 10mg of a CBD product with low THC levels. Initially you should only take one dose at night, and then slowly increase the amount again if needed.
If you do end up using CBD products that contain THC, keep in mind that people 25 and younger are at a higher risk of addiction or dependence. Don’t forget that doctors and medical professionals are best equipped to discuss the use of CBD for pain relief based on your specific circumstances.
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