The search for safe and efficient natural pain relief options has prompted many people to look into the possibilities of CBD, or cannabidiol. This non-psychoactive substance that comes from the cannabis plant has drawn attention due to its possible health advantages, especially in terms of reducing pain and discomfort.
Because CBD doesn’t get users “high,” unlike THC, it’s a good choice for people looking for relief without altering their sense of reality and function as they would if they took two paracetamols. Many CBD products are available on the market today, all of which claim to relieve our aches and pains. The applications of CBD, ranging from oils to creams, are as diverse as the people looking for its medicinal benefits. Here, we’ll go over five practical applications of CBD for pain relief.
What Are The Statistics?
CBD, at the moment, isn’t accepted in some areas around the world, including the United States of America (U.S.), as a medication. While areas like the United Kingdom and Canada recognise CBD’s positive health benefits for certain medical conditions, including sclerosis and cancer pain, it is easily accessible for people from large, popular retailers, including Amazon.
While there is still ongoing research that suggests that CBD oil for pain is a fact more than fiction, there are still pains and conditions that might not be treatable with CBD alone, but they can help when paired with THC or other over-the-counter medications.
According to research from OnePoll from a Forbes health survey of 2,000 U.S. adults that use CBD and asked them questions as to why they do, it’s fascinating, as they found 62% of U.S. adults use it to reduce stress, 60% agreed they use it for pain management and 48% use it based on doctor recommendations.
How Does CBD Manage Pain?
While research is still on the go and is looking promising, it’s interesting to understand how exactly CBD works to manage pain. The human body is filled with little flaws and pain and with modern-day expectations of us, pain is not really far behind and something natural and harmless like CBD is some people’s saviour.
While it’s no miracle, understanding how exactly this little plant can take away so much pain from our lives is extremely interesting, and here we will get into how that happens and how it can vary from person to person:
Endocannabinoid System (ECS)
CBD interacts with receptors in the ECS, which is a complex system involved in various bodily functions, including, you guessed it, pain receptors and inflammation. While the exact ways are intricate and are still being studied to date, it is speculated to influence the production and effects of the body’s natural cannabinoids, which can potentially reduce pain and inflammation.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects
It has been said to decrease inflammation throughout the body, which can contribute to pain in conditions such as arthritis or chronic pain syndromes.
Neurotransmitters
There has been speculation that CBD can interact with other brain chemicals involved in feelings of pain perception and general mood, for example, serotonin and glutamate. Overall, it has a positive effect on the pain process and experience.
Pain CBD Can Manage
Chronic Pain Relief
It is believed that CBD interacts with ECD receptors in the brain and the immune system. These receptors are little, tiny proteins that attach to your cells. They receive signals from different stimuli and tell your cells to act accordingly. CBD essentially creates an anti-inflammatory barrier around your cells so chronic pain can be relieved or at least reduced.
This is effective for any type of chronic pain, whether you have it in your neck or back. There have been many studies throughout the years and many of them have concluded that CBD is effective in overall pain management
Arthritis Pain Relief
Studies have shown that when CBD is used on rats, it reduces inflammation and overall pain in the rats who have joint issues. There were no obvious side effects but they only experienced this pain relief when they received a specific dose of 6.2 mg a day.
They also found that a high dosage didn’t do anything extra and still had the same effect as 6.2mg. This is a good piece of research that could help people struggling with arthritis. However, more research is needed on people for a straight answer and to see the long-term impact.
Cancer Treatment Relief
Some people with cancer have been known to experience and use CBD. Research on mice has shown a correlation between CBD use and cancerous tumour shrinkage. Although comparing mice to humans isn’t a fair comparison.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has found that CBD is a possible solution to aid in reducing chemotherapy side effects. While there hasn’t been much research on how it works on its own, it has shown progress in aiding those who are experiencing chemotherapy side effects such as vomiting, appetite and overall pain.
Migraine Relief
A limited number of studies on CBD’s effect on migraine relief have been conducted but on the small but sweet one, they have found that when CBD and THC are used together, it can lead to pain relief, although it is not completely rid of it, and it can make the pain manageable for those who suffer from extreme migraines.
From experience, I have found this to be true, as someone who gets regular migraines over-the-counter tablets just weren’t cutting it or took too long to do anything. I found this out by accident. I didn’t do any research and just tried it and it was almost immediately that the pain started to become more manageable. However, there needs to be full research and not always take people’s word for things. It worked for me but if you don’t enjoy the side effects that come with THC, this might not be the option for you but trying CBD on its own might work for you.
How To Use CBD Oil
Tincture
To put it simply, a tincture is a mixture that you can spray or take by the dropper directly into your mouth. As the area under your tongue is rich in capillaries, ingesting CBD oil there will allow it to enter your bloodstream more quickly. Before swallowing, try putting a small amount of CBD under your tongue and holding it there for a minute.
Capsule
CBD oil is also available in pill form, which is a viable choice for those who wish to keep their body’s concentration of the compound constant. However, because CBD travels through the digestive system when it is consumed, you might need to wait up to 30 minutes to notice any effects.
Smoothie
Certain CBD oil blends may taste strongly of earth. Since it’s not for everyone, a lot of people prefer to cover up the flavour with other, more delectable ingredients. For a peaceful start to the day, you can also incorporate a half teaspoon of CBD oil into your morning smoothie.
Morning Coffee
If only there was a way to harness coffee’s energy without the jitters that come with it. Wait, yes, there is! A growing number of CBD coffee companies are emerging with the promise that infused coffee beans will eliminate the anxiety that comes with consuming caffeine. This lessens the intensity and smoothes out the “up” that your coffee gives you. You can also use dairy-free milk that has been infused with CBD to easily control the amount you take and keep drinking your preferred coffee blend.
Sweat Treats
Because CBD is so versatile, it can be baked into almost anything; for this reason, it’s present in everything from brownies and cookies to gummies and caramel candies. While baked goods may need to be refrigerated to preserve the freshness of the CBD, sweets are convenient to carry in a bag for on-the-go consumption (or just eat them quickly before they go off?).
Final Thoughts
The world of CBD is still full of unanswered questions. It’s a lot more accessible in areas like the UK and Canada; therefore, trying to see if CBD has any positive impact on your mental and physical health should be considered. It is easy to take, like nicopods or taking a sip of water, and there are no side effects as of yet so the risk is worth it.
