The market is brimming with every form of pain killer, from topical creams to potent prescription medication. Yet, even with so numerous options, many people must endure chronic pain daily because medical professionals cannot give them anything to make them feel better.
Disorders like multiple sclerosis and arthritis cause many people worldwide, as does pain caused by a slipped disk and joint pain resulting from wear and tear. Enduring such pain is more manageable than done, and when it becomes unrelenting, the risk of mental health challenges like anxiety and depression can only worsen.
Fortunately, such pain may become a thing of the past thanks to the emerging research on the natural compound known as CBD.
What is CBD?
CBD is one of many cannabinoids found in the Cannabis Sativa plant species. This natural compound is similar to another prevalent cannabinoid known as THC—high amounts found in traditional marijuana products. What distinguishes CBD from THC is its lack of euphoric effects. Unlike THC, which causes users to become elevated, hemp-derived CBD with less than 0.3 percent THC cannot make you high nor cause increased paranoia. The risk of an overdose with CBD is non-existent too.
This cannabinoid interacts with bodily functions through the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The latter is a biological system that uses receptors to manage critical functions in the body, such as appetite, temperature, hormones, and pain. The ECS’s primary role is to keep the body in optimal balance—homeostasis.
Researchers have learned that CBD signals to the ECS’s receptors trigger change through preliminary studies. For instance, this cannabinoid activates the body into making better use of the happy chemical known as serotonin, thus lowering anxiety symptoms. For this reason, many are investing in CBD-infused products such as CBD gummies for anxiety.
How to manage chronic pain with CBD
CBD can help you manage your chronic pain, but it cannot cure your disorder or injury. This natural compound may just provide a respite when other options haven’t worked.
Primarily, it does so thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties. Researchers have noticed how CBD interacts with the receptors, which are small proteins. These receptors receive signals, and they respond accordingly. CBD triggers change by signaling to these receptors, resulting in pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects, which helps the ECS manage pain.
Although studies on CBD are limited, early data suggests how well CBD works to treat pain. In one study involving volunteers dealing with fibromyalgia, cancer, and neuropathic pain, researchers concluded that CBD was an effective pain treatment and did not cause harmful side effects.
In another two studies conducted on mice, researchers studied the effects of CBD on disorders that cause pain, primarily multiple sclerosis, and arthritis. The mice dealing with this disorder had a significant amount of inflammation on the joints, resulting in pain. After one dose of CBD, researchers noted a diminishment in inflammation which meant less pain for the mice.
In another remarkable study regarding cannabinoids managing difficult to treat pain, researchers noted how cannabinoids like CBD were tenfold more potent than morphine to ease chronic pain.
CBD users are not limiting the usage of CBD for chronic pain. Some users choose to take a CBD dose when they have a migraine or a temporary injury such as a muscle strain caused by a workout. Some women also benefit from CBD‘s pain-relieving effects to ease discomfort caused by dyspareunia which is pain caused by intercourse.
The right way to use CBD for pain
Although early data ranks CBD as safe, there is a right and wrong to take this natural compound. CBD can block the work of some over-the-counter medication like heart medicine and the outcome of diet pills. It is essential to ensure that CBD does not cause more harm than good.
Moreover, it is vital to learn how your body reacts to this compound and the dose you need to experience pain relief. Different products provide different effects. Gummies and CBD capsules take longer to work because they must pass through the digestive system, but their effects can last up to half a day.
In contrast, CBD products like vape liquids and CBD oil work fast, but their effects soon dissipated.
If new, it is best to take your first hit of CBD at home so you can get a feel for how your body reacts to it. Some users have experienced dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea when taking this natural compound. To avoid such side effects, pair your CBD with a fatty snack such as avocado or nuts to increase the bioavailability rate of CBD and help your body digest it easily.
