Pain is one of the most common conditions that every individual experience. Its degree and frequency depend a lot on individual differences. No matter what kind of pain it is and what part of the body is affected, it causes much discomfort and disrupts normal functioning for as long as you can feel it.
Since the nature of pain is to get a person’s complete attention and perception towards it, most people resort to over the counter painkillers that are quite easy to find on the market. But there are two challenges when you take a painkiller. Firstly, it contains many chemicals that are known to have long-term side-effects. Secondly, your body might develop a tolerance for the painkiller, and soon, it would not have the same effects as before.
This is when it makes more sense to look for a natural alternative to painkillers so that one can avoid the side-effects and other health complications from their regular intake. One of the natural alternatives that have gained quite a lot of attention in the past decade is cannabidiol, more commonly known as CBD. There are high chances that you would have come across CBD oil for pain either at stores or in advertisements.
People ask if CBD products are good at providing relief from pain. Many studies and reports from people who have used it in the past have found that CBD might actually be quite useful in reducing pain. There is a mechanism behind it that makes CBD a pain-relieving agent. If you’re eager to know more about CBD and how it can be helpful in relieving pain, here’s more about it.
WHAT IS CBD?
CBD, which stands for cannabidiol, is a natural, plant-based compound derived from cannabis. CBD, along with a number of other special compounds found in cannabis are known as cannabinoids. People know about cannabis more readily when the context is marijuana. Marijuana is a recreational drug that people take to get high. Marijuana also contains CBD; however, it contains another compound in higher concentration than CBD. This compound, known as THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is responsible for causing a high along with other psychoactive effects.
Since CBD products that are used for pain relieving properties should not impart any of the psychoactive effects, CBD oil for pain is extracted from hemp. Hemp is one of the cannabis species that contain a high concentration of CBD and only traces of THC. CBD oil for pain or any CBD product for health reasons must contain less than 0.3% of THC in order to be legal.
You would find CBD in various forms, like gummies, edibles, CBD topicals (sprays, creams, lotions), CBD vape juice, etc. Out of all, CBD oil is recommended for pain. Edible CBD oil is administered by keeping a drop of it under the tongue. It’s easily absorbed that way and makes it to the bloodstream quicker, providing faster relief.
THE MECHANISM AND ITS PROPERTY
The right answer to the question of whether or not CBD works for pain would be how exactly it functions to deliver its benefits. Our body comprises of a system known as the endocannabinoid system. This system has a number of functions, out of which, the primary function is to regulate and maintain homeostasis in our body.
The Endocannabinoid System has CB1 and CB2 receptors and endocannabinoids to carry out the functions that it’s supposed to. CBD is a cannabinoid that matches the molecular makeup of the endocannabinoids. Thus, it conveniently replicates the functions of the endocannabinoids.
One of the functions of the endocannabinoids that CBD mimics is bringing down pain. It does so by attaching itself to the CB2 receptor. The CB2 receptor functions to manage and minimize pain to achieve a state of homeostasis. So, when you take CBD oil for pain, it would interact with your Endocannabinoid System and bring down the pain.
CONDITIONS WHERE CBD IS BENEFICIAL
While the properties and mechanism that CBD follows prove quite a lot that it can help in reducing pain, people still wonder what kind of pain do researchers talk about? Is it just the normal body aches that we experience from day to day or does it prove useful even beyond normal muscular pain? To make it a lot clearer, here’s a list of conditions with pain being one of the symptoms that can be reduced with the help of CBD.
- Pain from cancer treatment
- Pain from arthritis
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Back pain
- Migraines
Besides the above-mentioned conditions, CBD oil can also be useful in reducing pain felt in the muscles, menstrual cramps, and other kinds of pain. The best thing about CBD is that it does not exhibit side-effects since it’s derived from plants. It can also not be overdosed.
However, what’s important is buying it from the right source. There are hundreds of CBD sellers out there ready to fool a potential client who does not know much about CBD. Growing CBD is a tricky process since cannabis absorbs all kinds of chemicals present in the soil. Thus, when buying a CBD product, make sure you check the third-party lab results to make sure the CBD product is free of chemicals.
When you use a CBD product that contains toxins and chemicals or any unwanted agent, more than 0.3% of THC or bacteria and pathogens, the product wouldn’t be effective. Furthermore, it may even cause additional health problems. Many people experience side-effects from such toxic agents in their CBD product and believe that CBD is not good for them.
If you buy a CBD product with THC in it, you will experience intoxication. Moreover, if you buy a CBD product with harmful chemicals in it, you might experience nausea, headaches, etc. Thus, being careful and requesting the seller to provide you with evidence and lab tests to prove that the product is worth using is important.
