Living with pain, be it occasional or chronic, is quite difficult. It makes everyday tasks difficult, puts strain on relationships, uplifts mood, increases anxiety, and pushes you into a dark space.
Billions of people suffer from different types of pain and have to rely on chemical-ridden prescription medicines to deal with it. In America alone, opioid-based pain relief medicines have wreaked havoc on people’s lives who find it hard to wean from addiction.
To counter this, people are now more inclined towards healthier alternatives like CBD gummies for chronic pain.
CBD, or cannabidiol, has become quite popular lately due to its countless healing and therapeutic properties, including pain and inflammation reduction. Today we’ll take a deep dive to understand how CBD is effective in treating pain and whether you should include it in your wellness routine or not.
What Is CBD?
Cannabinoids are natural compounds found in cannabis plants. There are hundreds of cannabinoids in cannabis, and CBD is possibly the most widely researched and used one.
It’s known for its analgesic, anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, and sleep-enhancing properties. People also use CBD as part of their skincare routine because of its antioxidant and soothing effects.
Unlike the infamous THC, CBD doesn’t have any intoxicating effects, which makes it viable for everyday use. In fact, as per the 2018 farm bill, all brands have to adhere to a 0.3% THC concentration cap in CBD products. Special industrial hemp plants are used to make CBD products as they only have trace amounts of THC in them.
These days, you can also opt for zero THC CBD products, like broad-spectrum CBD gummies or CBD isolate. Studies have shown that CBD is safe for consumption, even at higher doses, which makes it a much better pain-relieving alternative to other pain medicines.
Is CBD Really Effective For Treating Pain?
Yes, CBD is quite effective for pain treatment in both humans and animals. Recently, a systematic review was conducted, which included data from five major research journal platforms.
More than 12 publications were studied and cross-examined in this process. It concluded that CBD use is growing at a very fast rate among those who are on pain medications for chronic pain.
Surveys from users show that CBD has done wonders in terms of pain relief. Those who took CBD also reported reduced anxiety and stress levels, which in turn led to better sleep.
A larger study in this review noted that 1750 patients with neuropathic pain reported a 50% reduction in pain levels as compared to placebo groups. One major conclusion was that pain relief from CBD use was largely correlated with pain type and dosage levels.
For example, optimum results were achieved with 23.56 mg of CBD for neuropathic pain patients, 19.69 mg/day for cancer pain patients, and 13.7 mg/day for nociceptive pain patients.
Even though more research is required, the current data does prove that CBD is quite promising and safe as compared to opioid-based medications.
You’ll also find anecdotes from dog and cat owners who report that CBD oil helps their furry friends with pain, anxiety, seizures, and mobility issues. A recent study done by the Veterinary Department of Cornell University found that regular CBD dosage in dogs leads to a major reduction in pain levels and enhanced life quality.
How Does CBD Work In Our Body To Provide Pain Relief?
To understand how CBD works, we first have to look at the endocannabinoid system present in the bodies of all mammals. It’s a complex cell signaling network and is responsible for maintaining a state of balance in the body.
It controls various biological functions, including pain perception, inflammation severity, anxiety levels, stress responses, sleep cycles, and more. This is done through the interaction and synthesis of endogenous cannabinoids (2AG, Anandamide) with the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2.
CBD influences the working of these cannabinoid receptors, which leads to better absorption of the above-stated biochemicals. Anandamide plays a crucial role in regulating pain in our body, and CBD use increases its level in our body, which leads to a reduction in pain and inflammation levels.
It may sound complex, but actually, the process is quite natural. Our body already has cannabinoid receptors, and CBD simply makes the whole process more active and efficient. Not only does it curb pain and inflammation, but it also improves our appetite, sleep hygiene, and focus.
What’s The Best CBD Product For Treating Pain?
Since there are countless CBD products available now, choosing the perfect one can be quite chaotic. See, there’s no one perfect CBD product when it comes to pain relief. It all depends on your symptoms, the desired administration method, and the overall duration for effects to kick in.
For example, sublingual oils or capsules will act much faster than CBD gummies due to their higher bioavailability. CBD tincture drops will kick in within 10–15 minutes of consumption, whereas edibles might take up to an hour or two.
So maybe use CBD oil for pain relief during office hours and gummies at night for long-lasting but slow effects. Dosage, body chemistry, concentration levels, and other such factors will also play a huge role in determining what product will work best for you.
The End Note
To sum it up, yes, CBD is one of the most effective options for treating pain. Not only will it curb your pain level, but it will also help bring inflammation down. It works on our body’s endocannabinoid system to exhibit these effects.
You can take it for pain stemming from arthritis, injuries, or other diseases. Just make sure to buy it from reputable and trusted brands like Colorado Botanicals. You can also give CBD to your pets, but go with pet-specific CBD oil only as it’s specially formulated for them.
Also, initially, you might feel slight nausea or dehydration, but you can avoid it by increasing your water intake and taking it with food.
