Introducing CBD

CBD, also known as cannabidiol, is one of the many compounds that make up the Cannabis plant. The plant contains over 100 compounds, known as cannabinoids. However, CBD and THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) are the most popular cannabinoids.

The fundamental difference between CBD and THC is that unlike THC, CBD doesn’t cause the infamous psychotropic effects. That explains why many experts recommend it for a broad spectrum of health conditions, ranging from appetite regulation to treatment of insomnia, and pain relief.

Users can benefit from the pain-alleviation properties of CBD without worrying about the distressing concerns of getting high or suffering any other withdrawal symptoms.

Types of Pain

Pain comes in various shapes and forms. If you were in an accident and ended up crushing your bones, you’ll experience pain during your treatment and recovery period. Similarly, a person with swollen lymph nodes will experience some form of pain. Other pains emanate from within, and either result from diagnosable conditions, such as arthritis, or from diseases that are more difficult to characterize, such as headaches.

All of these pains fall within various broader categories. The first category is nociceptive pains that come from an injury, sprain, or damage to body tissue or bone. We also have neuropathic pains that are associated with damage or stress on the nerves. Lastly, there are ‘nociplastic pains’ that are somewhat difficult to categorize scientifically, since they don’t necessarily result from a specific pathology. Examples include migraines, tension headaches, etc.

How Does CBD Relieve Pain?

The body is made up of a system known as the endocannabinoid system. This system is responsible for a broad spectrum of mental and physiological processes, including high cognition, emotion, memory, motor coordination, and pain sensation.

For many years, scientists always believed that the ECS was exclusive to rats. That’s probably because many clinical trials on the effectiveness of CBD and marijuana were performed on rats before they could be extrapolated into humans and other animals. However, in 1995, researchers proved that endocannabinoid receptors were also present in humans. Also known as CB1 and CBD2 receptors, these receptors perform a fundamental function of maintaining the body’s homeostasis.

When you suffer a physical injury or develop a condition that manifests in pain, the ECS immediately kicks into action, releasing the hormones that mask the effects of pain. CBD interacts positively with the ECS. Generally, it improves the body’s ability to produce more endorphins, then enhances the action of those endorphins. In the end, CBD reduces the severity of pain, which is instrumental in the recovery process.

Though CBD is effective with various types of pain, it works best on neuropathic pain that results from chronic disorders. Besides pain relief, CBD also packs anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Therefore, it not only speeds up pain alleviation which further escalates the recovery process, but it also helps keep diseases at bay.  To reap in all the benefits, make sure you procure your CBD products from industry leader Getkush.

A bottle of CBD oil along with the seeds

Optimizing the Effects of CBD for Pain Relief

When it comes to medical marijuana, most people often think along the lines of CBD. THC, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is often discouraged merely on account of its psychoactive properties. However, experts recommend using a pain-relief remedy that also features a considerable concentration of THC, as the two compounds work seamlessly to bring about better analgesic effects.

A 2017 report published in the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine concluded that CBD was more effective for relieving neuropathic pain, especially if used alongside THC. But due to THC’s intoxicating effects, it’s always prudent for new users to establish their ideal doses first. Unlike CBD, overdosing on THC comes with immediate and long-lasting side effects, the most common of which is psychological dependence.

It’s also worth noting that in the above research, NASEM observed that very little information was available on the actual efficacy as well as doses, methods of administration, and side effects of CBD. And the fact that the federal government still classifies CBD as a Schedule 1 Substance complicates the entire equation. It not only makes it difficult to study the compound, but it also raises major concerns on the credibility of previous findings on the efficacy of CBD. And that’s especially true for commercially-prepared cannabis products, which underscores the importance of analyzing all the ingredients that a cannabis product contains before buying it.

A few brands are transparent about the ingredient composition of their products. But the case is a lot different in jurisdiction where the laws on the cultivation, trade, and use of marijuana are a bit relaxed. In such places, incidents of infiltration of counterfeit products aren’t unheard of.

The method of administration also goes a long way in determining whether CBD lives up to its immense pain-relieving reputation or not. There are numerous ways to administer CBD, ranging from subcutaneous injections to sublingual, topical applications, edibles, pills, and through a vaporizer.

Vaping and consuming CBD tinctures sublingually are believed to be the most effective ways of introducing the substance into your system. Both options are the safer and more fast-acting alternatives to edibles, topicals, as well as pills and capsules. But if you were to choose between two, tinctures would be your best bet.

If you’re suffering from skin conditions, such as psoriasis and eczema, you may consider CBD-infused topicals. These topics are also ideal for joint and muscle pains. Pills and capsules are perfect for seizures and digestive complications. However, tablets and capsules take the longest time to kick in.Those wanting to buy cannabis can search the net for “canada marijuana near me” and choose among various licensed dispensaries.

Lastly, remember to purchase only officially-approved CBD-based products and medication. For instance, the FDA has since approved Epidiolex for the treatment of rare kinds of childhood epilepsy. Sativex is also legal in many countries, where it’s prescribed for the treatment of neuropathic pain, muscle spasms and stiffness, and multiple sclerosis.

A doctor offering a bottle of CBD oil to a patient

Moving Into the Future

You must remember that most of the research studies on the efficacy of cannabis-derived products were commissioned on rats. Only a handful have been extrapolated to humans so far.

Also, much of the evidence on the analgesic properties of CBD are anecdotal.  Besides, those studies mostly use synthetic and single-molecule cannabinoids as opposed to medical marijuana that’s readily available on local dispensaries.

But as we move into the future, we hope more countries and states will relax their laws on cannabis use. That will make it easier to further research on CBD’s efficacy for pain relief.