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CBDs for Pain Relief

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There is no surprise that people are looking for better, more natural ways to control pain.

CBD pain relief

The opioid epidemic, addictive properties of prescription pain pills and the mounting risk and side-effects associated with prescription drugs have led many to try other alternatives.

And why not?! Nearly 80% of the worlds opioid supply being consumed in the U.S., yet, one-third of Americans are still in pain! Clearly something needs to change.

There are a lot of natural alternatives out there from essential oils to pain relieving herbs. One in particular that is growing in popularity is CBD oil. There are a lot of questions and even controversy over this because of its roots. This article is being written to dispel any myths and stigmas surrounding this pain-relieving supplement.

What are CBDs?

CBD oil

First, we must understand what exactly a CBD is. CBD is one of nearly 100 compounds known as cannabinoids. CBD is most commonly linked to cannabis. However, unlike other cannabinoids such as THC, CBD will not get you “high”. It does not contain the psychoactive component that THC has. This is very important to understand. CBD is one of the active ingredients of marijuana but has a very different function compared to its psycho-active counterpart THC.

How does CBD work?

CBD chemistry

Believe it or not, the human body naturally produces cannabinoids known as endocannibinoids. There are millions of cannabinoid receptors throughout the body including the skin, digestive tract and the brain. The purpose of the endocannabinoid system is stress relief, neuroprotection, immune response, regulating the body’s state of balance and impacting mood, sleep and pain. CBDs work to allow our own natural cannabinoids to thrive by inhibiting the enzymes that normally breakdown endocannibinoids. This is how CBDs can help to reduce pain and inflammation. It’s a little complicated and scientific, but the results speak for themselves.

What are the benefits of CBD?

There are numerous benefits and have been backed by scientific research. Benefits include:

  • Pain Relief
  • Inflammation reduction
  • Anxiety relief
  • Promotion of bone growth
  • Reduce seizures and convulsions
  • Lower blood sugar
  • Controlling Multiple Sclerosis symptoms

For the purpose of this article, I want to focus on the pain-relieving benefits of CBDs.

Arthritis Pain

Arthritis pain can be quite debilitating. This is becoming a more prevalent issue with the aging population. Studies have shown that using topical CBD ointments on painful joints has significantly reduced pain and inflammation in arthritic joints. Of course, movement and proper exercise are the best ways to treat arthritic joint. But having effective, natural pain-relief can help improve motivation to move by reducing joint and muscle pain.

Chronic Pain

CBD chronic pain

As mentioned before, pain affects over 100 million Americans. That’s more than diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined! CBDs interact with receptors in your brain and immune system. The activation of these receptors allows the cells to respond to stimuli, which creates anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects in the body. This can drastically change the lives of those living with chronic pain. Lower back pain in particular is actually on the rise in the U.S. despite the high levels of prescription drug use, injections and other treatments that can have harmful side-effects.

Side-effects

The great part about CBDs is that there are minimal side-effects. In most cases people have no side effects at all. In some cases, people with higher sensitivities have reported the following:

  • Dry Mouth
  • Mild fatigue
  • Occasional low blood pressure

However, when you consider the litany of dangerous side-effects attached to prescription and over the counter pain medications, dry mouth that can be cured with a glass of water doesn’t sound too bad.

In case you are not aware of the dangerous side-effects associated with prescription and over the counter drugs, here’s a brief list:

  • Heart attack
  • Stroke
  • Ulcers
  • Digestive and stomach issues
  • Diarrhea
  • Constipation
  • Kidney issues
  • Hypertension

A comparison of these two lists makes a strong case for the more natural, pain-relieving effects that CBDs can provide.

Conclusion

People are looking for effective pain relief, but the risk factors of pills to relieve pain are scary. The FDA has even increased it’s warning for over the counter anti-inflammatories such as Advil and Aleve.  Warnings about increase risk of stroke and heart attack are causing those in pain to look to safer alternatives. CBDs are a new and exciting way to treat pain naturally without harmful side-effects. Accompanied with proper exercise and movement, CBDs can help put an end to chronic pain.

CBD exercise

If you or someone you know is experiencing chronic pain and want to speak to someone about it. Try a free phone consult. We’ll take the time to listen to you and talk you through your issues to help you find the best options for you.
For more about CBDs and CBD treatment options we offer check out our CBD page