June 9, 2021
Tell me all I need to know about using cannabidiol for chronic pain.
When we talk about CBD, we are typically talking about CBD products, such as topical creams and ingestible oils that are created by extracting the CBD compound from the marijuana plant. Although some CBD products do contain small amounts of THC – which we will get to.
CBD has been shown to be:
Specific conditions that may be helped by CBD include:
Is CBD Actually Marijuana or Hemp, or Both?
● CBD is a cannabinoid found in marijuana plants that has many beneficial effects, without the
psychotropic effects of its cannabinoid counterpart, THC.
● CBD can be derived from various varieties of the marijuana plant including both sativa and indica.
● Hemp is a species of the sativa marijuana varietal plant and has some unique features:
– Won’t get you high
– Contains 0.3% or less THC
– Has limited chemical compounds
– Is used to makes clothes and textiles
– Is legally sold in many stores and online
● CBD derived from hemp is legal at the federal level. CBD derived from non-hemp marijuana is not legal at the federal level but is legal in certain states.
● CBD derived from hemp may lack certain compounds that some research suggests aids in medicinal benefits, something referred to as the entourage effect. To top it off, the entourage effect may further offer benefits that a CBD isolate doesn’t.
Your Natural Endocannabinoid System Supports CBD
Our body’s Endocannabinoid system is composed of three main components:
Our natural endocannabinoids function on demand, meaning that when our body senses inflammation, or needs to return to homeostasis (a state of stable balance) it will release endocannabinoids that bind to cannabinoid receptors.
CBD itself does not bind to receptors but is thought to work by inducing other components of the cannabinoid system.
In fact, CBD exerts a wide array of effects on the body’s central and peripheral nervous systems, as well as the immune system. It works in conjunction with our endocannabinoid system to function in an antioxidant capacity, to decrease inflammation, and to act as an analgesic or pain reliever. CBD may even slow the progression of osteoarthritis and prevent nerve damage, according to early model studies.
Importantly, CBD is hydrophobic and lipophilic, meaning it will dissolve in fats. The dissolution helps it to be carried across the blood-brain barrier and affect your CNS, where it can have a broad range of positive effects on pain including:
● Reducing Pain Signals – CBD modulates pain and the sensation of pain by stimulating the reuptake of the neurotransmitter, adenosine, thereby boosting adenosine levels in the brain and inhibiting pain sensations. CBD may also block pain signals from reaching processing centers in the brain by binding to TPRV1, which is responsible for pain and inflammation.
● Increasing Immune Response – CBD can modulate the immune response by decreasing levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and inhibits the proliferation of T cells that are indicated in autoimmune and systemic inflammatory disorders.
● Reducing Inflammation – CBD decreases oxidative stress and systemic inflammation by acting as an antioxidant. CBD may also decrease inflammation by preventing a reduction in micro elements like zinc and selenium, which are important actors for a balanced immune response, and may reduce neuropathic pain (such as fibromyalgia or neuropathic back pain) by countering hyperalgesia (an abnormally heightened pain response).
● Improving Mood and Sleep – Chronic pain can disrupt your daily life, relationships, work, and mental health. If you are facing anxiety, depression, insomnia, and fatigue – all common with chronic pain – CBD may help you relax or get the restful sleep you need. Note, however, that many studies that relate CBD to improved sleep focus on full spectrum CBD (described below) and it is thought that the entourage effect of THC (along with terpenes and other cannabinoids) is mainly responsible for aiding in sleep.
CBD is not marijuana – even though it can be derived from the marijuana plant. Still, some CBD products contain THC, and for some people these products may work better (remember the entourage effect).
Overall, the risks of taking CBD are very low, and the rewards can be quite promising. Still, it’s important to remember that more research is needed to understand the full effects of CBD. Your treatment is a personal choice and for many, a personal journey.
CBD may help to reduce pain by acting on a variety of biological processes in the body. CBD has been shown to work as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and analgesic. CBD may also reduce the anxiety that people living with chronic pain often experience.