More and more people are turning to CBD oil for pain management of chronic conditions. As CBD has become more widely accessible, not just in the United States but around the world, people are learning about how this amazing natural oil can help manage pain as well as work for many chronic conditions. CBD for pain is one of the most popular methods to manage conditions now, and the popularity of the supplement is continuing to grow in leaps and bounds. Some knowledge of CBD pain relief and how it works will help you understand all the CBD oil benefits for pain.
What Is CBD Oil?
CBD (cannabidiol) oil is extracted from the hemp plant. Hemp is in the cannabis family but not the same plant that marijuana comes from. Marijuana comes from the cannabis sativa plant and contains extremely high levels of THC. THC is tetrahydrocannabinol is a psychoactive compound that causes you to get high when you use marijuana. CBD and THC are both compounds in the cannabis plants. They are both found in hemp and sativa. THC is in high concentrations in sativa, but lower concentrations in hemp. Industrialized hemp has been selectively bred to have lower levels of THC and the smaller amounts that are in it can be extracted more easily from the final products of CBD, which can contain no more than .03% trace amount of THC when sold.
THC and CBD are called phytocompounds. “Phyto” means “plant” and so they are plant compounds, naturally occurring. Due to the popularity of cannabis, which has been used by many to gain a high or for medicinal purposes long before it was ever legalized for that purpose, it has been the subject of a great deal of research. In 1991 it was discovered that the human body makes its own cannabinoids. An entire system that makes and uses cannabinoids from lipids that work in our neural networks was discovered and named the Endocannabinoid System, or the ECS. The ECS works in the body to do many things. It helps elevate moods, activate the body’s defenses against inflammation and infection and more. So how does CBD work?
It was discovered that when cannabinoid phytocompounds were introduced into the body, they interact with this ECS and its receptors. There are two types of receptors in the ECS, the CB1 receptors and the CB2 receptors. CB1 receptors are primarily located in the brain and THC prefers to bind with these receptors, thus explaining the affect that THC has on the brain and why it is psychoactive compound.
CBD, on the other hand, primarily bonds to the CB2 receptors which are located all over the body. Many of them are located in the gut region of the body. CBD also, it has been realized, will interact with the serotonin receptors in your body in a positive way and can actually help bring equilibrium to moods.
When CBD binds with a CB2 receptor, they form a lipid that travels along the neural pathways like a road system throughout the human body. When something is happening in the body that is a signal being repeated to extreme, like a broken record, this lipid steps in and blocks the repeated signals so that they never make it to the brain. When this signal is intercepted from reaching the brain, the brain never reacts because it didn’t get the message there was a problem.The applications for this are nearly incredible and extremely exciting. CBD oil for pain management works, therefore, by blocking the messages to the brain that cause the brain to react to pain. There may be thousands of messages being sent to the brain in the case of chronic pain, and if most of them are intercepted, your pain is greatly reduced from pain to minor discomfort. CBD oil benefits for pain are not just exciting but they may lead the way to better treatment options for physicians who are treating patients with challenging pain management needs.
How long does it take for CBD pain relief to work? CBD can actually give you pain relief in less time than it takes for some prescription medications to work. For those who are using CBD for mood disorders and depression, CBD will actually begin working immediately, within minutes, whereas prescription medications typically take weeks of absorption in the body to begin working. As you can see, there are some fantastic benefits to using CBD oil.
Conditions Helped
No matter what type of pain you are in, CBD oil for pain is a better choice than taking prescription pain-killers. One of the reasons for this is that prescription pain pills are addictive.
Many doctors will not prescribe the pain pills that work best for pain, because of the high likelihood of addiction, leaving people with chronic pain in a catch-22. Taking the pills that render then pain-free will also cause horrible addictions that more-often-than-not lead to drug seeking behaviors and addictions that can ruin lives in the long run.
Some people have actually lost everything they own because of drug addiction. Those medications can also cause severe liver and kidney problems.
CBD oil is non-addictive. If you suddenly stopped taking CBD oil you would experience no withdrawals. Your symptoms of initial pain would come back if you have a chronic condition, but if you have healed or your condition has gotten better due to treatment, then you can stop or slow your use of CBD oil without concerns of withdrawal. CBD is a natural plant-derived product and it is safe. CBD is so safe that you can give it to children or to pets. CBD will not harm your internal organs, it will not cause kidney failure or liver damage. This makes CBD oil for pain management a much better choice for most people.
Here is a short list of just some of the conditions for which people are now successfully using CBD oil:
- ADHD
- Migraines
- Depression
- Bipolar
- Post-traumatic Stress disorder
- Epilepsy
- Cancer pain
- Parkinson’s disease
- Crohn’s disease
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Diabetes (primarily type 1)
- Weight loss help
- Neuropathy
- Schizophrenia
- Anxiety
- Drug addiction treatment
As you can see, CBD oil is the ability to assist in the treatment of many types of issues and this is by no means a complete list. In fact, the ways in which CBD can help some other issues is just beginning to be explored. There are many people using CBD oil for conditions that have no research data available as of yet. CBD oil for back pain isn’t specifically listed here but people are using it for tremendous relief of pain. The back harbors the spinal cord which is like a super highway of nerve tissue. CBD works within that nervous system and therefore is a great reducer of pain for those who are suffering with pinched nerves and bulging discs.
CBD Facts You Should Know
Hemp was legalized nationwide by the Farm Bill of 2018, signed in December of that year by the president. Hemp is now legal to grow nationwide, and this has opened up the market for CBD products. That said, you should check locally and find out how local law enforcement is treating old laws on their books versus this new law. There is some shady gray area that causes confusion and it is best to know ahead of time if you’ll have any issues using CBD locally. These things will get sorted out in time and all law enforcement will be on the same page, but for now, the laws are very new and there are many questions by everyone. It’s best to be safe than to get into any local troubles.
When purchasing CBD, it should be below .03% THC and all reputable manufacturers will have documentation of lab results that they have done and also done by third-party labs. This third-party testing is available to the public and you should ask for it if they don’t have it on their website for easy access to ensure you're getting quality CBD. Any company that refuses to provide this information to you should be avoided. Each batch of oil that they produce should be tested individually and have lot numbers.
CBD cannot get you high. No one purchases CBD oil to get high because that is impossible. With only .03% THC in it, you feel zero affects of that. You will feel very relaxed and calm. This is the CBD working with the serotonin receptors in your body to bring calm and peace. CBD is capable of putting virtually anyone in a better mood.
There are several methods of extracting the CBD oil from the plant matter and the best method, which causes there to be no additives to the CBD that could be harmful, is the CO2 method. Labels will usually state if CO2 extraction was the method used because this is a strong selling point. Only carbon dioxide is used in this method and it is completely harmless, leaving you with a clean product that has no traces of solvents or alcohols that are used in other methods. Know what you are getting.
Full-spectrum CBD oil is the best choice for a basic oil. Full-spectrum means that the entire plant was used in the process, ground and processed into a sludge that is then pumped full of CO2, which binds with CBD molecules and can be extracted from the mixture. By utilizing the whole plant, the CBD is more uniform in concentration. Different parts of the plants have higher and lower concentrations. It’s best to use the entire plant.
CBD isolate is created by a process by which the CBD is extracted at the molecular level, producing an extraordinarily strong and pure form of CBD. It’s as close to 100% CBD as possible and this is the absolute best choice if you are seeking CBD for extremely painful conditions. Cancer patients who are enduring lesions after surgical removal of part of a liver, for example, may benefit the most from CBD isolate for the pain management with CBD oil.
Buying and Using Your First CBD Oil
Once you’ve worked out the rules in your area, you can shop online for CBD oil products. Given that you know a bit about the types of oils available and how buying CBD oil for pain management can be of benefit to you, you should be able to find a product that best suits your needs and your lifestyle. For example, some people prefer to take their CBD oil via drops so that they can put some in their coffee one morning and a few drops under their tongue later in the day.
Some people who have quit smoking are now using vaping pens with flavored oils in place of cigarettes. CBD oils with flavors infused are now available for vaping if this is a way that would suit you best. The oils with flavor can also be taken as drops or added to foods to add flavor, such as in a drink.
You decide the product you wish to use, order it and it arrives at your home discreetly. When you begin taking CBD oil, you should start with a low dose. Many people start with only half a dropper full of CBD oil for their pain to start with. If you wonder, how long does it take for CBD oil to work? You should begin to feel the effects of the oil within fifteen to twenty-minutes if you have taken it under the tongue or on an empty stomach. If you take it with food, it may take longer – up to two hours to – to hit your system. Take your condition into consideration. For mental health issues, taking the longer working method is fine. Using CBD oil for back pain, you may wish for the effects to start more quickly.
Look for third-party testing and start with a low dose once your product arrives. Keep track of how much you use so that you can determine when to increase your dosage for maximum benefits. CBD oil use is largely left up to you to determine how much is enough. If you take too much too fast, however; you may notice some side-effects that are uncomfortable. Side-effects of overuse can be nausea, stomach pain/cramps, headache, and bloody diarrhea. If you experience any of these, simply skip a dose and then reduce your doses to a lower level and give your body more time to adjust. Gradually and slowly increase your doses and this should not be a problem, but rest assured, none of the effects are long-lasting and will go away completely as you reduce your dose amount.
CBD for Seizures and Muscle Spasm Pain in Children
CBD is safe for use, even in pain for children. Those who suffer with tremors and epilepsy have found a huge relief from taking CBD oils. CBD oil can taste strong and children may resist taking it, so there are several options made available just for children. Look for product lines that are designed specifically for kids and CBD for pets. You can check it out how long does it take for cbd to work on dogs. They exist and offer many choices.
CBD is safe for children to take with adult supervision, mainly to watch for signs of too high of a dose and those side-effects. CBD is successfully used to help children fall asleep and stay asleep. A two-year old with night terrors is not all that unusual but is a particularly difficult situation for everyone in the entire house. CBD can help to alleviate this issue and help children who resist sleep be able to relax and fall into a deep state of sleep more quickly. Tummy problems are alleviated with CBD oil, as well as many other issues that are common with children. Oils made in small dosages and in flavors are available for kids. Gummy candies are available that are like the gummy candies you buy at the store and most children are none the wiser. Giving them a candy before bedtime is far easier than arguing over taking a pill. Parents will be relieved to have a product that is safe, easy, and simple to use.
People who have a dog that is prone to separation anxiety will find that there are calming treats made with CBD infused by InnoVetpet.Com. These can help your pet calm down faster and sleep longer when you are away from home. Since dogs also have an ECS, their body readily puts the CBD to work to bring calming to them. This is a great alternative to using the drugs commonly prescribed by veterinarians for this issue. Some dogs are actually put on phenobarbital for severe anxiety. Some of the side-effects of this drug are dizziness, irritability, nausea, headache and drowsiness. It can also cause extreme thirst, weight gain, and anemia. Why not use CBD oil that won’t do any of those things?
CBD isn’t a cure for things, but it stands as a fantastic tool to help you live with chronic conditions. CBD oil benefits for pain are well-documented. If you or anyone else is wondering, “does CBD oil work?” the answer is emphatically yes, from millions of people who are getting that relief right now. Why are you waiting?