January 1, 2021
Pain can hit us at any time. Some people deal with it all of their lives from chronic conditions, while others deal with it as they near the end of their lives. For most of us, it becomes an ever-increasing issue. There are many questions that arise about the efficacy of CBD in managing pain. Between CBD becoming more accepted as a mainstream treatment and more and more people continuing to look for alternatives to opioids and narcotics to control pain, there are many questions about how to best manage pain while minimizing the side effects.
CBD targets the serotonin, dopamine, and endocannabinoid receptors in our bodies to reduce the feelings of anxiety that very often accompany pain. The endocannabinoid system is thought to be directly related to pain regardless of its cause. This means that CBD has been found to be effective in treating osteoarthritis pain, neuropathic pain, and chronic back pain.
End-of-life Pain
If used in conjunction with narcotics, it can make the patient more alert and willing to partake in life, whereas before the person may have been more withdrawn because of the amount of pain they were in. Some people prefer to be in pain instead of being sleepy, but being in pain is very exhausting and because the CBD cannabinoids target pain and reduce or even eliminate pain, this can help people to be more present in their daily life. When someone is able to be present in their daily life, it means being able to spend more time with loved ones, making more memories together, which equates to a higher quality of life.
Often, as someone enters into end-of-life care, narcotics and benzodiazepines can be prescribed to help ease pain. These medications can also have some strong side effects and not everyone can tolerate them well. Using CBD in conjunction with these medications can reduce the side effects of these medications. On the other hand, it’s best to work with a medical professional on the dosage of CBD and opioid or other narcotic-based medications, as some people may experience either an increase or decrease in the potency of these medications. Like with all medications, not everyone will have the same reaction and working with a medical professional is ideal when other medications are involved.
Another benefit to using CBD is that there are no psychoactive effects on a person. That is to say, they don’t get high like someone who consumes THC does. CBD is considered a dietary supplement and can be used anytime during the day as needed.
Choosing the Right Form of CBD
There are several factors to consider when deciding in what form you should take CBD. There are a variety available:
- Oil and tinctures
- Edibles, like gummies or candies
- Topical ointments and creams
- Waxes
- E-liquids
- Capsules
When choosing the right form to manage pan, you should consider the level of pain. This is because different forms take longer to absorb into the body than others, and therefore take longer to activate – meaning it can take longer to get relief. Generally, edibles and capsules take the longest because they must be digested, whereas oils, tinctured, topicals and e-liquids will most likely provide faster relief, within minutes, because they are absorbed rather than digested.
Topicals and ointments can be highly effective on specific pain because the cream or ointment can be applied directly to the area of discomfort. These can be effective for arthritis or other joint pain, but it is important to remember that it will not eliminate the pain – only provide relief for a period of time.
Even though CBD is not able to cure pain, it can provide much needed relief without many of the side effects from other treatments. Pain comes in many forms and so do treatment options. CBD provides a natural, non-psychoactive alternative that is free of side-effects and continues to be a promising option in managing pain.
