If you ask health care providers about the most challenging condition to treat, chronic pain is mentioned frequently. By its nature, chronic pain is a complex and multidimensional experience. Given the ongoing challenges of chronic pain management coupled with the consequences of the opioid epidemic, pain management practitioners and their patients are searching for effective and safer alternatives to opioids to alleviate pain.
CBD is emerging as a promising pharmaceutical agent to treat pain and inflammation without the psychoactive effects of THC. Our understanding of the role of CBD in pain management continues to evolve, and evidence from animal studies has shown that CBD exerts its pain-relieving effects through its various interactions and modulation of the endocannabinoid, inflammatory, and nociceptive (pain sensing) systems. The endocannabinoid system consists of cannabinoid receptors that interact with our own naturally occurring cannabinoids. This system is involved in regulating many functions in the body, including metabolism and appetite, mood and anxiety, and pain perception.
Given its promising results in animal models, along with its relative safety, non-psychoactive properties, and low potential for abuse, CBD is an attractive candidate to relieve pain. Unfortunately, there is a lack of human studies about the effectiveness of CBD.
There are many different ways to take CBD, CBD oil is most common, followed by CBD gummies, CBD tablets, CBD vapes and more.
**Do not use during pregnancy or breastfeeding. If you take regular prescription drugs it is advisable to check with a professional before using CBD. Most drugs work in harmony with CBD but there could be some when used with CBD that could alter the efficiency of your tablets. This could make them more effective or less effective. Just check with your doctor first.**
