Pains are often hard to deal with and can pause us in process of enjoying our life. Although nothing can beat the benefits of yoga, meditation, natural therapies, and anti-inflammatory diet to counter pain anywhere in the body. Still using CBD does provide quality relief in soothing a variety of pains along with ensuring holistic health.
History of using CBD for pains.
Chinese traditional system of medicine places Cannabis among the 50 fundamental remedies most frequently in use in ancient times. They were using its flowers for curing menstrual disorders and pains and seeds for treating stomach issues. In ancient Netherland, it might have been in use as a painkiller.
Ebers papyrus mentions that early Egyptians were making use of hemp in suppositories to alleviate painful hemorrhoids and soreness of eyes. In India cannabis and religion deeply seep into each other. Often cannabis is given for treating pain, insomnia, headache, a host of disorders relating to gastro intestine and for relieving childbirth pain.
Greeks were employing it in the treatment of inflammation and also for pain owing to obstruction of the ear. In later history, specifically in the 19th century several patent medicines secretly had been using marijuana as their essential component. Irish Dr.O’Shaughnessy was the first scholar of note to use cannabis for treatment of muscle spasms, stomach cramps or general pain in modern practice. He along with Moreau de Tours use it to treat migraine and convulsions.
This concludes that cannabis was a part and parcel of the ancient world and was frequently in use till the modern history for pain relief. Although the CBD THC segregation is a relatively new concept. The whole plant or its parts were quite popular for medicinal use.
How CBD limits pain!
Unlike THC, CBD does not alter the brain activity and there is no loss of mind-body coordination by its regular use. So while THC can affect the endocannabinoid system directly. Researches suggest that CBD works on the endocannabinoid system (ECS) of our body In such a way that our body starts using its own system more efficiently. Itself CBD does next to nothing to ECS but inhibits the action of other compounds on this system.
CBD minimalize the absorption of anandamide which is a pain regulating component in the body. This leads to increased anandamide flow in the bloodstream in turn which limits how our body experiences pain.
CBD usage in the treatment of pains
Today 100 million Americans are suffering from chronic pains. It can result in poor quality of life for them as chronic pain increases health care expenses and can negatively impact the productivity at work.
A quick resort to dealing with pain is using Over-the-counter prescription medications like Aspirin which can cure pain. While some people resort to alternate methods of relief like herbs, nutritional supplements, exercise etc. Mostly because these are free from side-effects. CBD oil is one such natural herb which widely popular local cure. There are a number of painful conditions which are releasable with its use. That’s why CBD is used in spas, massage centers and often recommended by physicians since ancient times. It can help with cancer pain, fibromyalgia, back pain, irritable bowel syndrome, multiple sclerosis, migraine, osteoarthritis, and neuropathic pain.
A 2016 study on rats having arthritis recounts positive signs of reduction in pain, joint swelling and inflammation. In 2018 another report from Paediatric dermatology suggests recovery of three children from a condition called epidermolysis bullosa. Each one was given a different form of treatment by means of oil, spray, and cream. Although studies regarding its effects on pain are still insufficient. It is found effective in treating neuropathic pain by Cochrane Database of systematic in a 2018 review. Thus evidencing it as an effective treatment for somatosensory pain, diabetic pain and pain relating to multiple sclerosis.
There are promising attributes of CBD oil in the treatment of painful clinical conditions such as:
- Chemotherapy-induced pain reduction.
- Blister induced pain in epidermolysis bullosa.
- Severe lower back pain.
- Irritable bowel syndrome.
- Neuropathic pain of diabetes and multiple sclerosis.
- Migraine and headaches.
- Joint pain, soreness and muscle fixation in osteoarthritis.
The downsides of CBD treatment
Using CBD has negligible bad effects such as sleepiness, dizziness, and mental confusion. While combining it in certain ratios with THC may yield favorable outcomes sometimes some proportional factors may cause a negative impact upon the user. If right proportional doses are not run, it may result in higher anxiety, lack of appetite and mood swings, low blood pressure and vomiting. Meanwhile, studies also suggests that health benefits of CBD medicines surely outweigh their potential threats.
It is notable that apart from cannabis, opium poppy, chilli, willow bark are other naturally occurring analgesic. They affect one of the four pain controlling system in our body. But anecdotal evidence as well as on going researches do present evidence that CBD is the ideal cure for treating chronic pains. So far what we know about CBD has come from animal studies or short term research. Long term studies regarding CBD’s relation with pain is still in the proposition to give validity to such claims. It’s a lack of side-effects as well as the minimal possibility of intoxication makes it ever more valuable. And the multiple ways in which CBD can be put to use, is also a vital factor behind it’s soaring popularity.