The Growing Popularity of CBD for Pain Relief
In recent years, CBD (cannabidiol) has gained significant attention as an alternative to prescription pain medications. With one in five Americans suffering from chronic pain, many are turning to CBD for relief. Google has reported a staggering 6.5 million searches for information on CBD in just one month. To understand more about this phenomenon, Becky Worley visited a CBD dispensary in Oakland, California.
Celebrities such as Melissa McCarthy and athletes like Gronk have credited CBD with changing their lives and providing pain relief. CBD lotions can be applied directly to the skin to reduce pain, with the idea being that it is absorbed through the skin and can subsequently impact joint or muscle pain. Athlete and cannabis health and wellness consultant Ally Stoddart says she prefers CBD to over-the-counter painkillers, crediting it with easing her pain from playing rugby and soccer.
What are you actually purchasing?
Purchasing CBD creams online can be confusing, as dosages tend to vary significantly. For this reason, Worley visited the havahart dispensary in Oakland, California, where she could receive an explanation on the various products on offer. Interestingly, many of these products do not make medical claims, potentially because the FDA has forbidden such claims for products that don’t have rigorous studies to back them up.
As a result, consumers are encouraged to educate themselves and ensure they purchase safe, high-quality products from reputable sources. It’s also important to keep in mind that these dispensaries operate as cash-only businesses, so potential customers should come prepared.
How does CBD work?
While a significant amount of medical literature on CBD’s effectiveness for pain relief comes from Israel and Canada, more research is still needed. The endocannabinoid system is believed to be responsible for the effects of CBD on pain perception. The cb1 receptor, heavily concentrated in the brain, is linked to pain, while cb2 receptors are located throughout the body.
The confusion with respect to pain relief using CBD lies in the fact that THC (the psychoactive component of cannabis) binds to the cb1 receptor, whereas CBD also binds to this receptor without having psychoactive effects. While CBD is believed to be effective in reducing pain, it’s essential to recognize that it does not give the “high” traditionally associated with cannabis.
Dosing and dependency
With a wide range of dosages available, knowing which to try can be difficult. So far, the Arthritis Foundation is the only group with guidelines for CBD use. They recommend starting with as few milligrams as possible twice a day and then increasing slowly if no effects are seen over time. Should any unwanted side effects occur, the advice is to stop use and consult a healthcare provider.
The idea is to start with a low dosage and then increase slowly as needed, with the understanding that CBD use is very much a matter of trial and error. While dependency is not a significant concern, users should always be aware of the potential risks involved in pharmacology. Although CBD is considered relatively safe, users should always consult a healthcare professional if they experience any negative effects.
