5 Effective Ways How CBD Helps In Managing Pain

Pain is the unpleasant sensation that accompanies many diseases that affect people. For a treatment to be successful, apart from finding the root cause and solving it, management of pain is also significant.

Recently, researchers have discovered cannabidiol (CBD), one of the compounds found in cannabis and hemp, to be highly effective in handling pain. It is promising for managing conditions like osteoarthritis, lupus, type 2 diabetes-related neuropathic pain, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine, and multiple sclerosis.

But it’s important to understand that the quality of the product affects the outcome. So, consider sourcing your CBD from reputable sellers and know are CBD edible safe for consumption.

Wondering how CBD helps in pain management? Here are some of the ways:

Anti-inflammatory Effect

CBD can reduce the level of cytokines that mediate inflammatory responses in the body. This helps to reduce joint inflammation in arthritis, subsequently relieving pain.

The cannabinoid also inhibits the production of T-cells that promote inflammation. Since inflammation causes autoimmune diseases, CBD can help multiple sclerosis patients to manage related pain.

CBD also deters the development of arthritis by encouraging bone resorption. A 2016 study found that inflammation reduced significantly over a few days when researchers applied CBD topically on an inflamed knee.

Antibacterial and Antifungal Properties

Infections, either bacterial or fungal, are the primary cause of the slow healing of injuries, and the longer it takes for an injury to heal, the more pain it causes. Through its antibacterial and antifungal properties, CBD helps prevent infections, allowing proper and quick healing.

ICBD discourages the entry and growth of bacteria and viruses. This is because it has antimicrobial effects on gram-positive bacteria; hence, actively killing microbial organisms. In addition, it shows effectiveness in eradicating biofilms. Since a wound acts as an entry point for other secondary infections that cause pain, using CBD to manage the wound helps prevent the worsening of pre-existing conditions.

Acting as an Analgesic

Ideally, no one can tolerate pain, and people suffering from chronic pain may develop behavioral disorders. To prevent this, managing pain in the early stages is essential. CBD has shown its effectiveness in alleviating chronic pain, which has seen an increase in its use as an active analgesic.

CBD controls pain by increasing adenosine levels in the central nervous system. Adenosine has antinociceptive properties, and it helps mask pain reception in the brain. Therefore, its accumulation in the brain ensures the cessation of pain perception.

Also, CBD has antagonistic effects on TRPV1 receptors in the brain responsible for promoting inflammation and pain perception. This reduces inflammation and blocks pain from reaching the brain receptors. By blocking the nociceptive pathways, CBD helps to reduce pain in chronic diseases.

Due to its analgesic property, usage of cannabidiol in migraine management has increased significantly in recent years as it helps fight the pain.

Nerve Repair

The nervous system is affected in most diseases, causing headaches and other symptoms.  Some drugs like colchicine cause nerve damage and are contraindicated in treating neuropathic pain. On the other hand, CBD stabilizes the nerve and reduces nerve damage in disease when applied intravenously.

Damage to peripheral and central nerves can be lethal and thus should be prevented. This is the main reason it manages type 2 diabetes-related neuropathic pain.

CBD also increases receptors’ sensitivity to insulin in patients with type 2 diabetes. It activates glitazone or PPAR- gamma that reverses insulin resistance. Doing this helps in the development and reduction of related neuropathic pain.

Anxiety Management

Pain, acute or chronic, causes lack of sleep, loss of mood and appetite, anxiety, and stress. Fortunately, CBD has strong anxiolytic properties that can help ease anxiety.

The human body has an endocannabinoid system (ECS) that receives, translates, and modulates signals from CBD. Research shows that CBD acts as an anxiolytic by increasing the production of an endocannabinoid known as anandamide; thus, increasing its level in the central nervous system. Anandamide, in turn, causes anxiolytic effects.

Also, pre-clinical studies using animal models confirm CBD’s anxiolytic effects. This is a double advantage; apart from eliminating the pain, CBD also alleviates the anxiety and mood changes that come with it without causing any negative psychotic effects.

Conclusion

Research on CBD’s effects is still ongoing, but so far, the few available studies suggest CBD may be effective in the management of pain. It relieves pain and associated side effects like anxiety, mood changes, and irritability. The studies indicate that CBD relieves pain without producing severe side effects, so users are safe.

If you have osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine, neuropathic pain, normal headaches, scratches, digestive problems, and even diabetes-related pain, go ahead and try CBD to see if it works for you. However, refrain from integrating the supplement into your diet if you have ongoing medication. Consult your doctor beforehand.