Does CBD work as a Painkiller?
Living with pain is no less than a constant nightmare. It negatively affects all aspects of your life and makes you a bitter and agitated person. Millions of people across the globe suffer from chronic and acute pain every year.
The situation gets worse as you age, and people often end up relying on strong and addictive medicines. These medicines may provide short-term relief but end up doing more damage to various internal organs.
That’s why people have started shifting to more natural and health-friendly alternatives like CBD gummies for pain management. Derived from hemp plants, CBD has strong analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and nerve-calming effects. But can it work as a reliable painkiller or is it just a marketing hoax? Let’s find out.
What is CBD?
CBD stands for Cannabidiol, it’s a naturally occurring compound mainly found in hemp plants. It comes from a family of compounds known as cannabinoids, and there are more than 110+ of them in cannabis plants.
CBD is the most widely and well-studied cannabinoid, that’s why you see it everywhere these days in the form of gummies, oils, vapes, capsules, tinctures, cookies, and even clothing.
Earlier CBD was only restricted to medical patients and research in institutions. Things changed in 2018 when the government modified the farm bill making industrial hemp and its derivatives legal for production, consumption, and commercial use on the federal level.
One by one states also started adopting this bill with some variations around ages and types of cannabinoids, and now you can legally buy CBD in all 50 US states. CBD has many reported benefits, but the majority of people use it to wind down after a long and hectic day, improve their focus, manage their stress, reduce their anxiety, curb their pain, and improve their sleep quality.
The best part about CBD is that it’s completely non intoxicating, and it won’t impact your cognitive health in any way. Plus, its safety profile is quite good, and even at very high doses, it doesn’t cause any major side effects.
Can I use CBD as a painkiller?
Yes, you can use CBD as a painkiller, and it can help you to manage your pain and inflammation levels effectively. A comprehensive review of more than 15 studies concluded that CBD brought down pain levels by 42 to 66 percent. Plus, the internet is full of anecdotal reports from people across the globe who confirm that CBD helped them with all sorts of pain conditions. Some of the major pain conditions for which you can use CBD as a painkiller include:
- Arthritis
- Neuropathic pain
- Cancer pain
- Multiple Sclerosis pain
- Rheumatoid arthritis pain
- Migraine
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Back Pain
- Muscle spasms
- Inflammatory pain from injuries
Also, CBD’s pain-relieving effects are not limited just to humans. It can provide pain relief and better mobility for your pets as well. You can easily buy CBD oil for your dog or cats through reputable brands like Colorado Botanicals.
Why and how does CBD provide pain relief?
CBD provides pain and inflammation relief in many ways. First and foremost, it connects to the endocannabinoid system of our body. It’s a complex cell signaling network spread throughout the body, responsible for maintaining homeostasis. This ECS is mainly made of endocannabinoid receptors CB1, CB2, and certain enzymes.
CBD doesn’t bind to them, instead improves their working efficiency indirectly. Mainly it stops the breakdown of natural cannabinoids made by the body ( 2 AG, Anandamide ), and allows them to work longer to calm pain signals.CBD also affects non-cannabinoid receptors like TRPV1, which are directly involved in inflammation management and pain perception.
CBD activates these TRPV1 channels, which leads to a reduction in pain sensitivity. It also triggers serotonin receptors, which improve our mood and take our body’s focus away from pain-signaling pathways. That’s why we feel less discomfort after munching on some CBD gummies.
Now coming to inflammation, CBD keeps it in check by blocking certain molecules called cytokines which are responsible for triggering swelling and inflammation. It also slows enzymes like COX-2 (linked to inflammation and pain, similar to how ibuprofen works). By lowering inflammation, CBD reduces pressure on nerves and tissues, easing pain further.
Is it safe to take CBD every day for pain?
Yes, you can safely use CBD every day for pain management. It works only when you take it for long periods. If you just take it for a few days and then suddenly stop, you might not feel any major improvement. It’s not a magic pill, your body needs time to get used to the compound so it’s not an overnight solution.
As a beginner, you may feel slight nausea, headache, or tiredness, but these effects usually go away in no time. To avoid this, it’s recommended to increase your water intake. Having CBD with food will reduce the risk of any nausea, and will lead to better absorption of Cannabinoids in the body.
As a beginner, it’s important to start with a low dose of 10-15mg CBD per day. Start taking it regularly, note down the changes weekly, and only increase it slowly over time. At times, you may even need to take small breaks if your body builds up tolerance.
However, if you have ongoing medication, then it’s best to consult with a medical professional first. Breastfeeding and nursing women must also avoid CBD, as there’s not enough study to see how it impacts a developing child.
The Key Takeaways
To sum it up, Yes, CBD can work as a painkiller. It is effective in blocking pain signaling pathways and reducing inflammation. You can also give it to your pets like cats and dogs to help them deal with mobility issues. For humans, CBD is effective for all kinds of pain like neuropathic, muscular, arthritis, sclerosis, and more.
For targeted relief in joints or muscles, you can directly rub CBD-rich ointment on your skin. For internal or full body relief, you eat gummies or add some drops of CBD oil to your daily beverage. Just make sure to buy your supply only from reputed and well-tested brands like Colorado Botanicals.
