CBD for Arthritis Pain: What You Need To Know
What is CBD Oil?
Cannabidiol oil, otherwise referred to as CBD oil for short, is an active element that occurs naturally in cannabis plants. CBD is mostly a hemp extract, which is a type of cannabis containing about 0.3% THC. Although CBD is not intoxicating, there might be some traces of THC present that makes people high. Contrary to CBD, which is not psychoactive, THC, short for tetrahydrocannabinol, has a highly intoxicating compound.
Although many people take cannabis as a leisure drug, experts suggest that cannabis plants contain some special ingredients that can be used for medicinal purposes. Furthermore, there are a variety of CBD oils, some of which contain different amounts of CBD. CBD is handy in the medicine world and experts are researching just how effective it is in medicine.
CBD for Arthritis Pain
There are mainly two types of arthritis that affect many people; Rheumatoid arthritis and Osteoarthritis. The two types of arthritis cause a lot of pain and inflammation to patients. Due to the severe pain associated with this disease, experts continue to research ways to relieve the pain. Recent research on animals proposes that CBD can be administered to help relieve severe arthritis pain.
According to a study on rats in 2011, CBD was able to relieve inflammatory pain by influencing pain receptors’ response to stimuli. In 2014, more research was conducted on existing animal bodies, which suggested that CBD responded positively to treating Osteoarthritis.
Research done in 2016 implied that CBD could reduce inflammation and relieve pain in arthritis. However, they researched animals and there is currently no scientific evidence that proves CBD is an effective pain and inflammation treatment in humans suffering from arthritis.
CBD mainly works in two ways. It works on the central nervous system as well as soreness. The central nervous system transports pain signals to the brain in the instance body cells and nerves are damaged. Since the CBD is thought to affect the central nervous system on how it responds to pain, it is believed to be a good treatment on arthritis. It also has anti-inflammatory features making it efficient in treating arthritis. Inflammation generally occurs as your body tries to fight an apparent infection.
Although we cannot conclude that CBD works in relieving arthritis pain in humans, the results are very encouraging. Some people incorporate CBD in their arthritis treatment and give positive feedback. However, experts need to dig deep into CBD properties and determine how it can be incorporated in arthritis treatment for effective results.
How to use CBD
CBD is mainly available in powder or oil form. These two states make it possible to use CBD as gel or cream, where patients with arthritis can apply it on the affected areas. However, the product should be applied to the skin and not an open wound.
It is also possible to use CBD as a spray or take it in capsule form. However, patients need to get advice on CBD oil from their doctors before using it. Besides, one has to research the general laws on cannabis in their country since not all countries authorize the use of cannabis.
Even though you can ingest CBD in capsule form, the effect is quite slow. A lot of expert knowledge of dosing is also required when CBD is taken orally. Experts discourage ingesting CBD through edibles like cookies and gummies. The dosage in edibles is not known and may result in adverse effects.
What is the amount of CBD you should take?
Overall, there are no clinical guidelines for taking CBD. However, some experts suggest the following guidelines when using CBD.
If you prefer taking CBD in liquid form, be aware that its extract contains a carrier oil. Therefore, you need to determine the right amount of the CBD and the carrier oil you have to take before taking it. Also, know the quantity of CBD in every dose that you have to take. Use CBD in low amounts and at a slow rate.
Therefore, start with low amounts and measure in milligrams. Take this twice a day for about a week and in case you, not inadequate pain relief, increase your dose by the exact amount. In case you have to increase your dosage, go for low increments for several weeks. Immediately you, note a good improvement, maintain the dosage amount and keep it constant daily.
If CBD alone is not working for you, talk to your doctor about what to do. In case you are in a country that legalizes both recreational and medical marijuana, you may incorporate it into your dosage in meager amounts.
However, be cautious since, even in low amounts, you may feel high due to the present THC chemical compound. If you don’t note improvement after several weeks of combining CBD and THC, CBD might not be good for you. You, therefore, have to communicate with your doctor about other alternatives.
Conclusion
A lot of studies suggest that CBD is good for relieving arthritis pain. However, there is still more room for more research before concluding that CBD is perfect for treating pain in humans. Patients need to first consult their doctors before using CBD. Besides, you must consider the laws in your country on cannabis before taking the product.