CBD oil and chronic pain relief
There is no doubt that each of us knows what pain is because we have experienced it at some point in our lives. Whether it was acute pain as a result of an injury, or long-lasting pain caused by an illness or infection. Pain is simply a normal part of life and is our body's way of telling us that something is wrong. This time we will try to answer the question of whether and how CBD can help with chronic pain.
The pain usually goes away on its own when the injury heals or the infection clears. However, for some people, the pain may persist for weeks, months, and sometimes years. If the pain persists for 12 weeks or even longer, it is called chronic pain. It can often be very debilitating and can make people affected by such pain unable to function normally and live a full life. Pain not only limits them, but often threatens other aspects of physical and mental health as well
Types of chronic pain
Scientists believe that chronic pain is caused by the body sending uncontrolled pain signals to the brain without a clear cause. This can occur long after healing has occurred. Chronic pain can also be simply divided into two categories – neuropathic or inflammatory . The cause of neuropathic pain is primarily the excessive activation of neurotransmitters in the brain. The name of this neurotransmitter is glutamate and it is responsible for modulating neurons in the pain pathway.
Another type of neurotransmitter in the brainstem and spinal cord is glycine. This neurotransmitter is responsible for supporting the action of glutamate . Its role is that glycine becomes a key player in pain signaling. Inflammatory pain is related to, but not limited to, neurons in neuropathic pain. Inflammatory pain is caused by immune system responses to environmental stressors , toxins, and infections.
The basic mechanism involved in the development of inflammatory pain is the modulation (increased sensitivity) of TRPV1 channels. This modulation of pain consists in the release of prostaglandins regulating inflammatory reactions, oxidative stress and lowering the so-called nociceptive threshold (pain threshold), which brings increased sensitivity to pain.
Symptoms of chronic pain
Symptoms can vary greatly from person to person and largely depend on the underlying cause of the chronic pain. However, despite this, many symptoms are considered common and common. These include the following:
Physical symptoms
- headache and neck pain
- lower back pain
- shooting pain, burning or stinging
- tingling or pins and needles
- numbness or loss of sensitivity
- pain that occurs for no apparent reason
- pain that is caused by events that are not usually painful (eg rubbing against something, being in cold temperatures, or combing your hair)
Emotional and other symptoms
- trouble sleeping or resting
- inability to carry out normal daily activities (e.g. work, exercise or participate in social events)
- feelings of anxiety and depression
CBD for chronic pain
Just ask someone you know or do a cursory search on the internet and you'll find that one of the most common reasons people use CBD ( cannabidiol ) is its pain-fighting effects. That's for good reason.
Although research into the effects of CBD against pain is far from a closed chapter and is revealing new mechanisms of how exactly CBD works against pain, we already know that CBD can be a very effective tool in the fight against pain. CBD helps many people to return to a full and active life.
The reason why CBD has the potential to effectively relieve chronic pain is because of the ways in which it interacts with our body, specifically with the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and other receptors and neurotransmitters involved in the perception of pain.
CBD, the endocannabinoid system and pain
CBD can relieve chronic pain because of the way it interacts with our ECS – activating cannabinoid receptors and restoring levels of endocannabinoids , which control how we experience pain. For example, when we do not have enough endocannabinoids in our body , our sensitivity to pain can increase. CB-1 and CB-2 cannabinoid receptors also play an important role in the body's ability to suppress and control pain .
CBD suppresses the perception of pain in multiple ways – by activating CB-1 receptors, which are responsible for suppressing pain signals, and CB-2 receptors, which stimulate opioid receptors to release natural painkillers in our brain. In addition, CBD has also been shown to increase signaling in the brain anandamide ( endocannabinoid - a substance that our body produces itself) often referred to as the "bliss molecule" because it is related to feelings of well-being and happiness.
CBD, glutamate , glycine and pain
As previously mentioned, glycine plays an important role in the way glutamate modulates the activity of neurons in primary pain pathways, promoting their activity and increasing our sensitivity to pain .
Thanks to this interaction between glutamate and glycine, activation of glycine receptors ( GlyR ) can cause pain or amplify pain perception. Researchers have found that CBD triggers an analgesic effect and suppresses chronic neuropathic and inflammatory pain.
CBD, prostaglandins, oxidative stress and pain
Researchers have also shown that CBD has powerful anti-inflammatory effects that can help reduce chronic inflammatory pain.
The reason is primarily the ability of CBD to reduce the activity of the cyclooxygenase enzyme , similar to drugs from the group of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), such as ibuprofen, aspirin or naproxen . This reduction in cyclooxygenase inhibits the release of prostaglandins, which are responsible for the inflammatory response of the human body.
Researchers have also found that CBD helps fight inflammation and the associated oxidative stress by having an immunosuppressive effect on cells that play a role in inflammation.
CBD products for chronic pain
As with all health care products, it is important to always choose quality products when using CBD for pain. Regularity of use is also important. Only then will you be able to fully feel and appreciate all its benefits.
CBD oils and tinctures
For daily prevention and maintenance of good condition, we recommend sublingual administration of full-spectrum CBD oil or tincture .
Vaporization
, vaporization can provide almost immediate relief due to its rapid onset of action CBD .
CBD for external use
Specially developed CBD ointments deliver CBD directly into the affected area, providing local pain relief.
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