A few years ago, I watched as a close friend of mine squirted a 1-milliliter dropper from a full spectrum hemp extract bottle, otherwise commonly known as CBD oil, under her tongue. It contained, according to her, 5.25 mg of CBD for each dose, and tasted like fresh strawberries.
CBD is alleged to provide users with relief from a host of bodily ills that ran the gamut from pain and inflammation, digestive issues, as well as stress and anxiety. As such, the CBD market is today flooded with CBD-infused beverages, gummies, chocolate bars, body lotions, candles, pills, face masks, creams, and even condoms and lube.
I’d heard about CBD previously, but I didn’t know that someone so close to me would be a frequent partaker. With the madness surrounding CBD reaching fever pitch, I was curious to know if I, too, could benefit in some away from the remarkable powers of CBD.
You see, I’d spent a huge portion of my adult life in the shadow of a horrible accident that
took place when I was just 18. On the day of the accident, I was coming from a friend’s house before the motorcycle I was riding lost control and swerved off the road. I managed to survive but not without serious injuries that left me in pain and unable to do much over the next few months.
I did recover, with extensive physiotherapy and support but my life would never be the same again. I was traumatized by the entire experience and I still to this day experience random pains on my body. I tried behavioral therapy to help me get over the ordeal, and it helped to an extent. I also tried antidepressants but I was concerned about the side effects.
I used cannabis or THC for pain management for a bit, but I didn’t always like the feeling of being high. It wasn’t until I made the switch to CBD products that my condition really started to improve. Almost immediately, I found that CBD oil not only made my pain much more tolerable but it also lifted my mood. I began using products like rosin and quartz enail and they really improved my mental wellbeing and general health. I felt so alive and healthy!
CBD or THC?
Individuals that suffer from chronic pain conditions such as arthritis or some other chronic musculoskeletal pain today increasingly rely on cannabis products for relief. You may already know by now that cannabis is one of the most complex plants there is; different varieties and strains contain different chemical compositions.
However, regardless of the strain, all cannabis plants contain 2 of the plant’s most medically important compounds, that is THC or tetrahydrocannabinol and CBD or cannabidiol. THC is the compound that’s responsible for the high that people experience when they smoke marijuana. THC also plays a major role in pain relief.
Unlike THC, however, CBD doesn’t give that intoxicating feeling. But scientific studies show that it, too, helps to ease the pain. These two compounds, THC and CBD, work by activating various cannabinoid receptors in the body that stimulate or inhibit the chemical in the brain that causes pain.
THC works by activating certain cannabinoid receptors such as the nerve cells and the immune cells. When THC activates the nerve cells, it then reduces pain. The high provided by THC also plays a critical role in how people perceive pain.
It is the euphoria supplied by THC that helps users ignore the pain, much in the same way that over the counter pain killers work; the only difference is that THC has no side effects. CBD, on the other hand, interferes with the brain chemical known as serotonin, which in turn influences the glycine receptors, which are the receptors that deal with pain.
So, which is better for pain management?
There is no definitive answer to the dispute between CBD and THC for pain relief and management. Cannabis is still regarded as a Schedule 1 drug by the federal government. This means that its legal status limits the type of research that can be carried out.
Based on the available research, however, it is believed that a combination of both THC and CBD products such as CBD oil is needed to experience effective pain relief. This is because CBD contains anti-inflammatory properties while THC contains psychoactive properties that can help you to better cope with pain.
Should you give CBD products a try?
Since not a lot of research has been carried out on CBD and pain management, doctors are not able to say exactly who might benefit from CBD products, at which doses, and in which form. Still, the medical community agrees that:
- CBD should not be used as a substitute for any treatment for pain
- Anyone interested in trying out CBD products should first talk with their doctor or
health care provider before attempting any CBD products. With your doctor, you can review which treatments have worked for you in the past and which ones haven’t. Your doctor might suggest that you do a trial run first and then return for a follow-up visit where the results can be evaluated. - Not all CBD products are created equal. You should only purchase CBD products
from a reliable and trusted seller. - There are many different kinds of products that can be taken orally, applied to the skin, or inhaled. Each has its pros and cons so you should educate yourself as much as possible before starting your CBD journey.
Final Words
If you are doing everything that you can to survive living with chronic pain, one of the safest methods out there to manage this pain is marijuana. But sometimes getting high isn’t always an option, which is why CBD products are so great.
Both CBD and THC can be utilized for pain management. They are both considered safe but the decision about which one to use will be based on your personal preference as well as whether there are other drugs you are taking. Even when you decide which route is better for you, you must make sure that you do some research into the products that are available to you. For example, these thc gummy bears for sale could give people the perfect relief from their pain, as well as helping them in other areas too, but they may not work for other people. That’s why these types of decisions need to be considered with caution before taking any other steps. You must talk to your doctor or a medical professional if you have any questions regarding the uses of both THC and CBD before you start using any product.
