There is a reason why nearly 60% of Americans support CBD and other cannabinoids as alternative medicine. People are fed up with traditional pharmaceuticals. It is not hard to see why in today’s stressful world. Pharmaceuticals like opioids that are meant to treat injuries can quickly turn into a deadly addiction.
CBD isn’t a substitute for all types of medicine. It is not a miracle pill by any means. But there have been some promising results while using CBD for injuries and other ailments.
In this article, we will give you everything you need about using the popular new phytocannabinoid to treat pain and inflammation. But first, let’s learn more about CBD oil (cannabidiol).
What Is CBD?
CBD stands for cannabidiol — it is a naturally occurring chemical found in the cannabis plant. Cannabis? Does that mean CBD will get you high like regular marijuana? No, CBD tinctures and oils typically contain less than .03 percent of THC.
THC is the psychoactive chemical in cannabis that provides the “high” feeling when you smoke it or consume it in another way. CBD interacts with different brain receptors than THC. However, it does retain some of the same flavor compounds.
Even though CBD doesn’t get you high, it does come with some great benefits. Notably, people report that it is effective at treating anxiety, depression, and insomnia along with pain reduction.
Some early studies even show promising results for its effectiveness against chronic pain and inflammation. We will discuss more about CBD for injuries later on in the article.
How Can You Get CBD?
You can purchase CBD tinctures, lotions, capsules, and gummies on a variety of sites and locations. Just make sure to first check whether the substance is legal in your state first. Some states still only allow CBD for medicinal purposes. The FDA and some states are also now in discussions to consider restricting or regulating the market as well in 2023 to avoid low-quality products and false claims.
Unfortunately, since the industry is now there’s not much regulation involved. This means that a dishonest manufacturer can include misleading information about the potency, additives, and solvents that go into their products.
So how do you account for this? One way is by finding a brand that is transparent about their manufacturing process. Alternatively, you can also try growing your plant strain using CBD seeds. This method is nice because you don’t need to worry about any harmful additives.
Six Benefits of CBD
In this section, we will discuss some of the potential benefits of using CBD. Keep in mind that there is limited information on the long term effectiveness of CBD oil.
However, there are lots of new cannabinoid studies that support the promising benefits we discuss. You can learn more about these cannabidiol studies in this article here.
1. Pain Relieving Capabilities
When we take CBD it interacts with our body’s endocannabinoid system. This is a system that is responsible for pain, appetite, sleep, and our immune system.
The CBD interacts with our neurotransmitters in a way that reduces the level of pain we experience. As such, it’s great for painful chronic conditions like arthritis and multiple sclerosis.
2. Reduces Anxiety and Depression
Typically anxiety and depression are treated using pharmaceutical drugs. However, these kinds of medications often have negative side effects for some individuals. Luckily, CBD exists as a natural option for people with anxiety and depression. Both human and animal studies show promising results in CBD reducing both of them.
3. Alleviates Cancer-Related Symptoms
When people have cancer or go through chemotherapy, they experience symptoms like extreme pain and nausea.
Luckily, CBD can help alleviate many of these symptoms. Early studies suggest that it has cancer-fighting properties, though more research is needed.
4. Works as an Anti Inflammatory
In addition to combating pain, CBD also works as an anti-inflammatory. This means that it works well as healing conditions like swelling and acne. So, if you suffer from a minor injury, then the product can help you heal in more ways than one.
5. May Help Treat Neurological Disorders
Early studies show that CBD is also effective at reducing the symptoms of neurological symptoms from epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease.
This is thanks to the way cannabidiol interacts with our endocannabinoid system. Some initial studies suggest that may even be able to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, though human trials are needed.
6. May Improve Cardiac Health
Though more human studies are needed, CBD shows promising results in improving heart health. How can this be for healthy hearts? It reduces high blood pressure by tapping into our brain’s stress center. The anti-inflammatory properties also help it protect against heart disease.
When Should You Use CBD for Injuries?
As we mentioned earlier, CBD is a great anti-inflammatory. This means that it is an excellent match for athletes with minor sports injuries. If you feel a general soreness or pain near a micro-trauma, then you should try a CBD product.
It is also great for muscle spasms, everyday aches, a sprained limb, and tendonitis. However, we do recommend that you always consult your doctor before using CBD with an injury. Especially, if you are taking other types of medication.
When Should You Not Use CBD for Injuries?
Many people treat CBD like a cure-all serum for any sort of ailment. However, it is important to realize that cannabidiol does come with certain limitations. This is especially true when treating injuries.
Any severe injury requires proper medical attention. Don’t use CBD instead of going to a professional. You should see a doctor if your injury is restricting your movement and function. Or it can be helpful if you experience intense pain and inflammation.
Need More Advice on CBD? Keep Reading the CBD Hacker
We hope this article helped you learn more about how CBD for injuries can be safe and effective. It is important to remember that the effectiveness ultimately depends on the type of CBD product you use.
Unfortunately, the cannabidiol industry remains unregulated and highly confusing. So how do you find a company and product you can trust? Luckily we are here to review CBD options for you!