CBD Oil and Back Pain: How Does It Work
CBD continues to attract more customers, as more people learn of its health benefits. Millions of people are struggling with conditions that CBD can alleviate, and one of them is back pain. CBD is available in various forms, including edibles, tinctures, and topicals, which can help ease backache. However, we are going to look at the link between CBD oil and back pain, researches about the topic, and how to find the right CBD products to use. Continue reading for details.
What is back pain and what causes it
Back pain is the discomfort you feel in your spine that affects your wellbeing, focus, and productivity at work. It mostly affects the lower back, considering the area carries the weight of the upper body. However, it is possible to experience pain in the upper back. The severity of the pain differs depending on what the cause is. People experience back pain for multiple reasons.
The cause for backaches could be mechanical, such as spending long hours sitting or standing, fatigue, carrying heavy items, muscle strain, traumatic injury, accidents, and poor posture. However, some health conditions can also cause pain, for example, disc degeneration and injury, arthritis, kidney infection, and spine inflammation.
Types of back pain
There are two types of back pain acute and chronic. While acute pain resolves fast with treatment or rest, chronic pain lasts longer than three months and has effects on your body. Back pain can be managed using ice and heat treatment, physical therapy, medication, and surgery. However, pain pills have caused an addiction problem, which is why more people are looking for natural alternatives such as CBD to help handle pain, including backache.
CBD oil and how can it help alleviate back pain
For starters, CBD stands for cannabidiol, and it is a derivative of industrial hemp. Top manufacturers utilize the CO2 extraction method to remove CBD from hemp. The cannabidiol is then suspended in a carrier oil, such as MCT, olive oil, or hemp seed oil, to come up with CBD oil. As you search for CBD products online, you will come across the term tinctures. CBD oil and tinctures are the same thing, and come with a dropper to make sublingual use easier and precise. However, other forms of CBD contain cannabidiol oil as well, such as gummies, capsules, and topicals, so you do not have to taste the natural flavor of CBD oil.
How does CBD for back pain work? You have an endocannabinoid system that regulates functions such as mood, appetite, sleep, pain, and immune responses. Your body produces its own cannabinoids to control pain and the other functions. However, you can boost the performance of your body in regulating pain through taking CBD oil for back pain. Note that CBD is a plant cannabinoid that has similar effects as the cannabinoids your body produces. CBD enhances your body’s ability to handle backache through interacting with CB1 and CB2 receptors in your endocannabinoid system.
Your body secretes a substance called anandamide that promotes happiness and well-being. When CBD works with your endocannabinoid system, it also prevents the absorption of anandamide to ensure more of the substance is present in your bloodstream, which helps to reduce pain throughout your body. CBD also has anti-inflammatory properties that assist in alleviating pain.
You can use CBD oil for back pain sublingually, where you apply a few drops under your tongue and wait for 30seconds before swallowing. The oil moves into your bloodstream through the capillaries in your mouth to provide quick pain relief. You can also add the oil to food and drinks, though this method takes a while to ease pain. It is because the CBD will have to move through your digestive system where some of it is broken down before you can feel the effects. However, use CBD topicals such as creams, salves, or lotion on your back. They contain CBD oil. Topical cannabidiol application allows you to target a specific part of your back, unlike using sublingual, oral, or edible CBD.
What does research suggest?
A few studies are showing the positive effect of using CBD for chronic back pain. However, most of them involve rodents as subjects. Nevertheless, CBD users are attesting to the fact that the product is helping ease back pain. Besides, CBD’s interaction with the endocannabinoid system is a promising explanation for the pain relief it can provide. However, the studies available show that CBD can suppress neuropathic chronic pain and inflammation-related pain. Nonetheless, more research is necessary regarding the potential of CBD to reduce acute and chronic pain.
Finding the right CBD products
Identifying the best CBD oil for pain does not have to be difficult. There are factors to keep in mind during purchase to ensure you spend money on the right product. One aspect to remember is the type of hemp a manufacturer uses. The best CBD oil for pain is made using organically grown hemp, which is free of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. Make sure the item you are purchasing undergoes third-party lab testing for potency and purity.
There are three types of CBD to consider using. Full-spectrum cannabidiol contains all the beneficial extracts present in hemp, including cannabinoids such as CBD and 0.3%THC, terpenes, amino acids, and minerals. They work together to provide an entourage effect that enhances the efficiency of CBD. If you do not want to consume any THC, go for CBD oil containing broad-spectrum CBD. It has other beneficial cannabinoids, for instance, CBC, CBN, and CBG. If all you need is CBD, go for products with CBD isolate, which has 99.99% cannabidiol.
Besides the type of CBD in a product, check the other ingredients as well. Buy CBD oil with natural ingredients and avoid those with synthetic hemp, artificial flavors, and colors. That way, you do not risk harming your body. High-quality customer service of a brand also matters. You do not want to wait for hours to get a response to your CBD query.
Is CBD oil safe?
CBD oil is a safe hemp derivative. It does not make you feel high. Even the full-spectrum type has only 0.3% of THC, an amount that will not leave you stoned. Ensure you buy products with high-quality, natural ingredients to safeguard your health. However, the possible side effects of CBD oil include drowsiness, diarrhea, and changes in appetite. Nevertheless, as long as you adhere to the right dose, there are no side effects to worry you. CBD oil is safe. Besides, the effects are mild, and you can manage them through adjusting the dosage.
Legal issues
Hemp and any product derived from it, such as CBD, are legal at the federal level, according to the 2018 Farm Bill that became a law. However, not all states consider hemp products legal. The prudent thing to do is to check the regulations of your state about hemp to avoid getting into trouble with the law. Note that hemp is a cannabis plant that contains no more than 0.3% THC.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a natural alternative for managing backache, try CBD for back pain. Make sure you purchase high-quality CBD oil made using organic hemp and other natural ingredients. Cannabidiol can help reduce back pain, considering how it interacts with the endocannabinoid system. As long as you adhere to the recommended dosage, there are no side effects to worry about.
Source links
- Types of back pain and research on CBD: retrieved from https://www.remedyreview.com/health/cbd-back-pain/
- How CBD handles back pain and studies on CBD for pain: retrieved from https://weedsmap.com/learn/cbd/use-cbd-oil-back-pain
- CBD and back pain: retrieved from https://naturalwellnesscbdoil.com/blog/cbd-for-back-pain/
- CBD benefits: retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/cbd-oil-for-pain
- CBD oil for pain: retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/cbd-oil-for-rheumatoid-arthritis