CBD For Pain Management: CBD or Cannabidiol is gaining more and more popularity due to its anti-anxiety, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic effects, along with many other health-promoting properties.
The stigma around Cannabidiol because of its association with cannabis is also declining with time. But we can’t just deny the fact that many still aren’t 100% complacent with the idea of smoking a CBD joint. Obviously, some simply don’t like smoking in general, and so they refrain from using cannabidiol products even though it can help with their various health concerns.
Luckily for them, there are various ways to reap health benefits from this natural supplement. Inhalation, topical application, ingestion, and sublingual routes are great options for anyone who wants to try CBD and relish its effects.
However, each administration method naturally comes with its own set of pros and cons, and the best way for you will depend on your individual requirements and preferences.
Table of Contents
CBD: A novel, non-addictive way to treat pain
Given the ongoing challenges of chronic pain management combined with the consequences of the opioid epidemic, pain management specialists and their patients are seeking actual and safer alternatives to opioids to manage pain.
With the legalization of cannabis in many resulting cultural acceptances of this drug for medical and recreational use, there has been an increased interest in using CBD for a myriad of medical issues, including pain. As a result, CBD has emerged as a promising pharmaceutical agent to treat inflammation, pain, seizures, and anxiety without the psychoactive effects known through THC.
Our understanding of the role of CBD continues to improve, and evidence from animal research has shown that Cannabidiol employs its pain-relieving effects through its various interactions and modulation of the endocannabinoid, pain-sensing, and inflammatory systems.
1. Inhale or Smoke CBD
Inhaling or smoking CBD strains can affect the body faster than other CBD products. Smoking CBD allows for a relaxing and non-paranoid state for most users. Yet, for the more sensitive consumers, certain ratios of CBD can cause a slightly euphoric state. When you inhale Cannabidiol, it goes straight to your lungs and into the bloodstream. Here are some of the methods that you could use:
- Smoking CBD
If you’ve ever tried CBD oil but didn’t affect you in any form, smoking CBD flower might be the next best step to see how Cannabidiol affects your body. Its effects are almost instant, not to mention there are lots of different CBD hemp flower strain which serve different purposes.
- Vaporizing CBD
If you simply can’t stand smokers or the process itself, vaporizing is a clearer and much easier way to administer CBD. Like smoking, vaporizing CBD has an immediate effect on you as it directly enters the bloodstream without having to digest through the liver and intestines.
The best part about vaporizing CBD is that you get to choose from a myriad of options for vaporizers. From table-top vaporizers to portable flower vapes and oil-based ones that use delta 8 cartridges, you’re practically spoilt for choice when it comes to vaporizers.
However, it’s necessary to do diligent research on which vaporizer type will work best for your CBD needs. Vapes can range in price and often be difficult to use for novice CBD users.
2. Apply CBD Creams or Balms on Skin
CBD-infused topical products are the best choice for those seeking to relieve localized pain, stress, and inflammation. As the largest organ of the body, our skin is quite absorbent and porous. This, in turn, allows CBD-infused topical to reach the localized CB1 and CB2 receptors, making sure that the products never enter the bloodstream. There’s a great variety of topicals:
- Salves
- Creams
- Roll-ons
- Balms
- Skincare oils
Most CBD-infused topicals contain a great number of vitamins – A, B complex, D, C, and E – that provide antioxidants, promote healthy skin repair, and protect the collagen and elasticity of the skin. When it comes to topicals, they need approximately 15-30 minutes to reach the localized CB 1 and CB 2 receptors. Note that CBD-infused topicals are all different and may affect different people in different ways.
3. Ingest CBD Through Edibles
You can cook with, drink, and relish all kinds of CBD-infused foods:
- Candy
- Chewing Gum
- Teas
- Beverages
- Mints
- Raffy
- Gummies
CBD edibles are another enjoyable method to relish CBD’s natural effects. As far as we know edibles ensure a faster way to enjoy the effect of Cannabidiol. Yet, research says that edibles have a low bioavailability – the amount and extent of the absorption in the bloodstream from a substance – when cannabidiol edibles are consumed.
To put it simply, when you eat CBD edibles, you lose anywhere from 6 percent to 20 percent of the Cannabidiol in your digestive system. The thing is, every person’s body is unique. While someone might feel the effects of candy in 20, the other might feel it in 40, and that’s due to an individual’s metabolism. However, multiple CBD beverages and edibles can be consumed to obtain the desired effect.
If you’re a novice user, it’s recommended to start lows and gradually increase your dosage. Edibles are ideal for those who have a feebler palate or simply prefer a tastier way to administer CBD.
4. Take CBD sublingually
You can purchase CBD oils and tinctures if you want to take CBD sublingually. Note that CBD oils can often be confused with CBD tinctures due to their similarities.
CBD oil happens to go through the same process as tinctures of either alcohol or CO2 extraction. The only difference in the method is that as the cannabis plant drench, the Cannabidiol that is found in the surplus liquid is then evaporated, which results in CBD oil.
However, both CBD oils and tinctures can generally be administered sublingually using a dropper and held under the tongue or in the mouth for 30 seconds before swallowing. Unlike CBD tinctures, oils can be used in vapes, so it’s important to find a vape pen that only uses vape oils.
