Last Updated on July 8, 2021 by Maxwell Harris
CBD products, including CBD oil, gummies and topical treatments, are backed by a wealth of research regarding their many health benefits. CBD, also called cannabidiol, is one of the components of the marijuana plant, but does not produce a high, making it a valuable tool for fighting inflammation and offering pain relief. If you’re going to use CBD, it makes sense to educate yourself so that you can be sure you’re making the right choice. Of course, if you have any medical conditions or you’re taking any medications, make sure you talk to your doctor before you try CBD.
What is Inflammation?
Both inflammation and chronic inflammation can be a painful condition that can interfere with your quality of life. Your body typically reacts to an injury or infection with an inflammatory response, which is an immune reaction to what’s happening in your body. This is a natural process that heals and repairs your body when you’re sick or hurt. Inflammation also occurs as a response to a virus bacteria in your body. Usually, this type of response is normal and healthy, but when it continues for extended periods of time, it could indicate a health problem.
Conditions like arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are examples of health problems that can lead to chronic inflammation. In cases like this, anti-inflammatory treatment methods are usually used to treat the condition itself, but also chronic pain that often goes along with it. When it comes to CBD anti-inflammatory options, there are several conditions that research suggests will benefit. For some people, CBD products can help them wean off prescription medications that cause unwanted side effects and better control their health.
Types of Inflammation
There are two primary types of inflammation – acute and chronic. Acute inflammation is the body’s natural response to an injury or infection. While CBD oil has been shown to have positive effects on this type of inflammation, it’s much more commonly used to treat chronic inflammation. This kind of inflammatory response often occurs as a side effect of an underlying health problem, such as arthritis. If you want to use CBD to treat either type, talk to your doctor first, especially if you’re taking any kind of prescription or over the counter medications.
Using CBD to Treat Inflammation
According to Harvard Medical School, one of the biggest benefits of using CBD is to control and manage chronic pain. Research shows that using CBD oil in topical treatments helps ease the pain associated with arthritis. While more research is needed to find out the exact pathways that CBD benefits chronic pain, there’s enough evidence to support CBD’s anti-inflammatory benefits, which is why it’s becoming an increasingly sought after treatment.
It’s important to keep in mind that CBD and CBD oil should never take the place of any recommended treatments you’re already using as an anti-inflammatory. CBD might be beneficial and could help you reduce your medications and feel better, but you want to make sure before you make any drastic changes to your treatment plan. Never make such changes without first talking with your doctor.
How to Use CBD for Inflammation
Many people wonder if CBD products, including CBD oil and CBD topical creams, are safe to use. In general, it’s a safe course of treatment for most people, with very minimal side effects, if any at all. You have a few options for using CBD to treat inflammatory conditions. The first is to take it orally, either by tablet, liquid or gummy. This method takes a couple of hours to start working, though the results can be hastened by placing CBD drops directly under the tongue. Topical treatments are another choice and can be applied directly to the area where you’re experiencing chronic pain. Inhaled CBD is ingested via a vape pen. This method isn’t as highly recommended as it hasn’t been studied as extensively and can have negative side effects for some people with inflammatory conditions. If you want to use CBD, work with your physician to decide which method might be best suited to your purposes.
One important thing to keep in mind when you decide to use CBD as an anti-inflammatory is the dose. Too much can have negative side effects, but you want to take enough to produce the results you’re looking for in terms of reducing your chronic pain. Experts suggest starting with just a few milligrams. After a week, if you aren’t getting the pain relief you’re seeking, add a bit more and wait another week. Continue increasing your intake by small increments over the course of several weeks until you find the relief you need.
CBD Cautions
Like many other treatments, there are some things to be aware of when it comes to CBD and CBD oil. This ensures that you’re using CBD safely and are getting the most out of it. One thing you should know is that CBD and THC are not the same substance. You may find more anti-inflammatory benefits if you combine the two, but THC can produce a high, making it something you won’t be able to use at work or when driving. Be sure you try this combination in a safe place where you can monitor for side effects and reactions.
CBD is not well regulated so you want to be sure you’re getting your CBD oil and other CBD products from a reputable source, ideally one in the United States. Look for growers who can prove they follow FDA regulations for dietary supplements and pharmaceuticals. Buy your CBD from growers that test their batches before offering them for sale. Never buy CBD that is marketed as an anti-inflammatory since these claims aren’t medically backed, even if that’s the purpose you’re seeking it out for.
Using CBD can have dramatic benefits as an anti-inflammatory to treat chronic pain and conditions associated with it. Though it has mild side effects, it’s important to understand what to expect when you add it to your treatment plan. For most people, CBD can produce almost immediate results, but you may need to be patient and give it some time to do its magic to find out if it’s beneficial for your condition or not.