Chronic Pain Treatment and CBD Oil
CBD oil, or cannabidiol, has made headlines in recent years due to its potential as a chronic pain treatment for a variety of pain conditions including lower back pain. From pain-related to cancer treatment to Alzheimer’s disease, there are several studies on the benefits of this powerful substance.
What is CBD Oil?
CBD oil is a cannabis compound known as a cannabinoid. While marijuana is illegal in most states due to its psychotropic THC content, cannabidiol can be formulated without THC, making it safe to use for a wider range of patients. While earlier forms of medical cannabis were beneficial in the treatment of pain, anxiety and other medical conditions, the THC content kept them from being a viable treatment option for many younger patients as well as those who require full mental alertness while at work.
A recent journal publication in Psychopharmacology reports that the complex Cannabis plant contains “… over 400 chemical entities of which more than 60 of them are cannabinoid compounds”. These cannabidiol compounds are thought to carry out many of their effects on what is known as the endocannabinoid system found within the human body. Medical research continues into the specific effects of individual cannabinoid compounds on particular areas of the nervous system and much remains to be discovered.
CBD is processed in a way that results in the production of a non-psychoactive supplement. This allows it to deliver the potential health benefits of cannabis to pain patients without altering their mental state. As a result, it is much easier to access in a medical setting and is legal in all 50 states.
CBD Oil Quality
It is important to consider that CBD oil and cannabinoid supplement manufacture are not regulated in the same manner as a pharmaceutical grade compound or medication. For this reason, it is possible and indeed likely that many CBD products sold to the public today are not equivalent and comparable to one another – regardless of what the package label reports. More specifically, the currently available CBD products are no more regulated than dietary supplements you purchase at the local grocery store. There have been specific instances in which CBD products have been tested and found to have either minimal or no identifiable cannabinoid compounds despite the product claims. This is definitely a case of buyer beware given the rapid rise in popularity and interest in the use of CBD oil as a treatment for chronic pain conditions.
Benefits of CBD Oil
The potential benefits of CBD oil are many. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects, making it ideal for back pain management in a variety of contexts. CBD oil is also commonly used to treat seizures associated with different epileptic disorders. It has also been used as an antipsychotic treatment since it provides relief of psychotic symptoms without the debilitating effects of many other antipsychotic pharmaceuticals. Another common use of CBD oil is nausea reduction. Many patients going through chemotherapy and other treatments for cancer experience pain and nausea simultaneously. Many commonly prescribed analgesics and pain medications treat pain but may induce nausea, so CBD oil can be very effective in treating both pain and nausea symptoms at once.
CBD Oil and the Opioid Crisis
The opioid crisis is a growing epidemic that the medical industry and health agencies are struggling to combat. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, more than 115 people die each day of an opioid overdose in the United States alone. CBD oil has been suggested as one potentially valuable intervention for chronic pain patients. Since CBD oil has shown effectiveness in some patients as a replacement for opioid therapy without the potential for addiction. In addition, It can be used to assist patients who are trying to wean off of opioids and significantly reduce the recurrence of their original chronic pain symptoms.
The opioid crisis began in the 1990s when prescription pain medications were believed by some to have limited addictive potential in the setting of chronic pain treatment. Proponents of treating pain aggressively reported that there really was no “maximum dose” of opioid medication therapy. The pharmaceutical industry supplied ever-increasing dosage forms of opioid medication along with new long acting formulations to meet the increased demand. Ultimately, opioid prescriptions became common first-line treatment options for everything from routine dental procedures to fibromyalgia-related pain. As the crisis further developed, it became clear that escalating doses of opioids can be highly addictive, yet many were slow to act in order to curb the problem. While part of the effort to combat the opioid epidemic involves re-educating both patients and doctors about the potential risks of these drugs, it is also important to encourage the medical industry to utilize non-habit forming treatments whenever possible, such as cannabidiol.
The Future of the CBD Industry
With more pharmaceutical companies than ever recognizing the powerful potential of CBD oil in its many forms, the medical industry is experiencing a paradigm shift when it comes to pain management. CBD oil can be delivered through a variety of mediums, including sublingual liquid, oral tablets, and even chewing gum. As these products become more known in medical circles, patients will feel more empowered to exercise these options for their chronic pain treatment benefits.
