Does CBD Oil Work for Chronic Pain Management?

Cannabis is one of the most controversial plants in today’s world. While it has been used recreationally as marijuana for many years and was considered an illegal drug in the United States, society is starting to see states allowing the use of both recreational and medical marijuana, despite its effects. But, why?

THC is one of the main components of marijuana that triggers the body into feeling pleasure by heightening its senses, which is why many use it recreationally. However, the marijuana plant contains more than just THC. Another component of marijuana is CBD, which has other effects that helps patients suffering from various forms of chronic pain or inflammation.

THC vs. CBD: How are they different?

The active ingredient in marijuana that makes you feel high is called tetrahydrocannabinol. As that name does not roll off the tongue too easily, most people just call it THC. THC is considered a cannabinoid, and it is one of many compounds to be classified as such.

Cannabis contains over 113 identified cannabinoids, and all of them seem to have a very similar name. Alongside THC, other well-known ones are cannabinodiol and cannabinol. Though the names are all almost the same, not all have psychoactive properties.

The compound in question today is cannabidiol, which is one of the cannabinoids that do not make you high like THC does. To ease some of the confusion surrounding the names of various cannabinoids, the oil we are talking about is often referred to as CBD oil.

There is a distinction between medical marijuana and CBD oil. Medical CBD oil is purified CBD and nothing else, whereas medical marijuana contains many cannabinoids, including the ones with psychoactive effects.

How CBD acts on the body

This may come as a surprise, but cannabinoids are not just something produced by a cannabis plants. In fact, your body is producing and using cannabinoids right now! There is an entire endocannabinoid system responsible for regulating multiple body processes, such as your immune system, sleep, and pain.

Side note: The cannabinoids your body produces are called endocannabinoids, as “endo” means “inside.” Similar compounds produced by plants are known as phytocannabinoids. “Phyto” also means “plant.”

THC creates its high by hijacking your body’s endocannabinoid receptors, triggering them to produce pleasurable compounds such as dopamine.

CBD affects your body’s ECS in a different way. Rather than triggering the receptors, the oil affects the other compounds in the system. Some are encouraged and others are discouraged. Research is in its infancy when it comes to just what CBD affects and everything it does, but so far most of the results are promising.

CBD oil is found in all cannabis species, but for medical use is produced in what is called industrial hemp. These breeds of cannabis have more CBD oil than what is smoked as marijuana.

The bioavailability of CBD is about twice as high inhaled versus consumed orally, but it may also be effective when applied topically.

Read on to learn more about how CBD can be effective for chronic pain.