When you ask health care providers about the most difficult condition to treat, chronic pain is frequently mentioned. Chronic pain is inherently complex and multidimensional. Pain perception is influenced by our individual biology, mood, social environment, and past experiences. If you or a loved one suffers from chronic pain, you are already aware of the heavy burden.
People are looking for novel, non-addictive methods to treat pain.
Given the ongoing challenges of chronic pain management, as well as the consequences of the opioid epidemic, pain management practitioners and patients are looking for effective and safer pain relief options than opioids. With the legalization of marijuana in many states and the subsequent cultural acceptance of this drug for recreational and medical use, there has been an increase in interest in using cannabis to treat a variety of medical issues, including pain.
Cannabis (primarily derived from the Cannabis Indica and Cannabis sativa plants) contains three major components: cannabinoids, terpenoids, and flavonoids. There are over a hundred different cannabinoids, but the two main ones are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Historically, more attention has been paid to the psychoactive (euphoric “getting high”) component of the cannabis plant, THC, with fewer scientific studies on the medical use of CBD Pain Relief Cream, the plant’s non-psychoactive component.
What is the thinking behind using cannabis to treat chronic pain?
CBD Pain Relief Cream is emerging as a promising pharmaceutical agent for the treatment of pain, inflammation, seizures, and anxiety that does not produce psychoactive effects like THC. Our understanding of CBD’s role in pain management is evolving, and evidence from animal studies suggests that CBD’s pain-relieving effects are mediated by interactions and modulation of the endocannabinoid, inflammatory, and nociceptive (pain sensing) systems. The endocannabinoid system is made up of cannabinoid receptors that interact with our own naturally occurring cannabinoids. This system regulates many bodily functions, such as metabolism and appetite, mood and anxiety, and pain perception.
What research suggests that CBD Pain Relief Cream works in humans?
CBD Pain Relief Cream is an appealing candidate for pain relief due to its promising results in animal models, as well as its relative safety, non psychoactive properties, and low risk of abuse. Unfortunately, there are few human studies on the effectiveness of CBD. However, there are numerous commercial advertisements touting CBD’s magical effects, and it is frequently portrayed as a cure-all potion capable of treating everything from diabetes to depression, cancer, chronic pain, and even your dog’s anxiety! So far, the FDA has only approved pharmaceutical CBD as an adjunct therapy for the treatment of a specific and rare type of epilepsy. CBD alone is currently not approved for pain treatment in the United States. However, Health Canada has approved a combination medication (containing both THC and CBD in a 1:1 ratio) for the treatment of certain types of pain, specifically central neuropathic pain in multiple sclerosis and cancer pain that has not responded to optimal opioid therapy. There are currently no high-quality research studies supporting the use of CBD alone to treat pain.
Why is CBD Pain Relief Cream presented to the public in this way, given that it is not without risks?
Given the rapid shift in cannabis legality, combined with an increased appetite for new experiences and driven by unprecedented profit margins, advertising for cannabinoids in general, and CBD in particular, has gone wild. The FDA makes it clear that it is illegal to market CBD by incorporating it into food or labeling it as a dietary supplement. It also warns the public about the potential side effects of CBD, which is frequently advertised in a way that leads people to believe it “can’t hurt.” CBD has been shown in laboratory animal studies to cause liver injury and have an effect on the male reproductive system. Most importantly, CBD Pain Relief Cream can interact with other important medications such as blood thinners, heart medications, and immunosuppressants (medications administered after organ transplantation), potentially altering the levels of these medications in the blood and resulting in catastrophic outcomes, including death. Furthermore, more information about its safety in specific populations, such as the elderly, children, immunocompromised individuals, and pregnant and breastfeeding women, is required. Many CBD products in the market are unregulated. In fact, the FDA has issued several warning letters to companies and individuals who market unapproved new drugs claiming to contain CBD. The FDA tested the chemical content of cannabinoid compounds in some of the products and discovered that many of them did not contain the levels of CBD claimed by the manufacturers. Beware of powerful testimonials. Finally, anecdotal wisdom emerges when patients and health professionals report positive outcomes. While the experience or medication may be beneficial, it is not guaranteed to work for everyone. That’s because each person is unique, and what works perfectly for one patient may have no effect on another. This is especially true for pain, where a variety of factors (our mood and stress level, our environment and other medical conditions, and our prior experiences) can influence our perception of pain.
The bottom line
Do not make CBD Pain Relief Cream your first or only choice for pain relief. If you or someone you know is thinking about trying CBD, I would recommend Dr. Robert Simmerling’s advice on the dos and don’ts of selecting the right product. It is difficult to recommend CBD for chronic pain management on a regular basis until high-quality scientific evidence in humans becomes available.
