CBD or Cannabidiol oil is a compound found in the cannabis plant that can actually bring some health benefits without the high that another compound, tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, found in the same plant brings. Researchers and health professionals have long been looking into the great potential therapeutic uses that CBD can bring. Studies have found that while cannabis may have different components, the most active are THC and CBD.
How it Works
A study that was done and published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine has discovered that pure CBD oil offers a natural method of decreasing pain and substantially decrease chronic inflammation. The good thing about using CBD for pain is that there are other health benefits that you can get from it as well.
Cannabinoids, which includes CBD, has to attach to receptors in your body in order for it to take effect. The human body has 2 receptors for cannabinoids which are known as CB1 and CB2 receptors. The CB1 receptors are all over the body although a great deal of them are located in the brain. The CB1 receptors deal with pain, emotions, movement, mood, and coordination. These receptors found in the brain are mostly where the THC attaches itself.
THC has been found to be the most active compound and gives that mind-altering high that most people feel when ingesting or smoking the cannabis plant. However, this isn’t true of the cannabidiol component. CBD is not psychoactive so it doesn’t alter the state of mind of an individual when using it and has, in fact, been found to provide effective medical benefits.
The CB2 receptors, on the other hand, are mostly located in the immune system and deal with inflammation and pain. The CBD is known to attach to the CB2 receptors. However, since the body produces some cannabinoids by itself, CBD is said to encourage the body to utilize its own cannabinoids.
Here are some of these benefits:
- CBD oil can be used for depression
It’s normal for people who are in pain to experience depression. When you’ve been in an accident or if you’re a veteran who was injured in war and you’re in constant pain, not being able to do anything because of that pain can have a great psychological impact on anybody. When CBD oil is used to manage their pain, their depression is also somehow being treated because the use of CBD oil triggers the release of serotonin.
Serotonin is a chemical that can be found in the blood platelets. Their main function is to be a mood stabilizer because it affects the emotions. When serotonin is released, it can reduce depression and anxiety, bone health is improved, and it can help heal wounds. So, every time a patient uses CBD oil, serotonin is released which allows the patient to be in a better mood.
- Anti-inflammatory
Studies have shown that CBD oil decreases chronic inflammation. When a patient experiences chronic inflammation, it could lead to tissue damage and can cause more pain. When CBD oil is used daily, it could become a long-term solution for pain and inflammation.
- Better sleep
Having chronic pain means that the body is always anticipating the next wave of pain. The nerves work overtime and this results to less sleep because the body is unable to relax. It is a known fact that when the body doesn’t get enough sleep, it also doesn’t heal as fast as it’s supposed to be. The properties in CBD oil encourages relaxation and sleep.
- Calms patients with post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder is caused by severe trauma such as war, an accident, or any event that triggers fear. If the patient is in pain because of one of these traumatic events which resulted in them having PTSD, it could help them tremendously. PTSD interferes with a person’s normal life because of stress and they are in constant fear that the same traumatic event is going to happen again. CBD oil relaxes their nerves and calms them down.
Conclusion
The potential medical and health benefits of using CBD can be staggering. Patients with epilepsy that have been into alternative medicine have been using this as treatment and there have been great results for a lot of them. Further research is, however, still recommended in order to determine the full effects of CBD be it in a positive way or negative. The best thing about it is that, for patients, it doesn’t feel like they’re taking medicine. They can use it on their food and drinks if they want.