You have probably heard of medicinal marijuana and its use in certain pain treatments, but you may not understand the science behind it. Pain management doctors may recommend medicinal marijuana or cannabis because of certain compounds found in this plant that inhibit the pain sensations. The almost 110 cannabinoid compounds found in marijuana act on nerve receptors producing various effects; while some produce euphoria, others assist in the function of sleep, immune responses, or pain mitigation, this article explains the effects of CBD oil for the treatment of pain.
Cannabidiol oil or CBD does not alter the cognitive state of patients but it is useful in pain treatment because it stimulates the human body to produce endocannabinoids. Endocannabinoids are neurotransmitters naturally found in the human body that help regulate many functions including appetite, mood, memory and pain sensation. When you engage in physical exercise, the level of endocannabinoids rises in response.
A report published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology highlights some of the recognized benefits of cannabidiol oil. CBD may be effective in the treatment of neural inflammation, epilepsy, nausea, anxiety and schizophrenia, although continued research is necessary to determine its precise effectiveness.
How cannabidiol oil modulates pain is not completely understood, but pain management doctors believe that it inhibits pain impulses from reaching the brain. A study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine suggests that cannabidiol oil may also act on certain immune system receptors to reduce inflammation, a key component in many forms of chronic pain.
Another important feature of cannabidiol oil pain treatment is that there does not appear to be any tolerance effects. Unlike many other pain relievers for which patients develop a tolerance and must therefore increase dosage, cannabidiol oil remains effective consistently. This makes it ideal for chronic pain sufferers who may be required to remain on the pain treatment for an indefinite period.
Unlike tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, the most common cannabinoid compound found in marijuana that has psychoactive properties, cannabidiol oil does not produce a euphoric state of mind. That is why many pain management doctors have focused on the clinical use of CBD instead of medicinal marijuana which poses some serious health risks including cognitive dysfunction and addiction. This could obviate many of the legal and social barriers to medicinal marijuana as CBD is much less risky.
Like any medication, there are some side effects that may appear when cannabidiol oil is used. The most common include tiredness, diarrhea, appetite changes and weight changes. Cannabidiol oil has not been studied for its long-term health effects yet, so there may be new health warnings as new research is concluded.
There is also some risk of negative adverse effects in combination with other medications like hormone therapies. Before beginning a new cannabidiol oil therapy, consult with your pain management doctor to make sure that you are using it properly and with a minimum of risk.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Article written by: Dr. Robert Moghim – CEO/Founder Colorado Pain Care
M.D. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the personal views of Robert Moghim, M.D. and do not necessarily represent and are not intended to represent the views of the company or its employees.
Colorado Pain Care treats each patient with the same care we would want for our own family. Founded on the promise of H.O.P.E., we provide honest, objective, personalized, and empathetic care from the area’s top physicians and providers.
