CBD Oil and Chronic Pain in East Amherst

As a chiropractor one of primary areas of interest for CBD oil use is for chronic pain. When people ask me why people use CBD oil I usually say the most common reasons are for pain, anxiety, depression and insomnia. CBD oil is a strong anti-inflammatory when used orally and topically. I have experienced the benefits of CBD oil in East Amherst first hand.

When I was younger I injured both of my elbows doing an extensive amount of landscaping. I developed bi-lateral epicondylitis or tennis elbow. Although this is a harmless condition it can lead to disability or surgery if it progresses enough. At times I would barely be able to lift a coffee cup or turn a door knob without discomfort.  I was able to control the pain with regular cold laser therapy treatments and RockTape application. Although these therapies helped they are not something everyone has access too. My function would increase but the pain was still noticeable. One day I tried some CBD BioCare pain cream. I applied a small dime size piece to each of my elbows and within a few moments I was pain free. I was sold on that alone. How is this possible you may ask? Biofreeze, lidocaine, and menthol all work by blocking the sensation of pain by creating another sensation such as heat or cold. CBD cream when applied topically stimulates CB2 receptors on the skin, these receptors block the release of the chemicals that cause inflammation. This results in less pain. Take note we are not just covering up a symptom, but we are addressing the cause of localized pain, inflammation.   I also personally use the oral drops of CBD oil to help support a healthy inflammatory response and sleep cycle. Let’s begin to explore CBD for chronic pain.

A portion of the following information was drawn from the book CBD: What You Need to Know by Gregory L. Smith MD, MPH.

Chronic pain is defined as pain lasting longer than three months. Anyone who has experienced chronic pain is probably aware that anger, depression, anxiety and insomnia go hand in hand with chronic pain. If one is in constant pain, it’s easy to understand how a host of symptoms or illnesses could affect this individual. Chronic pain can have many causes from migraine, arthritis, trauma, nerve pain, systemic inflammation, and the list goes on. Most people who suffer from chronic pain are suffering from nerve pain, centrally mediated pain, arthritis, and or an autoimmune condition. Let’s take for example people suffering from neuropathic pain. Anyone who has ever had a pinched nerve knows this type of pain very well. This pain can result in numbness, burning, tingling and stabbing sensations. With this type of pain your spinal cord and nerves send a message to your brain saying, “I AM IN PAIN”. If this sounds like you CBD oil may help. Centrally mediated pain is very similar to those suffering from neuropathic pain and is usually found in those with MS, spinal cord damage and or other autoimmune diseases.

CBD OIL & CHRONIC PAIN IN EAST AMHERST

So how does CBD oil help those in chronic pain? Remember we are not discussing the benefits of THC (the primary cannabinoid in marijuana) for chronic pain. The focus of this article is on CBD oil. THC directly effects the CB1 receptors in your brain which tones down pain perception.  CBD on the other hand acts more like an antidepressant by stimulating serotonin receptors. Serotonin is the “feel good hormone” Keep in mind this is the same mechanism of action as Zoloft. This is great news for those who also suffer from depression. Let’s take a more detailed look at how CBD oil effects pain perception.

CBD oil has a direct effect on receptors in the brain and immune system. CBD oil reacts with receptors in the brain and immune system to create a pain relieving and anti-inflammatory effect similar to aspirin or a steroid pack from your doctor. Most chronic pain is due to inflammation. CBD oil reduces inflammation! Did you know opioids work by tricking your brain into thinking its feeling less pain? On top of being anti-inflammatory CBD oil also works like an opioid (but without addiction potential and overdose potential). CBD oil helps promote a healthy response from your brain when you are in pain resulting a sensation of lessened pain. For these reasons we are seeing a growing body of literature surrounding the use of CBD oil for tapering off of opioid drugs.

Let’s review how an over the counter acetaminophen works. Please review my other article on how CBD oil works for more information. Acetaminophen works by blocking the uptake of the endocannabinoid ANA. In lay terms this results in increased levels of ANA in the body. ANA (your bodies naturally occurring cannabinoid) stimulates the activation of CB1 receptors. The more ANA the better when it comes to pain. Activation of CB1 receptors turns down pain perception in the brain. As stated in my previous article “How CBD Oil Works”, CBD oil blocks an enzyme called FAAH in the body. This enzyme is responsible for the breakdown of ANA. CBD oil blocks FAAH which leads to increased levels of ANA in the body. This results in a increased level of CB1 receptor activation and less pain! Take for example fibromyalgia- a autoimmune condition that results in chronic pain, depression and insomnia. Research is beginning to show that people who suffer from this condition appear to have lower levels of naturally occurring cannabinoids ANA and 2-AG. As you learned in my previous articles CBD oil helps to increase the amount of naturally occurring cannabinoids in the body!

When it comes to those suffering from chronic pain we have a very specific approach at our Northtown Chiropractic & Injury Rehab offices in East Amherst NY. The reality of chronic pain is that there is no one size fits all solution.  The other reality is that if someone truly wants to improve its going to take a team of people and a whole lot of effort. It’s truly a lifestyle makeover for many. How often do we ask about the chronic pain patients nutrition, exercise habits, lifestyle factors, addictions, mental health, sleep patterns, medications, comorbid factors, and other? The answer is not often enough. CBD oil is an amazing option for helping support a healthy pain response but it’s only a small piece of a much larger puzzle.

People suffer from pain for multiple reasons, many times physical pain can be the resulting manifestation of emotional pain. Pain can be acute, chronic or random. When it comes to pain a proper diagnosis is essential. When it comes to managing chronic pain the proper treatment plan is essential. Unfortunately, in today’s fast paced work environment I see it all too often where a diagnosis and or treatment plan is over looked. Don’t let yourself succumb to this situation. Call our East Amherst NY Northtown Chiropractic & Injury Rehab offices today!