CBD Oil and nerve pain
16 September 2022Neuropathic pain, or nerve pain, can be caused by various conditions of the nervous system. Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and MS are examples of nerve conditions that can cause severe pain and discomfort. Of course, medication is available to help repress such nerve pain, but these usually come with deeply unpleasant side-effects. CBD has only few known side-effects, which are all mild. So can CBD Oil help against nerve pain, or even protect your nervous system? Read on to find out!
Our incredible nervous system
Our nervous system comprises billions of nerve cells, also known as neurons, spreading out in networks that cover every section of the body. Our nerve cells enable us to see, feel, hear, smell, and taste, and to react instantly to what goes on around us. Sometimes, we consciously choose our own responses, but more often than not, our body reacts before our conscious mind gets the chance. We call such reactions reflexes.
Reflexes occur because our nervous system uses electrochemical signals that work faster than our brains can conclude a thought. And that’s for the better: imagine how inconvenient it would be if you grabbed a glowing hot object and wouldn’t jerk back your hand automatically. If you had to wait for your brain to process the signal and respond, your hand would probably get burned before you could react.
Our nervous system also regulates processes that we can hardy influence ourselves, such as body temperature, digestion, heart rate, pain, and pleasure. In addition it helps us learn and remember, keeps us from falling over, and breathe. In a sense, it is the operating system that runs and moves your entire body.
What are the common causes of nerve pain?
Most cases of nerve pain are caused by damage to one or more nerve cells somewhere in the body. Such neuropathic pain can disrupt communication with the brain. If our brain receives faulty or conflicting information, real pain can ensue.
Some of these neuropathic conditions are temporary, and the nerve cells manage to repair themselves. Sadly, however, this is not always the case, making use of medication a necessity to reduce symptoms. Nerve pain can be caused by trauma due to accidents or other physical injuries, as well as by a number of underlying causes including:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome;
- MS (multiple sclerosis);
- Alzheimer’s;
- Parkinson’s;
- Diabetes;
- Chemotherapy;
- Cardiovascular disease;
- Hormonal imbalances;
- Inflammation.
How can CBD Oil help the nervous system with nerve pain?
Scientists currently suspect that CBD Oil may be highly useful against nerve pain, due to the ways in which CBD can interact with our body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS comprises a huge network of receptors labelled CB1 and CB2. Researchers think that CBD Oil can help protect the nervous system as well as the immune system by preventing them from being overstimulated.
CBD Oil against nerve pain and inflammation
Studies reveal that CBD Oil and CBD Skincare products can help relieve nerve painby direct application of CBD products. Further preclinical trials have demonstrated that CBD Oil can help relieve nerve pain as well as chronic inflammatory pain.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Multiple Sclerosis
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a painful condition of the hands and wrists, often caused by repetitive motion or bad posture. Pain, irritation, and tingling of the hands and lower arms usually ensue.
The carpal tunnel is a conduit for the tendons we use to move our fingers. These same tunnels accommodate a nerve that lines the inside of the wrist. Some people have carpal tunnels that are too narrow, causing excessive pressure on the nerve itself accompanied by severe pain.
CBD Oil can relieve chronic nerve pain caused by carpal tunnel syndrome as well as MS (multiple sclerosis or fibromyalgia. One small-scale study into fibromyalgia-related pain revealed that CBD relieved pain symptoms by 30%. Other studies on MS and neuropathic pain demonstrated significant pain reduction after six to ten weeks of CBD use.
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
People suffering from Alzheimer’s disease often face chronic inflammation in response to cerebral pathology. Such inflammations can aggravate the symptoms of the disease, including neuropathic pain. One 2017 study concluded that CBD is promising for future Alzheimer’s treatments due to its neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties.
Alzheimer’s disease is accompanied by cerebral atrophy: the dying off of brain tissue and loss of interneural connections. Various animal studies have demonstrated how CBD is not only capable of preventing brain atrophy, but may also encourage neurogenesis: it could help regrow the brain’s nerve cells!
In Parkinson’s disease, dopamine production falters in the brain. CBD is capable of binding to specific receptors that can help increase production of dopamine. Heightened dopamine levels can reduce Parkinson’s symptoms. Research conducted by the Colorado School of Medicine revealed that daily consumption of CBD could help reduce sleeping problems, irritability, and tremors (trembling).
Diabetes
Considerable numbers of people suffering from neuropathic pain are also diagnosed with diabetes. About half of all diabetes patients are affected by nerve pain in some way or another. Drastic lifestyle adjustments can help relieve such nerve pain symptoms; and CBD Oil can help support and reinforce such changes. One example is a study demonstrating how CBD was able to reduce diabetes cases by 56% compared to a control group.
In spite of this good news, we still need further research to discover just how CBD helps the body regulate blood sugar levels.
CBD Oil protects the nervous system
In addition to its analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, CBD also appears capable of protecting our nerves. That makes it an interesting candidate for treating neurodegenerative disease such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and MS. CBD is an antioxidant, enabling it to protect the nervous system against damage by oxidation.
Oxidation is a natural ongoing process occurring in our bodies. Every time we metabolize nutrients, the body reacts with oxygen – oxidation – which releases free radicals. Such free radicals are physiological by-products emitted by a wide range of biochemical reactions inside the body. Our body usually clears out such waste products, but this process is not always equally successful. Sometimes, leftover free radicals become harmful; and in case of nerve conditions, the damage they cause can make the pain worse. CBD Oil can help relieve and prevent such nerve pain by by slowing down the process and by minimising overall damage.
Neuropathic pain is usually treated using oral medication such as regular painkillers and other pills. Such drugs serve to tone down neural activity in order to relieve the pain. We can distinguish roughly three types of medication commonly prescribed for neuropathy:
- Anti-epileptics;
- Antidepressants ;
- Opioids
Unfortunately, all of these drugs come with deeply unpleasant side-effects. Such effects include severe drowsiness, lack of emotion (a ‘zombie-like’ state), trouble concentrating, gaining weight, dry mouth, and urinary problems. Moreover, these drugs can affect the effectiveness of other medication and cause more side-effects in turn. This can be very dangerous!
CBD Oil does not produce such side-effects. Only a few minor side-effects have been documented, including reduced appetite and mild nausea. Fortunately, these symptoms usually fade in a matter of days, once your body adjusts to CBD and you have determined your ideal daily dose.
One important point to consider, however, is the possibility of CBD influencing the effectiveness of your regular medication. If you are already using medication against nerve pain, be sure to consult your doctor on using CBD Oil alongside these!
What is the best way to use CBD Oil for nerve pain?
The best way to use our Full Spectrum CBD Oil is by placing drops underneath the tongue. The mucous membranes situated under the tongue are capable of rapid CBD absorption. Alternatively, however, you can apply CBD Oil topically, using it on the skin right were the nerve pain is most severe.
Full Spectrum CBD Oil contains the entire range of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids found in hemp plants. The one substance that is (nearly) absent is THC. This means you cannot get high from using CBD Oil for nerve pain, leaving you free to fully enjoy the so-called entourage effect. Essentially, the entourage effect means that one plus one equals more than two, because cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids can mutually influence and even boost each other’s effectiveness.
If you prefer not to get any THC into your system at all, we suggest choosing one of our CBD isolate products instead, such as our CBD Tablets or CBD Candy. And don’t forget about our CBD Skincare range, which was designed for topical application.
