CBD for Chronic Pain: The People’s Pharmacy
The People’s Pharmacy is an online site dedicated to spreading knowledge about medications, herbs, and other health supplements through research and actual consumer experiences. The community of readers freely contribute to the discussions on the site and the founders, Jim and Terry Graedon, converse with them and offer their medical expertise along with the science behind the topics.
Both Jim and Terry collectively own a host of accolades with a Ph.D. in anthropology for Terry and a Master of Science in Pharmacology for Jim. Both are graduates of the University of Michigan and in addition to their website they also host a podcast that discusses breaking health news and other insightful information for the average consumer. On top of particular interest on the site and across the globe in general, is CBD. What are the benefits? Can it help with pain? Does it get you high? We’ll discuss what was stated in their article and also contribute our own findings to help you guys make an informed decision on what’s best for you as it relates to CBD and other Cannabis-related products.
CBD for Chronic Pain
As mentioned in the article, CBD has been declared by many users as an effective treatment for pain, a better alternative than NSAIDS which poses the risk of opioid dependency. The founders of the site state that there isn’t much research available on CBD to make definitive statements about its efficacy regarding pain, anxiety, depression, etc. That is true; however, as the market expands there continues to be more research is done and the chemical compound itself has various properties that make it an excellent candidate for pain relief. For example, it has natural anti-inflammatory properties which are very helpful to those with conditions such as chronic pain and inflammation, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and muscle pain.
Additionally, users on the site discussed how they had some issues with testing positive for THC (the chemical compound of the Cannabis plant that’s responsible for feelings of intoxication) after consuming CBD products. This to an extent has more to do with regulation and manufacturing standards. Depending on the company that has produced the CBD, the THC may be lower or higher than what is expected if they have not gone through scrupulous measures to ensure otherwise. Based on actual user experience and also what preclinical trials and early research data suggest, CBD is a good alternative to prescription painkillers that come with a price for the pain relief. CBD comes in a variety of forms such as gummies, balms, creams, capsules, pills, tinctures, and more. These options are generally more cost-effective and also offer pain relief without harsh side effects. The People’s Pharmacy does discuss some possible side effects as nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, bloating, and a few other symptoms that may occur upon taking CBD.
The general recommendation for using CBD products is to start out low and gradually increase the dosage until you achieve the desired effect. In most cases, lower doses are very effective at relieving acute pain and chronic pain as well. As always, it is important to do your research prior to incorporating CBD into your regimen.