On its best days, chronic pain is a background issue, noticeable but not a pressing issue.

On its worst days, though, chronic pain can ruin everything, from enjoying your morning cup of coffee to your work day and even relaxing at night with your family.

For sufferers of chronic pain who have relied on Ibuprofen for years, CBD is a welcomed and much-needed treatment.

Legalization of medical marijuana began in the 1990s with five states (Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska and Maine) and Washington, D.C.

In 2014, the Farm Bill legalized hemp products on a federal level.

Since 2010, several states have legalized recreational marijuana, including the initial five states that legalized medical marijuana plus Nevada, Massachusetts and Colorado.

These changes have opened the door for the creation of more CBD wellness products.

Understanding CBD, THC, Hemp and Marijuana

While CBD and marijuana are becoming legal in certain states, they’re still illegal on a federal level. There’s a stigma associated with CBD because people link it to marijuana. While CBD comes from the same plant, it doesn’t have the psychoactive effects that marijuana does, because those effects come from the THC compound.

It also helps to understand the difference between marijuana and hemp. Technically, a marijuana plant and a hemp plant are the same plant. The difference comes in when comparing the amount of THC in the plants.

If the plant has a max of .3 percent of THC, it’s considered hemp – you can’t get high from hemp. If the plant has a higher level of THC, it’s considered marijuana. Most marijuana plants have 5-20 percent THC.

How CBD Can Reduce Pain and Improve Wellness

For people with chronic pain, especially from a back or neck injury, CBD may provide great relief. It’s a more natural alternative to over-the-counter painkillers, making it ideal for people who don’t want to take regular medicine. Here are a few ways that CBD may be able to reduce your pain:

• According to the European Journal of Pain, CBD may be able to reduce pain related to arthritis.
• According to a study published in the Pain journal, CBD may reduce anxiety.
• CBD oil may be able to decrease inflammation, which can help with an assortment of pain issues, particularly joint pain and stiffness.
• According to a report published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, cannabis-based treatments may benefit neuropathic pain, which impacts people with conditions like multiple sclerosis and diabetes.
• According to a report in Pediatric Dermatology, topical CBD treatments helped improve epidermolysis bullosa in children, a painful skin condition that causes blisters.
• CBD may be able to improve sleep and limit sleep disruptions, possibly by reducing pain and making it easier for the individual to fall and stay asleep.
• It’s possible that CBD can treat mouth pain following a dental procedure, but ask your dentist which type of CBD is best. For example, you don’t want to vape CBD and then find out vaping is harmful to your mouth post-procedure.

It’s important to note that pain may be a sign of a larger issue. Masking the pain may work temporarily, but you should visit your doctor if the pain persists. If you continue to cover it up, the problem could get worse with time.

How to Buy and Use CBD for Pain Treatment

When looking for CBD products to treat pain, it’s important to seek out high-quality products. CBD isn’t federally regulated, so it’s difficult to determine how much CBD is in a product (or if there’s any CBD at all). You also don’t know what else is in the product, like toxins or pesticides.

A study published in JAMA showed that about 70% of CBD products sold online had a different amount of CBD than what was shown on the label. Here’s what to look for when purchasing CBD products:

• Full-spectrum, which means it has other beneficial compounds from hemp
• Made in the United States
• Organic
• No flavoring or thinning agents
• Directions for use

If you’re using CBD to help with anxiety, depression or insomnia, the fastest way to reap the benefits is to smoke it, according to Consumer Reports. You can do this by smoking a rolled cigarette, similar to marijuana, or by using a vape pen. It’s difficult to manage dosing like this, because the “dose” depends on how much you inhale. Your best option is to go for the lowest dose first and to inhale just once. Wait to see if there’s an effect; if there isn’t, inhale again.

The next fastest way is to use a tincture that you can take either by spray or drop. Some bottles or sprays will have a recommended dosage on them. If it doesn’t, start with a low dose of 10 mg. Wait up to 30 minutes to see if you notice a difference. If you don’t, work your way up to 30 mg.

Applying CBD topically lets you target specific areas of pain with lotions, oils, and creams. To be effective, you need products that contain a high amount of CBD, like 100-500 mg. It’s possible you’ll start feeling the effects immediately, but if you don’t, look for a higher dose.

Final Thoughts

For years, the rumor mill has said that cannabidiol (CBD) has wellness benefits, but not everyone has believed those statements.

Thanks to the latest research, it looks like those wellness benefits may be proven. As more money flows into the CBD industry, there’s more funding for research, which is advancing the field.

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