How To Use CBD Oil for Pain

Now that the third decade of the 21st century is upon us, it’s hard to deny the explosive rise of the CBD industry.  What was a small market back in 2014, worth barely $108 million in US sales, grew exponentially to be one of the most profitable business opportunities. In 2021, the global market reached an unprecedented worth of $3.5 billion, and to make it even more impressive, some estimate that the US industry alone will surpass the $20 billion mark by 2024. With such remarkable growth, it’s certain that the CBD sector is here to stay.

Although the CBD industry is rapidly becoming a worldwide phenomenon in both the medical and recreational sectors, it doesn’t mean that everyone knows about it. Sure, chances are that most people have heard about its existence, but given the relative novelty of it, it’s likely that there are a lot of those who don’t understand the whole appeal of the substance or are not up to date on the CBD-related specifics, such as its pain-relieving capabilities.

As such, it is the aim of this article to bring attention to the CBD and help those without much knowledge about it learn all there is to this fascinating substance.

CBD 101: What Exactly Is CBD?

CBD, short for cannabidiol, was first isolated in 1940 by an American organic chemist Roger Adams and is one of the several major compounds extracted from the cannabis plant. While research into it stagnated for decades, in recent years it has been restarted with renewed vigor, in no small amount thanks to its newly discovered capabilities. While there’s not much known for sure as of yet, some early research, as well as numerous experiences of many users, show that CBD can be a helpful tool when it comes to aiding those with various conditions ranging from mental health issues like depression to physical, muscle-related ailments.

Sadly, because of the stigmas connected to some of the substances containing the compound, CBD is often mistaken for THC, the tetrahydrocannabinol. However, CBD is very unlike the other substance. For starters, CBD is non-intoxicating. It means that it has no way of making you feel high, turning it into a more convenient alternative to tetrahydrocannabinol.

Unfortunately, as mentioned above, the extreme popularity of CBD doesn’t always translate to the innate understanding of it. People are often uninformed about the different types of CBD extracts, leading to wrong purchases and ultimately dissatisfaction. Manufacturers, on the other hand, sometimes make the issue even worse by not labeling their products correctly. Luckily, the differences between the various CBD extracts are rather simple to understand.

How Do the CBD Extracts Differ From Each Other?

First off, you need to understand that CBD as a substance remains uniform in its chemical structure. What doesn’t remain uniform is the different extracts that contain the chemical. As such, there are three main types when it comes to CBD products – that is, full-spectrum CBD, broad-spectrum CBD and the CBD isolate.

Full-Spectrum CBD

To start off, we have one of the more popular types of cannabidiol extracts. Full-spectrum CBD is what some would classify as the “most unadulterated” essence of CBD. It is usually derived from the so-called full or whole-plant cannabis containing both CBD and THC, not to mention other cannabinoids.

To put it simply, next to no filtration procedure is used, meaning that the THC content often reaches up to 0.3% or even beyond, not enough to induce psychoactive effects; however, depending on your personal characteristics, there is a risk of it showing on a dedicated drug test targeting the psychoactive compound. It’s important to remember that full-spectrum extracts are legal in most states as long as the THC levels don’t exceed 0.3%.

Beyond the continental reaches of the US, some countries allow for much more potent full-spectrum variants. One of the examples would be Switzerland, where CBD extracts are legally bound to have less than 1% THC content level.

CBD Isolate

On the other end of the spectrum, you have CBD isolate. CBD isolate, is, just as the name might suggest, the most distilled type of product, obtained through a process called ‘purification’. Because of that, it is often considered the true, “pure” CBD, as it contains no other substances nor any additives besides the CBD compound itself. Because of that, using a CBD isolate produces no intoxicating effects whatsoever, and there is no risk of it triggering even the most accurate of THC tests.

However, as with most things, there are downsides too. Because of its high purity, using it might result in less profound effects than in the case of other types.

Broad-Spectrum CBD

Sitting right in the middle is the broad-spectrum CBD. As you might have guessed, its position is highly reflective of its properties. Commonly extracted from cannabis plants using the so-called solvent extraction process, the substances are taken from the plant material, resulting in a very high concentration of cannabidiol and a low amount of other cannabinoids. Unlike the CBD isolate, the other substances normally found within the cannabis plant are still present, just not as prevalently as in the full-spectrum variant. And unlike the full spectrum CBD, it does not need to be mixed with any other substances to be efficiently absorbed by the body. It can be taken alone just as easily as it can be added to other substances to boost their efficacy. While full-spectrum CBD needs to be converted into delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) before being absorbed by our bodies, broad-spectrum CBD is already in its active form when consumed. As a result, the broad-spectrum variant induces its effects much, much faster.

Besides the cannabidiol itself, which constitutes the biggest part of the broad-spectrum CBD products, you will also find several different compounds there, including cannabinol (CBN), cannabichromene, or terpenes (e.g., myrcene, limonene, pinene), among other things.

It may come as a shock to you, but believe it or not, our own systems are capable of producing similar compounds called endocannabinoid receptors, though as of yet, only two have been identified so far: anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG). These aid your body in maintaining homeostasis – the perfect internal balance.

CBD Products Vary Not Only in Their Composition but Also in the Forms They Take

With the CBD extracts properly categorized regarding their chemical composition, now it’s a good time to mention that the CBD content level is not the only way we differentiate between the forms. Unlike the first one, this difference is much simpler to comprehend and remember. In this case, all you have to know is that CBD comes in a wide variety of product forms and that some of them are more ideal in certain situations. Below, you’ll find a few examples worthy of mention.

Those Who Smoke Should Get Interested in CBD Vapes

This method of application should be a right fit for you if you love vaping or smoking analog cigarettes. In this form, CBD is put into a special liquid, designed from the ground up to work with your electronic cigarette, just like any other liquid would.

It is of note that the CBD vaping liquids can be used in both types of vape pens, that is, mouth-to-lung and direct lung vapes, which is a great boon to the proponents of both schools of vaping. This means that regardless of any factors, you can enjoy your lungful of CBD with all the gusto you can muster.

If you’re new to vaping, remember that apart from a CBD liquid, you will also need to procure said device, the aforementioned vape pen. Fear not, however – you shouldn’t have any problems with it, as the Internet offers a wealth of knowledge regarding the whole process of vaping cannabidiol and the equipment necessary for it.

Youngsters Might Love the CBD Gummies

If you are looking for a way of administering CBD to your children, CBD gummies are the way to go. These tasty treats come in a wide variety of different colors, flavors, and shapes and are known for being easily purchased online and in many cases even at your local dispensaries and shops.

Your kids decline to take their medications because the taste is just awful? Don’t worry, you won’t experience this problem here. CBD gummies taste delicious and leave no foul aftertaste that one may experience with other methods of ingesting cannabidiol like oils or pills.

Just a word of friendly advice – always make sure they don’t overdo it and eat the entire package at once like kids tend to do. The risks should be minimal if any, but as the old adage goes “everything in moderation”.

If You’re Unsure, Go With the Most Popular Choice, the CBD Oil

Despite the fact that the CBD industry constantly finds new forms of safely delivering CBD into your body, one thing is undeniable. Despite its relative age, trusty CBD oil is without a doubt still the most common type of cannabidiol product offered. It is a concentrated solution of CBD made into a liquid form. While it is true that CBD oils are varying widely when it comes to both strength and concentration, usually the amount of CBD per milliliter of oil tends to be quite low.

However, if you have never taken a CBD oil before, start by taking small doses and wait some time to see if any wrong reactions to it occur. This bit is especially important if you suffer from any type of ailment which may be affected by CBD consumption.

A CBD oil is definitely the perfect solution for those looking for a reliable and efficient way to consume CBD. These are extremely easy to use, requiring nothing much but a few drops of the liquid. Because of its characteristics, it can be easily integrated into almost any sort of routine you can think of. To give you an example, you can take a few drops under your tongue while catching your breath between your workout sessions. This way, they’ll help you focus on the training ahead and relieve the pain in sore muscles.

If ingesting the CBD oil is something you’re unable to do because of its offputting taste, consider administering the CBD oil directly to your food. To illustrate the point, why don’t you try to add a few drops to your freshly brewed and steamy latte or to that medium-rare fillet mignon sitting on your plate? It’s just a few drops and chances are, the taste is going to get drowned in rich flavors of the food anyway.

Now that we have covered the absolute basics regarding the CBD itself, it would be a good idea to answer just why it is so relevant to many of us.

Why Do So Many of Us Need the Substance?

When it comes to the most often cited reasons for CBD use, one of the most prevalent reasons is its medicinal properties. To put it simply, the substance is very good at aiding those with two types of conditions – the physical ones and those of the mental kind. Here we will focus on the former type.

20% Of Adult Americans Can Suffer From Chronic Pains

While you may have a degree of control over your body, the pain is something you cannot mitigate on your own. It may surprise you but chronic pain and related conditions are not the domain of the old people anymore. According to some among the scientific community, even a fifth of the US adult population could be suffering from this terrible ailment. For them it’s either the lifelong suffering or the entirety of their lives spent on potent painkillers, often resulting in profound liver damage later in life. However, as you might have guessed, there’s an alternative.

Many People Report CBD Oil To Be an Effective Pain Management Tool

Among the biggest advantages of CBD products is that they are reported to be very potent when it comes to blocking chronic pain and other types of it. While the research into the exact details and mechanics is still ongoing, scientists think that CBD might be interacting with neurological receptors of the human endocannabinoid system, suppressing inflammation, and regulating pain perception at the same time. In simple terms, that means that the substance itself can be very efficient at providing complex pain relief.

Because of that fact, CBD oils should be a natural choice for those dealing with painful ailments the likes of arthritis pain or neuropathic pain. Even if the patient is dealing with seemingly incurable diseases like cancer or multiple sclerosis, CBD oil can help them deal with the pain and thus make the users’ existence easier and maybe even pain-free.

CBD Extracts – Methods of Administering the Substance

The method of application is obviously dependent on the type of product procured and the nature of pain you might be experiencing. Should your type of pain be a highly internalized form of chronic pain, including a dreaded dental abscess, you might want to utilize an easy-to-swallow CBD tablet. This form of CBD product is specifically designed to administer the substance itself in the most efficient manner – that is, using your digestive system, but without any other, potentially painful interaction with your body. That means no painful chewing or potentially infectious rubbing associated with other product types like gummies or oils.

If your pain is of the inflammatory and neuropathic kind, forget about the systemic CBD forms and use the specifically designed salves and balms. CBD oils maintain high topical effectiveness (or in non-scientific terms, work great directly in painful areas), in part because transdermal cannabidiol reduces inflammation when applied in a localized manner.  Salves or balms relieve chronic and arthritis pain in the same manner but might work even more efficiently due to being specifically designed for this kind of application.

Finally, if your chronic pain flares suddenly and strongly, using your lungs to apply CBD might be a good idea. Vaping the substance is generally considered to be one of the fastest, commercially available ways of administering CBD to your body.

Conclusion

Hopefully, by the time you finish this article, you will have a better understanding of the immense opportunities CBD extracts can offer. While traditional pain medications are still the most popular choice for pain mitigation, their regular and continued use can prove costly to not only your mental well-being but also to some of your internal organs. With CBD products, the pain relief is much the same, while the impact on your body is severely reduced.

Moreover, unlike most normal analgesics, CBD extracts work topically as well, meaning that you can accurately target the sore part without immediately flooding your entire system with chemicals. Just remember that some extracts may contain trace amounts of regulated substances like THC and there’s a chance that they’ll show on a drug test, so use the products wisely when in certain environments like your workplace or when driving a car.

Now you should be ready to start discovering the amazing properties of CBD oils. Good luck!