CBD is a hot new substance in the US. It has gone from illegal in late 2018 to having been legally purchased and tried by 1 out of every 3 American adults. This comes as a variety of anecdotal experiences – and a number of scientific studies – have found CBD to be a viable option to treat many ills. Some have found that CBD is helpful for pain management, with CBD topicals being particularly effective.
Introduction to pain management
Pain management takes on many forms, and when it is at its best, comes in a holistic manner. According to pain management professionals, pain management takes on many forms, including:
- Medication
- Physical therapy, massage, or stretching
- Alternative therapies, such as yoga or meditation
- Counselling or other forms of talk therapy
- Surgery
An increasing number of people have found CBD to be helpful as a part of a comprehensive approach to pain management.
Research and benefits of topical CBD
When it comes to research on the benefits of a CBD topical, there is good news, as more research has found that CBD topicals may be able to be highly beneficial when it comes to pain management:
- A 2018 review of previously conducted CBD studies found that evidence may support the idea that CBD can assist with pain reduction.
- Studies on specific causes of pain, such as arthritis, cancer treatment, or multiple sclerosis have found that CBD may have pain-relieving qualities.
In all of these cases, CBD may work when applied directly to the skin as a cream or balm. In this instance, CBD diffuses through the skin and makes a positive impact on the nerves and muscles of the affected area.
To be clear, CBD is not approved by the FDA, and it is not currently possible to make any definitive medical claims about the substance. More research is needed, but research conducted thus far has indicated that CBD topicals may be able to assist with pain management.
Why topicals?
Topicals have many benefits. First, as noted above, topicals work well when applied directly to the area of pain. By their very nature, CBD Topicals can be applied directly to the area in pain and massaged in. This allows an individual to feel the benefit of CBD in an extremely targeted, precise way. It also may help to reduce inflammation in the affected area. This, in turn, may help to reduce pain. Furthermore, while relatively mild, CBD has been known to cause some uncomfortable side effects, such as dizziness or fatigue. A topical can thus help to reduce the side effects felt by a user.
More research unquestionably needs to be conducted on CBD, but the research that has been conducted so far has yielded positive results. There is evidence to suggest that CBD can be helpful at reducing pain, and this reduction appears to work extremely well when CBD is used in a topical form.
Tommy Williamson did his degree in psychology at the University of Edinburgh. He has an ongoing interest in mental health and well-being.
