Pain has many faces
In Germany, several million people live with chronic pain. The published numbers fluctuate. Ten to 25 percent of all Germans are exposed to regular pain - this corresponds to about eight to 20 million people. The statistics are therefore relatively inaccurate, because many pain patients do not go to the doctor with their suffering. Some are afraid of being laughed at, others have given up their fight because they have not gotten better after a long odyssey, yet others do not want to be permanently dependent on harmful medicines.
The reasons for pain are so complex that they can not all be listed here. Medicine distinguishes between acute and chronic pain. Acute pain occurs suddenly and does not last very long. They are even useful because they signal to the body that something is wrong. Only then can the cause be identified and remedied. Chronic pain starts from a minimum of three to six months. They are no longer useful, but reduce the quality of life of the person affected. Frequently a chronic pain is caused by inflammation, tension, chronic illness or nerve damage. Even acute pain can be attributed to such causes. However, they are also often caused by injuries - both internal and external - or illnesses. If the cause of acute pain is not resolved quickly, there is a risk that acute pain will turn into chronic pain. In addition, strong, persistent pain sensitizes the body to further pain. The nerves react "exaggerated" in the episode, even if the cause of the initial pain has already been eliminated. Whether a pain becomes chronic or not depends, among other things, on the patient's disposition, family environment and mental state.
CBD has been shown to be effective against pain in several studies. The Cannabinoid combats several causes of pain, rather than simply suppressing the feeling of pain, the latter also belongs to the repertoire of cannabidiol.
CBD fights pain
In tissue injury, CBD increases the concentration of anandamide in the body. This occurs through the interaction of the cannabinoid with the receptors of the human endocannabinoid system. Ananadamide is an endogenous endocannabinoid that is directly produced by the body, which directly affects the pain. The more anandamide in the organism or around the injured area, the better the pain relief. Ananadamide binds to the CB1 receptor (cannabinoid-binding receptor) and to the TRPV1 (a vanilloid) receptor, where it immediately combats the pain. This finding was made by scientists in China in 2010, when they performed experiments on mice.
CBD helps against inflammation
Inflammation is often the cause of pain. Inflamed tissue increases the number of free radicals. These are dangerous for the body, as they have, among other things, the property of damaging cells. CBD is an antioxidant. In this function, it has a similar effect to vitamins A, C and E: they trap free radicals and thus render them harmless.
In addition, CBD also has an anti-inflammatory effect per se. For example, a study by GWPharmaceuticals showed that CBD's properties can help fight inflammatory conditions in the intestinal tract, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and nausea.
Researchers at the University of Mississippi found that CBD reduces oxidative stress and helps fight inflammation. Many other studies - such as those of the scientists of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda (USA) - all led to the same result: Cannabidiol inhibits inflammation. In Bethesda, researchers also confirmed that CBD works effectively against neuropathic pain. Neuropathic pain is caused by dysfunction or nerve injury and can sometimes be very severe.
CBD protects the nerves
Cannabidiol not only works against neuropathic pain, but has been shown to protect against the death of nerve cells - such as ischemic stroke, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, Huntington's disease and other chronic nervous disorders.
The neuroprotective (nerve-protective) effect of CBD has been demonstrated both in living organisms and in test tubes. Apparently, anandamide and 2-AG (2-arachidonylglycerol, another endocannabinoid) play an important role.
In a traumatic brain injury, substances are released that can lead to secondary brain damage. In 2002 Mechoulem et al. Annanadamide and 2-AG can inhibit the action of harmful substances. The endocannabinoid system together with the cannabinoids thus takes over a protective function here. As described above, CBD contributes to the proliferation of anandamide in the body and thus protects the nerves.
CBD relaxes the body and works against stress
While the cannabinoid THC works primarily on the psyche, CBD has a relaxing and regulating effect on the body. Cannabidiol has an anticonvulsant effect, which is why it is sometimes used to combat epilepsy. Tense muscles often cause pain such as back, head, menstrual and other pains. But also CBD has positive effects on the psyche: It can be used well for the treatment of depression and schizophrenia. But it also helps against insomnia and stress. Stress is the cause of many pain disorders. Anyone who manages to reduce his stress often notices an accompanying pain relief.
CBD combats the causes
In addition to inflammation, stress, tension and nerve disorders, CBD can be used against many other diseases. To name just a few:
- sleep disorders
- Burnout
- anxiety disorders
- epilepsy
- schizophrenia
- Nausea and vomiting
- Dependence on addictive substances
- Parkinson
- Crohn's disease
- arthritis
- different cancers
- spasticity
- asthma
CBD not only combats the pain as symptoms of disease, but acts - as a variety of different studies have revealed - against the causes themselves.
For this reason alone, cannabidiol is likely to be a healthy alternative to the synthetic drugs of the pharmaceutical giants in the long term. These usually only suppress the pain. For the fight against causes additional medicines must be taken. Most painkillers and most prescription medicines, which are not natural but man-made, are harmful to the liver and kidneys - especially if taken over a long period of time. CBD, on the other hand, does not have a great health-endangering side-effect because it comes from nature and is very similar to human cannabinoids.
Unfortunately, CBD research is still in its infancy. There are first drugs based on CBD. Overall, however, the science knows too little about the exact modes of action of cannabidiol. Questions such as "What helps CBD?" Could already be clarified well. But on the "How exactly does CBD?" There are only insufficient results. In the future, CBD is likely to play a bigger role in medicine - the current state of knowledge suggests strongly.
Even though there are only very few CBD drugs worldwide so far, every human being in this country has the opportunity to treat themselves with
CBD oil and other CBD products. CBD is not prescription, therefore legally available. For safety, always consult a doctor who is familiar with CBD. Application and dosage vary from person to person.
In principle, with a little patience, everyone will find the right dose for themselves, as long as he starts small and slowly increases it until the desired effect begins. This makes CBD a good supplement to conventional pain therapy. With a bit of luck, some pain patients can even replace their existing funds with CBD altogether. A trial (under medical supervision) would be worth it.
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