You’ve just twisted your ankle playing tennis or maybe strained your back, lifting something heavy. Injuries are never fun and often come with pain, inflammation, stress, and sleepless nights. While over-the-counter drugs may provide some relief, their effects are limited and often have undesirable side effects.
What if there were a natural remedy that could help you — all without getting you high? Enter CBD, or cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive compound in hemp and cannabis plants. CBD, with the guidance of a medical marijuana doctor, is gaining recognition as an effective alternative for managing injury symptoms and supporting the recovery process.
What Is CBD and How Does It Work?
So what exactly is CBD, and how does it work? CBD stands for cannabidiol, a compound found in cannabis plants. Unlike THC, CBD is non-psychoactive, which won’t get you high. But it can help relieve pain and reduce inflammation in the body.
CBD interacts with your endocannabinoid system, a network of receptors throughout your body, including your central nervous and immune systems. This system maintains homeostasis and regulates many functions like sleep, mood, pain, and appetite. CBD is a natural supplement helping boost endocannabinoid system efficiency and activity.
Your endocannabinoid system can get out of whack when you have an injury. CBD helps restore its balance to manage pain and facilitate healing properly. CBD also has potent anti-inflammatory effects. It reduces swelling, eases muscle and joint tension, and relieves pressure points.
CBD comes in many forms, like oils, lotions, gummies, and capsules. For injuries, topical CBD products applied directly to the skin, such as creams, salves, and roll-ons, are very effective for localized relief. They allow CBD to penetrate the tissues surrounding your injury. CBD oil tinctures or capsules can also help, especially for chronic pain management and to aid the healing process.
The benefits of CBD for injuries are two-fold. It addresses physical symptoms like inflammation, pain, and tension while helping to alleviate psychological aspects like stress, anxiety, and sleep issues. The key is finding the right CBD product and dosage for your needs. CBD can be a safe, natural remedy to help you recover from injuries when appropriately used.
CBD for Inflammation and Pain Relief.
CBD can be an effective remedy for managing inflammation and relieving injury pain. Its anti-inflammatory properties can help reduce swelling, ease stiffness, and speed healing. CBD also interacts with your endocannabinoid system to block pain signals and produce natural painkillers.
When you have an injury, your body responds with inflammation. It can cause pain, redness, and swelling. CBD helps calm the inflammatory response, decreasing these unpleasant effects. Studies show CBD lowers levels of inflammatory markers like interleukin-6 and nitric oxide synthase. The result? Less pain and faster recovery.
CBD also activates endocannabinoid receptors in your central nervous system that regulate pain perception. And can relieve acute pain from an injury and chronic pain that lingers during healing. It can also stimulate the release of natural cannabinoids in your body, like anandamide, that act as painkillers. Many people find CBD relieves pain without the side effects of prescription drugs.
An injury impacts both your physical and mental health. CBD’s calming effects can ease anxiety, improve mood, and promote better sleep — all of which support your body’s natural healing processes. When less distressed, your body can better direct its energy toward recovery.
If you want to unlock the benefits of CBD for your injury, look for a high-quality CBD oil, salve, or cream and start with a low dose. Gently massage it into the affected area 3-4 times per day. You should notice reduced pain and inflammation within a week. Increase your dose gradually until you find relief. CBD can be a safe and natural way to heal from injuries and get back to the activities you enjoy.
Accelerating the Healing Process: CBD Stimulates Bone Growth and Repair.
CBD can help accelerate the healing of injuries by stimulating bone growth and repair. CBD interacts with receptors in the endocannabinoid system that are located throughout the body, including in bone tissue. Research shows CBD can promote osteoblast activity, the cells responsible for bone formation.
CBD also limits osteoclast activity, the cells that break down bone tissue. It also helps establish an optimal bone health and regeneration balance by influencing these two cell types. Research on rodents found CBD treatment increased the healing of broken leg bones by up to 40% compared to those without treatment.
Reduce Inflammation, Faster Recovery.
CBD is a potent anti-inflammatory agent. CBD can minimize pain, swelling, and redness by reducing excessive inflammation at the site of an injury. It also makes moving and engaging in physical therapy or exercise easier, which further aids recovery.
The anti-inflammatory effects of CBD may also decrease the risk of chronic conditions developing from injuries like arthritis or long-term joint pain. CBD provides multi-faceted support by addressing both the physical injury and the psychological aspects of pain and discomfort.
Relief From Pain And Anxiety.
Injuries often come with anxiety over recovery time and uncertainty around mobility or independence. CBD helps alleviate stress and improves mood by increasing serotonin levels in the brain. CBD is also known for its ability to relieve both acute and chronic pain. It does this in part by blocking pain signals in the body and brain and reducing inflammation at the source of pain.
For many, CBD offers a natural alternative to addictive opioids and over-the-counter drugs commonly used to manage pain from injuries. Combining CBD’s ability to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, ease anxiety, and accelerate healing gives you a powerful remedy to help your body recover from injuries.
CBD for Sleep, Anxiety, and Depression Following an Injury.
CBD can help address sleep issues, anxiety, and depression often associated with injuries. Its calming effects may help quiet your mind and ease worries about recovery or the uncertainty of what’s to come.
Better Sleep.
If pain or discomfort from your injury makes it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep, CBD may help. Its analgesic properties can reduce pain and inflammation, allowing you to get the rest you need to heal. CBD also interacts with receptors in the brain that influence your sleep-wake cycle. When taken 30-60 minutes before bed, CBD may help you fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly.
Less Anxiety
The anxiety that accompanies injuries can worsen symptoms and slow down recovery. CBD activates serotonin receptors in the brain, influencing mood and stress levels. It has a calming, anti-anxiety effect that can help ease worries and negative thoughts. CBD may make anxiety and restlessness more manageable so you can focus on improving.
Improved Mood.
The depression that often comes with injuries requires support for both the mind and body. CBD influences receptors in the brain that regulate your mood and motivation. It has an antidepressant-like effect that can help boost your spirits during recovery. By reducing inflammation in the brain and activating “feel-good” chemicals like serotonin, CBD may help you maintain an optimistic outlook as you work to heal and regain strength.
The psychological aspects of injuries are just as important as the physical. CBD addresses both by easing symptoms like pain and discomfort and supporting mental health and well-being. Its natural mood- and stress-relieving properties can help you stay positive during recovery so you get back physically and emotionally on your feet.
Finding a Medical Marijuana Doctor: The Key to Unlocking CBD’s Potential for Your Injury.
To unlock CBD’s benefits for managing your injury, you’ll need to consult a doctor who can recommend a treatment plan and help you obtain medical CBD products. Not all doctors are knowledgeable or legally able to prescribe medical marijuana or CBD, so you’ll want to find one specializing in this area.
A “medical marijuana doctor,” a cannabinoid medicine specialist, has the proper licenses and certifications to recommend CBD or medical cannabis as a treatment option. They can evaluate your condition, medical history, and symptoms to determine if CBD may help and the best method of delivery and dosage for your needs. Some things they will consider include:
- The severity and type of your injury (sprain, strain, fracture, etc.), as CBD may be more helpful for some injuries than others.
- Your sensitivity or tolerance to THC can affect your healing. A CBD-dominant remedy with little to no THC may be preferable if you want to avoid any psychoactive effects.
- The CBD delivery method you prefer, e.g., tinctures, capsules, topical creams, may matter when healing. Different ways have different effects; the doctor can guide you to the most suitable option.
- Buy CBD from a licensed dispensary. Medical CBD should be purchased from a licensed dispensary, not an unregulated source, to ensure safety, quality, and legal compliance.
- Follow-up monitoring. A good doctor will want to monitor your progress and adjust your treatment plan as needed. CBD dosing, for example, may need to be increased or decreased based on how you respond.
Finding a medical cannabis doctor is vital to using it effectively for your injury recovery. Be prepared to ask them any questions about using CBD so you feel fully informed and confident in your treatment plan. With the proper guidance, CBD can be a safe, natural option for managing your injury symptoms and speeding your recovery.
Bottom Line.
CBD could be the natural solution you’ve been looking for to relieve injury discomfort and speed up your recovery. Why deal with the nasty side effects of prescription drugs when this non-psychoactive cannabis compound may reduce inflammation, ease your pain, improve your sleep and mood, and get you back to 100% in no time?
The research is promising, and CBD products are more accessible than ever. You have nothing to lose by giving CBD a shot and a whole new level of comfort and mobility to gain. Make CBD your new best friend on the road to recovery – your body will thank you.
