Cannabidiol Oil (CBD) is found in marijuana. Most recently, the main pain relief drug found in marijuana was tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) as this is the most active ingredient so is the most used. However, cannabis contains both THC and CBD. Both have very different effects on the mind and body when used.

Why THC is Psychoactive

THC is psychoactive, meaning that it lets individuals experience a “high” when smoked or ingested, as it breaks down when heat is applied and when it is introduced into the body. CBD has quite a different effect. Unlike THC, it is not psychoactive is doesn’t change a user’s mindset or get them high. However, it does influence the user’s body and a lot of medical research suggests and shows that it does have a medical benefit when used.

THC also has some medicinal benefit and is effective for the management of neurodegenerative diseases, chronic pain, and cardiovascular inflammation; however, the psychoactive element means it is not a viable treatment.

CBD, on the other hand, has shown itself to be well suited to many physical ailments including digestive issues and muscle inflammation as well as muscle recovery and can also help with a lot of issues that THC aids without the psychoactive results most people wish to avoid.

For these reasons, along with the fact that CBD is a legal product all over the USA, a lot more people are turning to CBD hemp oil and similar CBD products as a natural and helpful alternative to over the counter pain management medications.

CBD has been medically proven to help with inflammation, inflammation by itself is a natural process for everyone it’s the body’s defense mechanisms to pain and infections and although painful is not normally long term. As the white blood cells, only “quarantine” (inflame the area) until the part of the body is essentially fixed.

However, for some people, and particularly elderly people, these white blood cells stay in the area all the time and, therefore, becomes chronic, which can cause a lot of pain, especially trying to carry out day to day activities. The most common example of this is arthritis.

How Does CBD Oil Help With Inflammation?

So, how does CBD oil help with inflammation and what is the science behind it? It’s all well and good reading an article on a subject but you need to the cold hard facts too! When CBD enters the body it attaches to certain receptors, the human body produces some cannabinoids of its own, these are in the receptors named CB1 and CB2. CB1 is in the brain and, in general, deals with mood, emotions, and movements.

CB2 helps with the inflammation problems many of us experience around the body, these types of receptors are most common in the body’s immune system and affect the body’s sensation of inflammation and pain. While recent research has shown the CBD doesn’t attach itself directly to either CB receptor, it effectively tells the body to use more of its own cannabinoids in these areas, in turn, reducing the inflammation and knock-on effects of pain.

Arthritis literally means inflammation in the joint. Usually, it only occurs as a defense, but in people with different types of arthritis, the inflammation can happen for no known reason. This is shown in rheumatoid arthritis and is known as an autoimmune condition. Instead of inflaming an area to protect it, it can actually damage the joint it is inflaming. This can cause quite intense pain as well as a lack of mobility and general stiffness.

What’s The Research Say About CBD Oil For Inflammation

A study that was released recently made use of animal testing to see the medical benefits of CBD use and whether it could help with pain and inflammation management of people with arthritis. In the study, researchers applied a topical gel which contained CBD to rodents and studied their movement for about four days. After this time period, the researcher noted a significant drop in the visual inflammation experienced by the rats and they didn’t seem to show signs of any other negative side effects.

This research shows that people who may want to consider using CBD oil for arthritis pain may find it can be a really effective relief from their pain without any significant side effects. Other drugs may have many side effects or even addictive properties, such as opioids.

Researchers also found that subjects involved in the test were not likely to build up a tolerance to the effects that CBD use helps with and, therefore, would not need to increase their dosage continually to see the impact.

How To Apply CBD Oil To Inflamed Joints

CBD oil can come in different forms and can be applied as a liquid such as a gel or taken as a capsule, a gel or even in other products such as edibles or gummies. To specifically help with inflammation, you don’t always have to ingest the CBD and you have the option to apply it directly to the affected area or mix it with your favorite body lotion or creams before application. Alternatively, you can buy specific CBD gels and lotions. Being able to target a specific area of pain is a benefit of using gels and lotions but orally taking CBD can also be a big help.