CBD Oil and pain – how does it work? #PainAwarenessMonth

Can medical CBD oil help my pain symptoms? How does CBD oil work? And what’s the difference between prescription CBD oil and what I can buy on the high street?

These are all very good questions, and as part of #PainAwarenessMonth, we’re going to take a look at CBD oil in more detail.

What is CBD Oil? 

Firstly, CBD is an abbreviation of the word cannabidiol, which is the name of the natural chemical found in the cannabis plant. You get CBD oil from the stalks, flowers and leaves of the cannabis plant, also known as the hemp plant.

Simply put, CBD oil is the natural oil obtained from those parts of the plant. 

Can CBD Oil help my pain symptoms?

The real question is can medical cannabis help your pain symptoms, as CBD oil is just one method of taking medical cannabis into the body. 

Here’s the science bit – once you take CBD Oil, or any medical cannabis treatment, it starts working with your endocannabinoid system – which is a complex cell-signalling system in the body. 

While we’re constantly learning more about the system, we know it plays a role in regulating sleep, mood and memory. Further research has shown that the endocannabinoid system also plays a part in moderating pain, inflammation and muscle function among other things.

We know CBD oil has strong anti-inflammatory properties, as well as having a large number of antioxidants, which is why so many say that it helps them manage their pain. 

In a recent survey, 94% of our patients surveyed told us that they felt medical cannabis had been effective and made a positive difference on their health and wellbeing.

What is the difference between prescription CBD Oil and CBD oil on the high street?

In the UK, any CBD oil that you buy on the high street or online is strictly regulated – this means that it is only allowed to contain less than 0.2% THC. Unlike CBD, THC is a much more powerful component. It’s the THC that binds itself to the cannabinoid receptors in your brain and this is what produces an amplified sense of euphoria. So depending on your condition and your symptoms, high street, or low THC CBD oil might not be effective in treating your condition.

Medical cannabis prescriptions allow for stronger concentrations of CBD oil, including THC to be prescribed, depending on the outcome of your consultation with a pain specialist.

How do I take CBD Oil?

It’s really easy. All you need to do is use the pipette provided and drop a number of drops underneath your tongue – this is known as taking CBD Oil sublingually.

When you hold CBD oil under your tongue it passes through the fleshy membrane and enters your bloodstream directly. You should hold the oil under your tongue for around 30-60 seconds, then you can swallow normally.

So when looking to CBD oil to help manage your pain symptoms, there’s evidence that shows how CBD oils have been proven to be effective in managing pain and inflammation. high street oils are in no way as powerful or concentrated as CBD oils available with a medical cannabis prescription.