Pain and sports injuries are not strange and fringe occurrences to athletes. The competitiveness of the events they participate in or the required level of training can often times cause pain, injuries, or both. For a while now, trainers and athletes have been using traditional methods to reduce the severity of this pain, but now new methods are being looked into. The new methods are not only for helping the athletes, but also giving them an upper hand during competitions.
Among the new options that have been considered is the use of cannabinoid (CBD) oil as a means of treating severe pain. Cannabinoids originate from cannabis and the hemp plants. Although cannabis is largely associated with getting people high, i.e. influencing their state of consciousness. some other beneficial substances can be extracted from the plant as well.
One of the major reasons why CBD is being considered as a way of treating chronic pain is because it is purely natural and non-evasive. Apart from that, it is affordable and does not require a medical expert to administer it. Needless to say, the use of CBD oil in pain and inflammation treatment is going to be a major development in the sports scene.
Why CBD products?
For a long time now, treatment of pain and sports-related injuries has been done using injectable anti-inflammatories. This method has had shortcomings of its own with athletes wearing down when subjected to the treatment. Injuries and pain can be an occupational hazard to any sportsperson and therefore the manner in which they are dealt with can make or break an entire career.
To address the shortcomings arising from the traditional treatment of pain, injuries, and inflammation, CBD oils were considered for the first time quite recently.
While the traditional methods can reduce the pain and inflammation effectively, the side effects are often times worse. They make the body very uncomfortable as opposed to what CBD does. CBD products interact well with the human endocannabinoid system to give the athlete a well deserved peace of mind.
The use of CBD in sports
If you are an athlete, one thing is inevitable: you have to deal with chronic pain and inflammation. You can get injured when you are under a rigorous training or participating in a competition. CBD products have been a great help to athletes since 2018 when the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) scrapped cannbidiols off of the list of banned substances.
Since then, sportspeople, same as others can buy CBD products online from reliable vendors like Berkshirecbd.
WADA drug tests athletes worldwide, and allowing athletes to use CBD for treatment has been a major development. Chronic pain can affect performance in ways that jeopardize an entire career. Fortunately, CBD has become the answer that athletes were seeking.
Further studies indicate that CBD can also treat arthritis, which plagues athletes as they age. One study, published in the European Journal of Pain concluded that:
…topical CBD application has therapeutic potential for relief of arthritis pain-related behaviours and inflammation without evident side-effects.
Hammell, D. C., Zhang, L. P., Ma, F., Abshire, S. M., McIlwrath, S. L., Stinchcomb, A. L., & Westlund, K. N. (2016). Transdermal cannabidiol reduces inflammation and pain-related behaviours in a rat model of arthritis. European journal of pain (London, England), 20(6), 936–948. doi:10.1002/ejp.818
One of the abilities that CBD possesses that has made it so popular is its anti-inflammatory power. Due to the competitive nature of sports, sometimes muscle tears and sprains occur, which cause inflammations. CBD has proven to be a very effective anti-inflammatory agent, not to mention that it is completely natural.
These products help reduce the symptoms of stress and there is a growing literature to suggest the number of benefits from CBD oil for anxiety which provide hope for many people struggling with this affliction.
How does CBD oil reduce pain?
Cannabinoids can only be extracted from cannabis or hemp plants or generated by the human body. The human body is made up of an endocannabinoid system, which is responsible for controlling pain. The endocannabinoid system is made up of receptors that interact with the cannabinoids in the body. If this system is functioning well, there is a likelihood that the body will respond well to pain treatment.
The receptors in the human endocannabinoid system interact with cannabinoids to produce enzymes that are distributed throughout the central nervous system. These enzymes, when produced in adequate quantity play a significant role in bringing about balance in the body and even reducing inflammation.
So, CBD oil has proven to be effective in pain treatment because of the body’s tendency to respond well to natural substances. It does, after all, produce the same enzymes.
What is the appropriate dosage of CBD for pain relief?
CBD products can be ingested in many forms. This can be either through capsules, oil, or a tincture that is placed under your tongue. It is up to you to choose the one that best suits you.
No matter the product you choose, the product will naturally enter your body. However, it might take quite some time before you experience certain signs of relief.
Most users begin ingesting 5-10 mg of CBD per day while others get the much necessary relief with a dosage of 25 mg per day. Just like any drug, it is recommended that you start slow before increasing the dosage.
You can start with 5 mg, and if there is no sign of relief, increase the dosage by another 5 mg. But make sure to consult a medical professional for an advice, both on how to start, as well as how to proceed. Ending the treatment, likewise, requires some additional consultation.
Should CBD be used in sports medicine?
While there is no extensive literature on the benefits of CBD, those who have used it claim that it is the best method for pain relief. Take it, if you will, as a growing evidence of n1 or even anecdotal studies.
However, while traditional pain treatment methods are accompanied by several side effects, treatment using CBD has no side effects. It has barely been a year since CBD was removed from the illegal substances list by WADA, and the product is making great strides in sports medicine. It is only a matter of time before it is universally accepted as a means of treating chronic pain and sports injuries, supported by a reliable and credible literature.