CBD topicals for pain relief for seniors should be a natural part of growing older. It that growing older seems to bring on aches and pains, so how can CBD topical relieve pain for seniors? CBD topicals to the rescue. Pain comes in many forms and varying degrees. Now, CBD is not a panacea for pain, but it does show some potential when it comes to certain conditions. In fact, it has shown great promise relieving pain of arthritis, chronic pain, common muscle and joint fatigue and radiation treatment.
But first let’s talk about CBD and why using it is a good idea.
CBD topicals for pain relief
CBD, short for cannabidiol, is derived from hemp and marijuana, but has very little THC, which makes you high. So, it’s safer to use than something like opioids and other prescription medications that can have harmful side effects and be addicting. Plus, studies show that the average se
nior citizen takes up to five prescription medications daily. The potential for an interaction is high. Maybe adding a natural product into the mix is a better plan. CBD has few if any side effects and is not a
ddicting.
The other thing to understand about CBD topicals for pain relief is that they can be applied directly to the affected area. Why is that important? It’s faster acting because topicals bypass going through the bloodstream and attach to CB-1 and CB-2 receptors in the skin. That means, rather than taking an hour or more to experience relief, you’ll feel it work in minutes.
But let me back up a bit. If you’re new to this blog or to CBD in general, you may not know that all human beings are born with an endocannabinoid system (ECS). Why should you care? Here’s why. The main job of the ECS is to maintain homeostasis, or balance throughout our bodies. When trouble arises, it kicks into gear and sends the CB receptors to restore balance. Sometimes the receptors co
uld use a little support. That is when CBD topicals come into play.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s talk about what kind of pain CBD topicals can relive.
CBD topicals for arthritis pain relief
After a certain age, the wear and tear on our bodies begins to show up in joints as arthritis. Here is what the arthritis foundation has to say about it, “Arthritis is not a single disease; it is an informal way of referring to joint pain or joint disease. There are more than 100 types of arthritis and related conditions.”
Because arthritis involves swelling and inflammation, CBD is spot-on as a relief agent because of its anti-inflammatory properties. It attaches itself to the CB-2 receptor, which is in charge of managing pain and inflammation, to help it produce more pain-relieving effects. Again, it’s not addictive and you can use it as often as you need it. CBD topicals have the added advantage of hydrating and moisturizing skin, le
aving it looking soft and youthful.
CBD topicals for chronic pain relief
In the instance of pain associated with a chronic disease such as multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease, or neuropathy from diabetes, CBD has shown promise. Pain with MS is the result of muscle spasms. One report showed a reduction in pain because it reduced the spasticity associated with MS relieving the constant pain some people experience. The same report studied the how CBD worked with general chronic pain.
A separate study in the Journal of Experimental Medicine concurred. For other forms of chronic pain such as fibromyalgia, neuropathy and nerve pain, CBD acts as an anti-
inflammatory and analgesic. The findings indicate that CBD treats chronic pain effectively. Plus, there are few, if any, side effects and CBD is not habit forming.
CBD for sore muscles and joints
Here again, CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties excel. Reduced inflammation means better mobility in addition to pain reduction. Are you starting to see a pattern here? The reasons for joint and muscle pain range from old injuries to autoimmune disease to genetics.
Dr. Paula Williams, a physician at a medical cannabis care center in the Toronto area has this to say, “It turns out that the nervous system has neural pathways that use the body’s own cannabinoid receptors. Cannabinoids interact with the CB-1 and CB-2 receptors in various ways to
increase natural pain relief. These are not the same as opioid receptors, which is one reason why cannabis does not tend to be addicting when used for pain relief.”
CBD for radiation treatment burns
Anyone who has undergone radiation treatment knows that about three weeks into it, the burning starts. Sometimes the burns become so serious that treatment halts so the patient can regain his or her health. Then it starts again. Beyond burning, a patient also deals with blistering, increased appearance of aging, dermatitis, and sensitivity to sunlight to name a few.
Again, CBD topicals for burns have helped people go through radiation treatment without burning. There’s a reason for that. Linalool, a terpene found in cannabis, kicks up the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD. As a result, it helps soothe the skin and CBD’s analgesic properties help relieve pain. At the same time, CBD is full of antioxidants—particularly vitamins C, D and E—which protect skin and help heal the burn. Finally, CBD’s antibacterial properties probably help sterilize the area to keep infection at bay.
Buyer beware
Finally, do your research. There are a lot of CBD topicals out there that aren’t what they claim. Be vigilant and learn about CBD so you can make informed choices. The most important consideration should be given to the way the hemp is grown. It should be grown as organically as possible without using harmful herbicides, pesticides or growth enhancers. Second on the list is the manner in which the CBD is extracted. Look for a product derived from CO2 extraction. This is the most expensive extraction method, but by far the safest.