Whether you’re a gym-goer or outdoor sports enthusiast, the evidence is clear that spending time exercising is exceptional for your overall health.
People with rheumatoid arthritis, for instance, can benefit from being outdoors or working out in the gym, but their pain often prevents them from engaging in these constructive activities.
Unfortunately, a lot of people avoid restorative activities because these activities cause or exacerbate the physical pain they experience in their joints or muscles.
How CBD Can Help You Get Moving Pain Free
Those dedicated to overcoming their pain may pursue a variety of different options for treating their pain – from medications to surgery.
These approaches, however, are often associated with side effects, and they may be both ineffective and costly. Recent research has shown that CBD may overcome some of these shortfalls observed with other pain interventions.
It is indeed well-established that the endocannabinoid system plays a critical role in regulating pain and inflammation, and there is evidence that products containing CBD, which acts on the endocannabinoid system, can help with several types of pain.
Research also suggests that CBD may be relevant for those managing chronic pain. CBD is thought to be a promising candidate in the treatment of osteoarthritis, and topical use of CBD has been shown to inhibit pain in this condition.
How CBD Can Influence Pain Perception
While it appears that CBD can reduce the sensitivity of pain receptors in the joints, how exactly it can reduce pain in osteoarthritis and other conditions is not yet clear. Scientific studies point to two potential mechanisms.
One way that CBD may help those experiencing pain is to directly decrease pain perception by interacting with cannabinoid receptors, particularly receptors called CB2 receptors.
It seems that CBD is able to reduce pain by influencing the way that certain stimuli affect pain receptors so that people do not perceive pain the way they would without CBD. CB2 receptors have been observed to interact with nearby channels, known as TRPV1 channels, to influence joint pain.
Another way CBD can reduce pain is by preventing or lowering inflammation that can cause pain. By reducing inflammation in joints, CBD may help to protect nerves and thereby limit pain. CBD is known to have beneficial anti-inflammatory properties, including the ability to reduce the production of inflammatory cells of the immune system called cytokines.
CBD is also capable of increasing myeloid-derived suppressor cells, which are cells that help to suppress inflammation. It has recently been observed that CBD inhibits what is known as the adenosine transporter, which promotes the signaling of an anti-inflammatory receptor called the adenosine, or A2A, receptor.
It is therefore possible that CBD fights inflammation through multiple signaling pathways.
Key Takeaways About CBD and Pain Relief
There is mounting data to suggest that CBD can help people overcome chronic pain, mainly by affecting critical receptors in the nervous system and by combatting problematic inflammation.
Ongoing clinical trials will help to clarify how exactly CBD can be used to combat pain and the best ways to use it to ensure that you get plenty of enjoyable time outdoors.