CBD for Neuropathic Pain

After decades of cannabis prohibition, our scientific understanding of how CBD works for specific symptoms and conditions is just getting started.  Although many Canadians safely consume CBD for medical and therapeutic reasons, it’s always best practice to visit your family doctor or a cannabis-savvy physician (not always the same person) to discuss if CBD is right for you.

CBD for Anxiety

Although more controlled clinical studies are needed, numerous preclinical and case studies have found CBD to be safe and effective in easing symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder

CBD for Neuropathic Pain

CBD inhibits glutamate release and other inflammatory agents, which makes it neuroprotective and excellent at dulling the prickling, tingling, and burning sensations associated with neuropathy, or neuropathic pain.

CBD for Inflammation

CBD is a potent anti-inflammatory, making it a potential treatment for a range of inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, and fibromyalgia, to name a few.

CBD for Pain

CBD is often touted as a analgesic, or pain-reliever, but this is a matter of some debate.  Many researchers believe that CBD relieves pain by addressing its cause-such as inflammation-rather than treating the pain itself.  The best evidence of CBD’s analgesic effects pertains to neuropathic pain specifically.

CBD for Insomnia

Similar to its relationship with pain, CBD’s impact on insomnia is debatable, and there is very little research to support its role in sleep, good or bad.  Anecdotally, however, many consumers claim it helps with sleep. More research is needed, but currently it is theorized that CBD promotes sleep by easing factors that disrupt it, like anxiety, or by working in concert with other cannabis ingredients, like the calming terpene myrcene.

CBD for Seizures

In both children and adults, large doses of CBD and CBD-based medications (Epidiolex) have had remarkable success in reducing the overall number of seizures experienced by patients with various forms of epilepsy, including rare and intractable forms such as Dravet Syndrome.

CBD for Addiction and Opioid Withdrawal

Like many of CBD’s potential applications, research into its effects on addiction and opioid withdrawal is scant, but promising.  Compared with placebo, it has been shown to reduce cravings and anxiety in patients recovering from heroin addiction, and to mitigate reward-seeking behaviour.