Can CBD Oil be Helpful for Muscle Pain and Inflammation?

In light of the boom and controversies surrounding hemp, cannabis, and all related products, let’s first be absolutely clear about what we are talking about. Cannabidiol (CBD) oil does originate from hemp or cannabis plants, but CBD cannabinoids are distinctly different from THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) cannabinoids. Only the latter can result in you experiencing a high when you consume it, and CBD oil products contain extremely low levels of THC—as little as 0.3%. 

With no psychoactive properties, CBD oil is a safe way to enjoy the health benefits of the cannabis plant. This also explains why countries all over the world and many US states have adjusted laws regarding CBD products. If you want to grow plants or buy CBD oil in Colorado, Alabama, Tennessee, or a few other states, you won’t necessarily have legislation standing in your way. 

In this article, I will look into the benefits of CBD oil, for example, to minimize muscle pain or inflammation and I will discuss some CBD treatment options. 

The Benefits of CBD Oil

The movement to legalize CBD has been motivated by individuals who are aware of its many advantages, especially in terms of helping people manage health and well-being. 

CBD for Pain Management

Firstly, there are many success stories of people using CBD for pain relief. This ranges from CBD being used to help treat general chronic pain to assisting with conditions like arthritis, pain caused by damaged nerves (neuropathic pain), and even MS (Multiple sclerosis).

Although studies are ongoing to have clear-cut proof of its worth and how exactly CBD oil can help, many people view it as a powerful product in pain management. Often it may not be the only product patients use, but it plays an important supportive role, such as helping to reduce spasms in MS patients while they also get other types of treatment. 

CBD is viewed as a product that can treat inflammation, which then indirectly serves to reduce pain levels in many patients. 

Additional Uses and Benefits

Pain management is only one part of the benefits of CBD oil that have been reported. People use it for the following and often have positive outcomes:

• A product to help manage side effects of drug or nicotine withdrawal, making it easier to quit certain addictions.
• When experiencing anxiety, some people find that CBD oil helps calm them.
• It can reduce the frequency or intensity of seizures, which also makes it an option for someone with epilepsy.
• Many reports on its ability to improve health in general, but even to help patients with serious conditions like cancer.
• People use it to treat heart conditions and hypertension.

Although it’s vital to use the right dosage when using CBD oil as part of any treatment, one of its main benefits is how safe it is to use. With no chance of experiencing a high, many people can use it in their day-to-day lives and enjoy a sense of well-being again. 

This now begs the question of whether it’s appropriate for those looking for treatment options for muscle pain. If it can help with chronic pain, is it also something you can try after an injury from a gym session? 

CBD Oil for Muscle Pain from Workouts

In short, there is definite potential for CBD oil to be an effective solution to address muscle pain after a workout. Whether it’s general stiffness after a hectic gym session or an injury, CBD oil has characteristics that can alleviate discomfort and help towards a faster recovery. 

CBD oil even seems to spark outcomes that are very helpful to the athletic niche specifically. For one thing, in some athletes, it can reduce DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). In the long run, this can help you see the muscle development you’re hoping for a little sooner. 

We suggest not relying on CBD only though. Other treatment methods such as proper stretching and hot compresses or cold exposure are still important. 

CBD oil should not be seen as a shortcut to getting what you want out of your workout. Even though it helps with pain management you still need to respect your body and do what’s necessary to heal properly. 

How CBD Can Affect Pain in the Muscle

To make informed choices when you need to treat muscle pain, it helps to understand how CBD oil affects your body. 

To a large extent, the benefits of CBD oil for treating muscle pain stem from it acting as an anti-inflammatory. This means that the source of discomfort gets treated and you’re helping your body heal faster—a definite bonus so you can get back to workouts sooner. 

Furthermore, as a cannabinoid, CBD can affect certain receptors in your endocannabinoid system. This system determines many biological processes in your body—everything from how you sleep to how hungry you are. There are also receptors in the system that influence the pain you feel in your muscles and inflammation. 

When CBD interacts with the receptor—TRPV1 to be specific—the outcome is actually that pain signals get blocked. So, while your body may heal faster thanks to a reduction in inflammation, you also won’t experience pain associated with a damaged muscle as intensely as you usually would. This makes a recovery shorter, but also much more bearable. 

How to Use CBD for Muscle Pain

As mentioned above, it’s important to make CBD oil a part of your general workout recovery plan, not the only solution.

If you had a tough session or realize you’ve hurt yourself, set aside time as soon as possible to ease the pain through stretching, icing a hurt muscle for a maximum of 20 minutes, or having hot water run over it in the shower. After this, you can take CBD oil in order to manage inflammation and hopefully experience pain less intensely.

Remember that sleep also helps your body recover and here also CBD and CBN for sleep oil can assist. Due to its calming effect, you could consider taking it before bedtime. 

Thanks to CBD oil making pain more bearable, you can try out active recovery which is basically very light exercising. Over time you can increase the intensity of workout sessions so you maintain fitness but don’t hurt muscles again.  

For best results, you may need to discuss dosages with your GP or health experts. 

What Medication can CBD Interact with?

One challenge of using CBD oil for medical conditions or serious injury is that you may use it while also taking pharmaceuticals. Sometimes this doesn’t pose a problem but CBD oil has been known to interact with products by either intensifying side effects or changing the usual outcome.

There have been reports that it can affect the outcome when you take products like (but not limited to):

• Blood thinners
• Thyroid medications
• Seizure treatment (anti-epileptic drugs)
• Medication to adjust heart rhythm
• Anticonvulsants
• Sedatives
• Antidepressants

If you’re taking any of the above and considering using CBD oil for muscle pain, you need to monitor the side effects and ensure you use it safely. We also suggest you discuss your plans with your doctor first. 

Disclaimer:

This is no health advice and I am not a GP. If you experience any health issues discuss CBD with your GP or doctor before you take it.

Conclusion

Many people believe in the power of natural products for daily health. CBD oil is one such product and worth considering thanks to properties like being inflammatory. This carries the potential for helping you recover when experiencing muscle pain and inflammation. As long as dosages are appropriate and you monitor effects continually, you may be back to your usual workout program soon.