A sports injury can cause a lot of stress; not only are you likely prevented from returning to the game you love, but you might also be struggling with daily activities. You’re in pain, and this too is interfering with work, your social life, your sleep, and your mental clarity. The following will explore one method of pain reduction following a sports accident: CBD. Given its rising popularity, there’s a good chance you’ve heard this natural product hyped before now, but perhaps you’re unsure of what parts of the reporting have been anecdotal or sensationalized.
What Is CBD?
CBD is one of the compounds found in cannabis; it belongs to the class of ingredients labeled cannabinoids. This component is non-euphorigenic, meaning it won’t get you high. Indeed, you may not even notice any difference in how you feel upon taking it. It has also been widely studied for its medical and recreational uses, particularly helping with anxiety, stress, and pain.
How Does It Work?
Like all cannabinoids, CBD functions as a ligand. This means that it docks to the binding site of a protein and is then able to alter the receptor’s behavior. CBD binds to both CB1 and CB2 receptors but mildly, which is likely why it has no psychedelic impacts. CB1 receptors are found all over, but especially in the areas of the brain that focus on sensory perception, movement, coordination, cognition, emotion, memory, autonomic, and endocrine functions.CB2 receptors are most commonly found in the immune system.
The impact of CBD binding to receptors in your body can include: a reduction in epileptic seizures, relief of chronic pain, anxiety reduction, chemotherapy side effects reduction, soothing of PTSD symptoms, alleviating depression symptoms, and assistance with substance use disorders. New studies are also finding that CBD may potentially prevent and combat COVID-19 infections. CBD is also known to assist the body with inflammation, which is tied to a number of chronic illnesses and uncomfortable symptoms.
How Do You Take It?
CBD has been turned into a variety of products to help consumers find something that works for them. CBD can be smoked, ingested in an oil/tincture form, taken in a capsule, applied topically, or eaten. Typically, the CBD that’s eaten and absorbed through digestion will stay in your system longer. This being said, eating CBD means that typically the effects take a little longer to kick in.
Many people find that they have an innate preference for one form of CBD over another. This means if you’re not a fan of one option, it might be wise to stay open to other methods of taking it. Some people are not comfortable smoking; others want immediate relief from their pain, while others want what lasts the longest.
The above information should have outlined what CBD is, how it works, and how you can take it to deal with pain from a sports injury. It’s important to speak to a healthcare practitioner if you are taking other medications in tandem with CBD. It’s also possible to be allergic to it (this is extremely rare). If you notice an allergic response, stop your usage and reach out to a healthcare professional.
