Can you count the number of times you had to take a painkiller to get rid of a migraine? Do you remember how many remedies you’ve tried just to be free from a toothache? Imagine going through a migraine daily or having a toothache that throbs every minute. It must be terrible, right? Now, imagine having unpredictable pain that’s not exactly treatable or easy to diagnose. This is what individuals with neuropathic pain experience every day.
What does neuropathic mean? This implies that the suffering or “pathy” is nervous system-related or “neuro” What exactly is neuropathic pain? This type of pain is brought about impairment or condition affecting the body’s somatosensory nervous system. This system is a multifaceted network of sensory neurons and pathways that are responsible for responding to the shift in the body surfaces or internal bodily functions.
As a result, individuals with this condition may experience dysesthesia (atypical sensations) or allodynia (pain from a supposedly unpainful stimulus). The discomfort may be incessant or spasmic, depending on the condition. The maiming feeling may involve a parching or freezing, pins-and-needles, numbing, or prickling sensation.
Common Treatment for Neuropathic Pain
Unfortunately, this disease is challenging to diagnose and treat. Among individuals with this type of condition, only forty to sixty percent get a reprieve. The medicaments include anti-depressants, anti-convulsants, botox type A, herbal and dietary supplements, neuro-modulators, opioids, surgeries, and cannabinoids. Anti-depressants contain chemicals that regulate the body’s serotonin and norepinephrine levels – hormones that impact mood and pain management.
Anti-convulsants help manage epileptic episodes or seizures. Botox (Botulinum toxin) is a bacteria-derived treatment that has paralytic effects and is found to be useful in focal-pain. Herbal by-products generally aren’t proven to be effective but are still chosen by traditional patients. Dietary supplements are mostly used for neuropathic conditions related to diabetes.
Neuro-modulators involve device implants that are mainly experimental and have high complicacy risks. Two examples of this method are deep-brain and motor-cortex stimulation. Commonly used opioids are NMDA antagonists and are used for anesthetic purposes. Finally, surgeries in this area involve nerve blocking in extreme cases.
Cannabinoids are obtained from Cannabis herbs. Cannabinoids are neuro-receptors that aid in sleep, pain, and immune-feedback management. One popular cannabinoid-containing product is CBD. But, what exactly is CBD, and what is the right CBD dosage for neuropathic pain?
CBD for Neuropathic Pain
CBD products are becoming popular these past few years for their medicative advantages. People consider this substance a revolution in the field of healing, possibly because of the fact that it’s naturally occurring, and it presents little to almost no side effects based on anecdotal reports. However, only a few truly understand what it is, and how it treats certain conditions or at least reduce their bodily effects.
CBD is a contraction of Cannabidiol, a cannabinoid procured from Cannabis herbs. Used to be illegal and extracted together with THC, it was successfully isolated in the 1940s by Dr. Roger Adams and his team of experts. This is when they discovered the true nature of CBD. It was not an addictive or psychedelic substance after all.
In their study, they realized that it is actually its partner cannabinoid, THC (or tetrahydrocannabinol) that’s causing the mind-altering effects of the Cannabis. CBD, in fact, is blocking the unwanted effects of its partner, so that its desirable benefits can be maximized if ingested in the legal levels.
As a cannabinoid, CBD binds to the brain receptors through the endocannabinoid system and helps regular certain functions, such as sleep, pain reception, immune feedback, and anxiety. This is one of the reasons why CBD is effective for pain. This is besides the fact that it is an anti-leukotriene and an anti-bacterial. This is why the right CBD dosage for neuropathic pain can have positive effects.
The Right CBD Dosage
What is the right CBD dosage for neuropathic pain? Of course, the right dosage is best given by your physician. However, you may find the result of a scientific study conducted by Dr. Laurie Barclay, a well-known neurologist interesting. Her results indicate that, if it’s an IV administered CBD, 0.10 milligrams per kilogram will provide more significant results through repeated use.
It was also found that the effect is felt after 1 week of daily intake. Of course, these findings will still require further investigation, but it’s really promising. So, if you’d like to have an estimated dosage, take note of your weight and multiple it by the 0.10-milligram recommendation.
Neuropathic pain is admittedly one of the hardest conditions to treat due to the varying root of the pain and the sensitivity of the nerves that can amplify pain, sometimes to unbearable levels. CBD is found to be an efficacious medium to mitigate the ache. With the right dosage and the doctor’s help, it can make the lives of people with this condition much better.
