Unfortunately as we age, pain (acute or chronic) becomes more and more common. For those tired of pharmaceuticals with nasty side effects, natural approaches like cannabis may provide relief. While more research is still needed there is much anecdotal evidence to support that THC works to decrease the brain’s perception of pain while CBD works to reduce inflammation. If ingested, THC binds to the CB1 receptors in the brain and decreases pain sensitivity. CBD helps to bring balance to the body by directly interacting with cytokines which are small signaling proteins that regulate inflammation in the body. CBD reduces the production of proinflammatory cytokines while simultaneously encouraging the production of antiinflammatory cytokines. For these reasons, the best results for pain management are often seen when combining multiple cannabinoids such as THC and CBD.
Pain can be tackled either externally or internally with a topical or ingestible. To get the most benefits we highly recommend the “inside-out” method that combines both of these products. Let’s take a closer look at a few of the in store items and the recommended applications for pain relief.
Starting with a topical, The Wave Keep Living roll on is an excellent choice for aches and pains. At 2,000mg of CBD, it is one of the most potent topicals on our menu. Simply apply to areas of discomfort and massage into the skin. Because topicals do not cross the blood/brain barrier they can be applied as many times a day as needed without having any cognitive effects. Another tip is to apply topicals after a hot shower or bath when blood vessels are less constricted. This ensures maximum absorption to have greater anti-inflammatory properties.
Keep Living
$50 (2,000mg)
For more widespread pain that a topical can’t touch, ingestibles like tinctures, edibles, or capsules are the way to go. While there are many options for this administration route, for now let’s focus on tinctures specifically the Howl’s 10:1 tincture. With 308 mg of CBD and 32.7 mg of THC per bottle, this oil offers a therapeutic formula to ease inflammation and discomfort. For the best results start by taking 0.25ml - 0.50ml at night for 2-3 days and make note of any drowsiness or impairment. If you experience relief without these side effects try adding a morning dose. Dosing twice a day helps manage pain and inflammation for a full 24 hours. To avoid any interactions be sure to take cannabis ingestibles 1 hour before or after other medications. Stay with your current dosing for at least 5 days before increasing to account for any outside factors such as stress or lack of sleep. If you do increase, be sure to always start with the higher dose at night to assess how you feel. As always if you have any questions feel free to reach out to RN Kurt Kalker to discuss any cannabis or medical related!
Nurse Kurt Recommends
Howl’s 10:1 tincture $27 (1/3oz)
THC products available at our sister store Cape Ann Cannabis (www.capeanncannabis.com) Want More Support?
*If you’re 65+ your first private consultation with Nurse Kurt is Free. For more private conversations you can call 978-356-3493 to book a consultation or book online here.
QUICK CHAT? He’s available in-store Tuesday—Thursday from 3pm to 6pm.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7770114/#B152
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41584-018-0109-2/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5628563/