WILL CBD HELP WITH FOOT PAIN?

CBD is a great wellness product that can have major health benefits, including for your ankles and feet. Pain is pain no matter the part of the body affected. However, when it originates in the foot, it can be life-altering by affecting one’s mobility and preventing them from enjoying daily activities like walking to the grocery, walking to take the bus to work, exercising, etc.

Sources of foot pain range from bunions, and ill-fitting shoes to more severe ailments such as arthritis and diabetic neuropathy. Despite the source, almost 50 percent, of people with foot pain go for over-the-counter products for alleviation, while 25 percent do nothing. An increasingly upcoming and popular alternative to chasing away foot pain is CBD (cannabidiol) products. Recent research has shown that topical CBD substantially reduced joint swelling and pain without adverse effects. That sounds like great news. Let's see how.

What is CBD?

CBD is short for cannabidiol. Cannabis is popular for its psychoactive qualities; marijuana is composed of over a hundred cannabinoid compounds and not all of them induce the high this plant is most famous for. The two most abundant compounds and the most recognizable are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and CBD. Both of these compounds are known for various proven and anecdotal health benefits, though there’s a major difference. THC is what creates euphoric effects, while CBD doesn’t affect users psychoactively. Thus, CBD is legal for sale across the United States while THC, the main ingredient in marijuana is legal only in certain states.

How CBD Oil Works Against Pain and Inflammation

Hemp-derived CBD oil interacts with receptors in the body's endocannabinoid system (ECS). ECS is a network of receptors responsible for regulating vital functions such as inflammatory response, stress levels, and sleep cycles. Woolridge et al.  (2005) reported that the action of CBD oil on the ECS has a full-body effect that can also help control foot problems due to its anti-inflammatory and pain-reducing properties. Hemp-derived CBD also has the added benefit of providing temporary relief without the psychoactive properties inherent with THC- containing products. Hemp-derived CBD Tincture must have 0.3 percent or less THC content at the federal level. Also, CBD oil is an organic, all-natural product that's well tolerated. Therefore, when hemp oil is used and processed by the body, it's effectively enhancing the function of the ECS, helping your body regulate itself in many different ways.

How CBD Oil May Relieve the Pain you’ve been experiencing

Handles General Pain and Aches

CBD oil can help alleviate general foot pain you may experience much like the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It has been shown to help reduce pain related to multiple sclerosis and arthritis. However, if pain persists after a few days, see a doctor for further diagnosis. Hammell et al. (2019) showed that rats were tested with arthritis to see if CBD could be used for pain. The researchers applied a CBD ointment to the rats for 4 days in a row and found that the CBD dose reduced inflammation, swelling, and pain. Caroline et al. (2021) looked at CBD and placebo on healthy, non-cannabis using volunteers. In the double-blind, placebo-controlled study, researchers found that CBD did not consistently affect pain thresh hold and tolerance compared with placebo. They also found that all doses of CBD increased scores of painfulness compared with placebo.

Relieve Inflammation

CBD oil prospers in reducing and preventing inflammation, especially for individuals with jobs that demand them to stand for long periods of time. Rub it on before wearing shoes for the day, the pain experienced should be less. Also, apply more to the affected areas when you're home.

Alleviates Blisters

Blisters are a common problem among people, whether professional athletes or office workers. CBD oil is rich in anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which might help treat blisters. Apply some CBD skin cream to the affected area a few times a day and observe that blisters heal more quickly.

Other Studies

Ethan (2008) suggested that CBD oils are effective in managing difficult-to-treat pain such as chronic discomfort from arthritis and foot conditions.

Calignano et al. (1998) showed that cannabinoid receptors in pain-processing parts of the brain and spinal cord indicate that certain cannabinoids may help control pain transmission.

Hammell et al. (2016), showed that topical application of CBD helped reduce joint swelling and relieve arthritic pain.

Conclusion

Foot and heel pain can be frustrating and debilitating. CBD could be an effective way of treating your symptoms.  In reviewing both clinical and anecdotal evidence, it does seem that CBD products may help alleviate foot pain for some people. Also what works for one person may yield little to no results for another. However, if you're experiencing persistent pain in your feet or ankles, we highly recommend that you see a specialist for a proper diagnosis. Moreover, if you want to try CBD oil to treat your foot pain, we encourage you to purchase from a trusted source and verified sellers and peruse product reviews before hitting the buy button. It’s critical to note that while CBD may help reduce your discomfort, it will not treat the cause of your pain. Therefore, we recommend using CBD for pain management in addition to treating the root cause.

References

Antonio Calignano, Giovanna La Rana, Andrea Giuffrida & Daniele Piomelli (1998). Control of pain initiation by endogenous cannabinoids.

Caroline A Arout , Margaret Haney , Evan S Herrmann , Gillinder Bedi , Ziva D Cooper. (2021). A placebo-controlled investigation of the analgesic effects, abuse liability, safety, and tolerability of a range of oral cannabidiol doses in healthy humans.

D.C. Hammell, L.P. Zhang, F. Ma, S.M. Abshire, S.L. McIlwrath, A.L. Stinchcomb, and K.N. Westlund. (2019). Transdermal cannabidiol reduces inflammation and pain-related behaviors in a rat model of arthritis

Ethan B Russo. (2008) Cannabinoids in the management of difficult to treat pain.

K.N. Westlund2. (2016); Transdermal cannabidiol reduces inflammation and pain-related behaviors in a rat model of arthritis

Woolridge, E., Barton, S., Samuel, J., Osorio, J., Dougherty, A., & Holdcroft, A. (2005). Cannabis use in HIV for pain and other medical symptoms. Journal of pain and symptom management, 29(4), 358-367.