A doctor’s advice on CBD and chronic pain

Chronic pain can be a difficult diagnosis, yet approximately 20% of the population suffers from a long-term condition. For those of us who don’t suffer from this condition, it’s hard to imagine what someone with chronic pain must go through. Chronic pain is usually the result of trauma and makes the situation significantly worse. Imagine the worst pain you’ve ever experienced, and then try to imagine being in pain, day after day, for months, or worse, years.

Imagine not being able to sleep and suffering from chronic sleep deprivation. Imagine not being able to find a comfortable position to sit, stand or sleep. Imagine that your significant other or children want your attention and you are unable to give it. Imagine not being able to have enjoyable sex with the person you love. Experiencing chronic pain constantly changes you. Depression and anxiety are common in this patient group.

While doctors have access to tools to manage pain, a quick solution to chronic pain is not possible. Interventional procedures, surgery, physical therapy, and pain medications have historically been the therapies of choice to relieve pain. In the past, narcotics – particularly opioid narcotics – have also been one of the preferred therapies due to their accessibility and cost-effectiveness.

RELATED: Study: Three hits of marijuana a day combat chronic pain

Given the opioid crisis, doctors are less likely to prescribe narcotics, and some of us are choosing not to prescribe them at all. The problem with narcotics is that they work. They work really well. Sometimes too good, causing the patient to feel so comfortable that they “forget” to breathe. So while reducing the amount of narcotics prescribed to patients is a good thing, the problem is that doctors haven’t been able to recommend many good alternatives to their patients.

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Not all of America has access to medical cannabis yet, but the entire country has access to hemp-derived CBD. The eight pain clinics I run in North Carolina have been recommending CBD to their patients for several years and have seen some incredible results. We are learning every day what CBD can and cannot do for our chronic pain patients.

Shortly after learning about hemp and CBD, we conducted an early study with 100 patients and learned some valuable insights. Our patients’ lives improved in multiple ways, including sleep, anxiety relief, and hope. Patients began calling hemp a “miracle plant,” and we can see why.

Sleep is an extremely important aspect of life. It is the time when our bodies and brains regenerate and prepare for the next day. Without good sleep, the strain on our bodies and mental performance is enormous. But CBD helps with sleep. On average, our patients’ sleep duration increased from 4.5 to 6 hours and they reported that the quality of their sleep significantly improved. The patients even told us that they had started to remember dreams, which was a surprise to them. Given the amount of medication these patients take, it’s no wonder many of them haven’t dreamed in years.

RELATED: Chronic pain patients are ditching opioids in favor of marijuana

Chronic pain strains your nerves. It is common for patients to experience severe anxiety. In the past, patients were prescribed benzodiazepines (Valium and Xanax) to treat this problem. Unfortunately, the combination of narcotics and benzos has led to an increased number of overdose deaths. During our study, it became clear that our patients had less anxiety. Instead of reaching for a friend’s benzo or alcohol to ease their anxiety, they started reaching for his CBD oil instead.

Chronic pain leads to a feeling of despair and hopelessness. One wonders if the pain will ever end? Will I ever get my life back? An unexpected finding during our study was that our patients returned to us saying they were hopeful. Instead of her glass being half empty, it was now half full. Hope is powerful. When you have hope, your mind begins to work for you instead of against you. You begin to imagine that things could be different. You find the motivation to get off the couch and get busy with life instead of waiting for death. This sense of hope inspired these patients to engage in activities we had encouraged them to do for years, such as doing yoga, eating healthier, losing weight, and exercising more.

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Our initial assessment of pain relief was initially disappointing. Typically, on average, we only see a 10 to 20 percent reduction in pain when a patient takes CBD. While some patients reported complete pain relief, this was the exception and not the rule. Patients with a strong inflammatory component or fibromyalgia appear to achieve the best results.

As we continue to work with CBD, our knowledge of the power of this plant continues to grow. We get much better results when we work with our patients to feel pain-free. You may think I’m joking, but I’m not. Chronic pain changes the brain and sets dysfunctional pathways. CBD promotes neuroplasticity and neurogenesis – the creation of new brain cells that develop into new ways of thinking. We are encouraged and excited to continue working with CBD to maximize its potential to treat chronic pain.

RELATED: Science Says Medical Marijuana Improves Quality of LifeCB

If you live with chronic pain, hemp offers you hope. CBD can be purchased online or over the counter in many forms in every state in the US and in many locations around the world. The good news is that CBD has a very broad safety profile and you should feel comfortable trying it out. The dosage is crucial.

Taking too much of it won’t hurt you, but it might not help you either. Please be sure to talk to your doctor about CBD. In my next column, I’ll share some tips for having this conversation, especially if you’re feeling uneasy about cannabis or hemp or suspect that your doctor may react negatively to your interest.