The cannabis compound cannabidiol (CBD) is amassing quite the number of supporters worldwide. The increasing support comes from numerous studies that try to discover the compound’s medical benefits. While its capacity to treat an array of diseases is still being researched, people currently believe that CBD does act as an excellent pain reliever.
Dafna Revah, owner of CBD retailer Kratom, first set up shop in 2014. Since opening, she has expanded her venture into eight more stores across the U.S. Unlike typical recreational cannabis users, Revah’s loyal customers are not looking to get high. Instead, they are turning to her store to find pain relievers and her most popular product so far is Kratom’s pain cream.
A majority of Kratom’s customers are within the 35 to 55 age bracket. They are hoping that the miracle compound will help them cope with conditions such as chronic pain and anxiety, among others. Simply by rubbing the CBD-infused cream on the affected area, the consumers claim that the pain and swelling are reduced immediately. Since most CBD products are all-natural, consumers also no longer have to worry about any chemical additives.
What do the experts say?
Despite the amazing initial response from consumers, physicians are not at all sold to the idea of calling CBD as a pain reliever. Northwestern Medicine’s Osher Center for Integrative Medicine executive director Melinda Ring said that there is not enough proof on the efficacy of CBD. She does, however, recommend it as an alternative drug for patients suffering from anxiety, insomnia, and chronic pain.
“The strongest data is for the treatment of seizures in some rare epilepsy disorders. For other conditions, ranging from glaucoma to movement disorders, the data is promising,” she added. For its other potential benefits, the data remains to be very limited. Regardless of her stance on CBD, Ring does advise for certain patients to use CBD but only those that are bought from reputable sources.
Does it work for consumers?
Although the data is lacking, consumers still buy CBD-based pain relievers. According to them, the results are amazing. One of those consumers is 31-year old Kyle Wright from New York.
He once led an active life as a bartender and sports enthusiast. However, he had to contend with back and shoulder aches caused by mild scoliosis in recent years. His life turned for the better when one of his friends handed him a sample of a CBD lotion. According to Wright, the pain began to subside just 15 minutes after he applied it on his body. He has been an avid CBD fan since then.
The story of Wright is just one of the many that validate the efficacy of CBD as a pain reliever. The future of CBD remains uncertain but studies being conducted on the compound hold a ton of potential. Needless to say, consumers are excited to see more scientific proof that CBD does help relieve pain. When the results do come, it is very likely that more producers and retailers will step up to meet the growing demand.
