DOES CBD OIL WORK FOR FOOT PAIN?

DOES CBD OIL WORK FOR FOOT PAIN?

Many individuals have suffered foot pains at some point in life. Foot pain can result from hitting or banging on something or wearing tight-fitting shoes. Still, severe foot pains may result from multiple sclerosis, diabetic neuropathy, Achilles tendonitis, diabetes type II, and other underlying issues. Half of the people suffering from foot pain seek over-the-counter medication, while a quarter does nothing about it. Whether something is done about it or not, some people likely wonder whether natural treatments may make better therapies, especially if over-the-counter medications fail. In fact, many people wonder whether CBD oil, the cannabinoid whose hype has popularized, might remedy foot pain. Generally, CBD oil studies are limited, and no scientific study can claim, with sufficient evidence, that it helps with foot pain. Therefore, this blog will not market CBD oil or recommend it for foot pain. Some studies claim that CBD oil may fight pain and inflammation in the aching feet, but more scientific evidence is needed before using it for any pain relief. 

Understanding CBD Oil

CBD oil is a cannabinoid or one of the many active compounds found in the hemp plant. It comes from hemp and has been mentioned to help with a number of physical pains, including foot pain. CBD oil exists in three formulations; isolate-based (99.9% pure CBD oil), full-spectrum (multiple cannabinoids, including THC, CBD, CBT, CBN, and CBG), and broad-spectrum (all cannabinoids without the psychoactive THC). CBD brands have grown so wide that its products are sold in stores, including CBD gummies, capsules, tinctures, topicals and vapes.

Can CBD Oil Help With Foot Pain?

CBD studies are limited, partly because the cannabinoid was recently legalized. Before then, many stringent rules barred and stood in the way of CBD research. Therefore, no scientific studies can claim that CBD oil helps with foot pain. Still, research from Julia, (2020), gives anecdotal evidence that calls on CBD oil for pain and inflammation, but these need modern study backing before being used to assume remedy in CBD oil.

Why CBD Oil May Help With Foot Pain

A lot has not been understood about CBD oil, including how it works. However, studies believe that the human system has a network of endocannabinoids, receptors, and enzymes that form the endocannabinoid system (ECS), a system that affects, influences, or interacts with crucial processes and functions in the body, including sleep, temperature regulations, moods, stress, perception, pain, digestion, immunity, and satiety. It is claimed that taking CBD oil or its products sets the body into a corrective mechanism, helping bring back everything to normalcy. Nonetheless, most of these studies are from anecdotal evidence or early research, some involve animals, and their results cannot be replicated 100% on human beings, and some are limited in scope and work with a small population, making it impossible to assume their results on human beings, until clinical trials are in place. Therefore, studies do not recommend CBD oil for foot pain.

Can CBD Oil Help With Foot Pain?

CBD oil studies are limited, and no scientific research can claim that taking CBD oil may help foot pain go away. Nonetheless, some early research not backed with modern scientific research claims that CBD oil may help with the pain. For instance, one study done in 2015 recorded that topically applying CBD oil on rats with arthritis resulted in pain reduction. While this study seems to suggest that CBD oil may remedy foot pain, it only involved animals. Yet, in scientific research, rats do not make the best indicators since the results obtained from their studies cannot be replicated 100% on human beings. Until clinical trials confirm CBD oil’s effectiveness for foot pain, research will not recommend the cannabinoid for this function.

Can CBD Oil Help With Inflammation?

More often, pain and inflammation contribute to each other’s occurrence in that, whenever there is pain, inflammation also occurs. Yet, some early studies, for instance, that of Bruni, et al., (2018), points to CBD oil as a remedy for inflammation. Furthermore, a 2017 study used CBD on osteoarthritic rats and recorded a significant reduction in inflammation and inflammatory markers. Besides, an earlier study conducted in 2009 showed that CBD oil might help fight acute inflammation, a phenomenon experienced when the body fights self-inflicted inflammation. Still, there is a need for further studies before recommending CBD oil for any pain, including foot pain.

Should You Use CBD Oil for Foot Pain?

The choice about taking CBD oil for foot pain is the individual’s. However, it is noteworthy that most studies that claim the effectiveness of CBD oil for foot pain are from anecdotal research or involve rats. More clinical trials are needed especially with human beings before recommending CBD oil for foot pain. Besides, the FDA has not approved CBD oil for foot pain, so talk to the doctor before trying any CBD product for pain. CBD products may bear a lot of information, and someone may unintentionally take the psychoactive THC. CBD studies are limited and what we know about the cannabinoid is far less than what we don’t know about it. This implies that taking CBD oil products for any reason, including foot pains, is a risky approach.

Conclusion

While early research and anecdotal evidence claim that CBD oil may help fight foot pain and relieve you of inflammation, there is a need for further scientific studies before recommending CBD oil and its products for foot problems. Still, if you choose to use CBD oil for your foot problems, consult the doctor beforehand.

References

Bruni, N., Della Pepa, C., Oliaro-Bosso, S., Pessione, E., Gastaldi, D., & Dosio, F. (2018). Cannabinoid Delivery Systems For Pain And Inflammation Treatment. Molecules, 23(10), 2478.

Julia, N. Best CBD Foot Cream: Top 10 Hemp Topical Reviews (2022).

MS, University of Tartu
Sleep specialist

Using the acquired academic and professional experience, I advise patients with various complaints about mental health - depressed mood, nervousness, lack of energy and interest, sleep disorders, panic attacks, obsessive thoughts and anxieties, difficulty concentrating, and stress. In my free time, I love to paint and go on long walks on the beach. One of my latest obsessions is sudoku – a wonderful activity to calm an unease mind.

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