Here is What you Need to Know About CBD Oil for Lyme Disease
Over the years, there has been growing popularity of cannabidiol (CBD) products, especially for their health benefits. They include inducing sleep, relieving pain, and reducing anxiety. Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of Epidiolex, a cannabidiol drug, for treating certain types of epilepsy. This, however, does not imply that CBD products can be used to treat all diseases. Today we are going to learn about Lyme disease and its relationship with CBD oil.
Definition of Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is an ailment that occurs after you have been bitten by a black-legged tick or deer tick. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), you can only get infected if the tick has been attached to your body for between 36 to 48 hours. During this period, the ticks introduce a bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi to your body. Studies have shown that people in forested areas with deer or black-legged ticks are vulnerable to contracting this disease.
What are the Symptoms of Lyme Disease?
Health experts have noted that the symptoms vary between different patients. Common symptoms include but are not limited to:
- Fatigue
- Bull’s eye rash on the bitten part
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Joint pain
- Joint swelling
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Fever
- Sleep deprivation
A study done in 2016 showed that 10-20% of people experience post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome or chronic Lyme disease. This means that they exhibit symptoms of Lyme disease even after taking antibiotics. Experts have yet to identify the cause of this phenomenon.
What is CBD Oil?
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a medicinal product extracted from cannabis. The primary chemicals or phytocannabinoids contained in cannabis are known as cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC is known for its effect of making you ‘high’.
Over the years, there have been studies showing the effectiveness of CBD Oil In reducing joint pain and inflammation. This was concluded after researchers undertook a study on CBD gel on rats in 2016.
Research on CBD Work?
There has been a misconception about CBD and THC. Experts have noted that CBD oil affects brain activity. Unlike THC, CBD oil interacts with two receptors, CB1 and CB2, to reduce inflammation and pain.
For instance, CBD helps to treat the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome. Nonetheless, more studies need to be conducted to understand the full benefits and risks of cannabidiol in treating various diseases.
What do Researchers Say About CBD and THC?
Before cannabis products became popular, there were several studies done. The 3rd Congress of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) undertook a study to assess the relationship between cannabinoids and migraine prevention in 2017.
A combination of CBD and THC was administered to 48 people with chronic migraine. The first compound contained 19% THC while the other contained 9% CBD with no THC.
The results showed that acute pain was reduced by 55% after the dosage was increased from 100 milligrams (mg) to 200 mg. 79 people with chronic migraine presented different results. For instance, subjects that received a THC-CBD combination experienced a 40.4% reduction in migraine compared to 40.1% of those that received one compound.
Nevertheless, people that experienced chronic migraines from childhood experienced different results than those suffering from migraines at an advanced age. It was, thus, concluded that the combination of the two compounds was effective for a population suffering from chronic headaches and migraines from a young age.
Replacement of Conventional Medication with CBD
A research study in 2018 showed that participants that opted to replace opioids with CBD experienced a significant reduction in chronic pain, headache, arthritis, and migraine. They realized that they had fewer side effects after using CBD.
However, higher dosages of CBD led to drowsiness among the participants. Therefore, experts had to review the doses to reduce the side effects. Aside from reducing drug effects, CBD products have been found to reduce drug dependency.
Notably, opioids have been used in the treatment of various diseases. Usage of these drugs has led to an increase in drug dependency especially opioids. By using CBD, you get to experience less chronic joint pain and inflammation. This is evident in the usage of nabilone, a synthetic form of THC, in treating headache disorders.
CBD for Chronic Pain Relief
Experts have noted that CBD interacts with a core component of the endocannabinoid receptors (ECS) in your brain and immune system. The brain receptors contain proteins that receive chemical signals from different stimuli. Through the signals, the cells can respond accordingly.
Legality of CBD
In the past, cannabis and related products were illegal in various states. However, this has changed as experts identified the medicinal benefits of CBD products. For instance, you can purchase CBD oil for medicinal products in most parts. However, you have to check whether your state has legalized the recreational use of cannabis or not.
CBD Oil for Lyme Disease
First and foremost, cannabidiol oil cannot be used to cure Lyme disease. Currently, no CBD oil has been approved by the FDA for treating Lyme disease due to a lack of research in this field. Therefore, you should not be lured or coerced into buying CBD oil to cure Lyme disease by any company. Do not hesitate to reach out to the FDA if you encounter such marketers or companies claiming otherwise.
That said, you should note that CBD oil helps relieve pain experienced by some people experiencing post-Lyme disease syndrome symptoms. This means that you get to sleep better and experience less joint pain.
It is worth mentioning that the claims have been backed by various studies. In 2019, experts concluded that CBD products such as oil help to reduce anxiety and improve sleeping patterns. Another study showed that pain levels reduced after using CBD.
Safety Concerns About CBD Oil for Lyme Disease
If you choose to take CBD oil for its health benefits, there are certain things you should avoid. For starters, you should not take CBD if you are on antibiotic treatment. This is because the functionality of one or both drugs may be affected.
You should also avoid taking CBD oil if you are taking drugs with grapefruit warnings. Experts warn that this combination may be harmful to your body. Additionally, CBD is associated with various side effects. They include:
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Changes in appetite
- Changes in weight
From the above information, it is advisable to consult with your doctor before taking CBD.
Is CBD Oil Superior to Other Treatments of Lyme Disease?
After looking at the safety issues, it is crucial to do a comparison between CBD oil and other treatments for Lyme disease. Research studies have shown that CBD oil can be used as an alternative to conventional treatment of Lyme disease.
According to doctors, patients should opt for antibiotics in the early stages. Examples of antibiotics include doxycycline, cefuroxime, and amoxicillin. The medication should be taken within the first two weeks to achieve desired results.
You can, however, not ignore the role played by CBD oil in helping with symptoms of post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome. They include joint pain, sleep problems, and inflammation.
Merits and Demerits of CBD Oil for Lyme Disease
In this section, we are going to look at the pros and cons of CBD oil for Lyme disease.
Merits
Some of the benefits include:
- May help with joint pain
- Easy to take
- Has various ways of usage
- Helps to induce sleep
Demerits
Despite having health benefits, CBD oils for Lyme disease have several shortcomings. They are:
- Excluded by insurance
- Does not cure Lyme disease
- Costly when used for treating chronic ailments
Options for Taking CBD
One of the benefits mentioned above is that CBD can be used in various ways. One way is to apply topicals directly on the skin, more so on the target area of the neck. This way, you help relieve pain in the joints.
Aside from topicals, you can ingest CBD in the form of oil, capsules, gummies, and edibles. Nonetheless, you have to check product labels before taking CBD. This way, you can not oils that are not supposed to be taken by mouth.
Regarding dosage, there are various aspects to consider. For instance, your dosage may vary from another person. This depends on trial and error to determine the best approach. You should also check the potencies of the CBD products before consumption.
It is advisable to take low doses, especially if you are a newbie to consuming CBD. You can progressively increase the dosage as you assess your body’s reaction. Notably, edibles take more time to wait compared to other forms of CBD to work.
Factors to Consider When Choosing CBD Oil
Finding high-quality CBD oil can be hectic given the influx of companies in the market. If you are in search of CBD oil, here are helpful tips.
Ingredients
When purchasing CBD oil, you should read through the list of ingredients. By doing so, you identify products that contain ingredients to which you are allergic. You will also note that some oils contain added ingredients such as arnica which help in relieving pain.
Products with supplements and vitamins should be avoided at all costs especially if you plan on ingesting CBD. This is mainly attributable to the lack of substantive research on the said ingredients in CBD.
CBD Type
Studies have shown that combining tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) can yield better results than when taking CBD alone. This phenomenon is known as the ‘entourage effect’. Flavonoids and terpenes have been found to have health benefits to the brain. They also have anti-inflammatory effects and neuroprotective effects. You will learn more about the ratios in subsequent text.
Third-Party Testing
Unlike conventional prescription drugs, CBD is not regulated by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA). As a result, you are expected to be wary of dubious companies spreading false claims about CBD products. This can be achieved by looking at the certificate of analysis (COA). The COA is resourceful in showing third-testing results for potency and contaminants.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is late-stage Lyme disease curable?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), late-stage Lyme disease can be treated using intravenous (IV) antibiotics. It is worth noting that the treatment of Lyme disease is effective if you start in the early stage. Therefore, treatment of late-stage Lyme disease is not prompt as it poses various challenges.
What are the Causes of Lyme disease?
As stated earlier on, Lyme disease is spread by deer ticks and black-legged ticks that spread the bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi to your body.
Can CBD cure Lyme disease?
Research studies have shown that CBD cannot be used to cure Lyme disease.
Can you combine CBD with antibiotics?
Yes. You can combine the two. However, you should reach your doctor for professional advice before using CBD oil for Lyme disease and antibiotics. This is crucial especially if you are on prescription medications or supplements.
Final Thoughts
Chronic conditions have posed various challenges such as severe symptoms. Therefore, it is common to find people opting for remedies to ease symptoms such as pain and sleep deprivation. In the quest of searching for alternative solutions, you are bound to come across misleading claims from individuals and companies.
Despite having health benefits, CBD oil cannot be used to cure Lyme disease and post-syndrome Lyme disease syndrome. That said, you should consider talking to your doctor about CBD oil for Lyme disease and possible side effects.
