Most of the new users believe that THC and CBD are one and the same thing. Well, obviously it is easy to assume this since both the compounds are derived from the same plant. However, the truth is, both CBD and THC are way different from one another, and both work very differently when it comes to managing chronic pain.
CBD and THC
CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) are both cannabinoids extracted from the cannabis plants – hemp or marijuana. There are more than 100 other cannabinoids in these plants, but THC and CBD are considered the most dominant ones.
Both the said cannabinoids work by interacting with receptors responsible for pain, digestion, sleep and mood. However, there is one very notable difference between the two, which is – THC causes a high whereas CBD doesn’t. In simple words, if CBD products are used to treat chronic pain instead of THC, it will help the user to keep a clear head.
Benefits of CBD and THC for Chronic Pain
Many research studies have concluded that CBD has shown effective results in relieving pain from inflammatory conditions. A study conducted in 2017 showed that CBD reduced osteoarthritis-related pain and prevented nerve damage.
Furthermore, other studies even concluded that CBD successfully relieves incision pain and neuropathic pain as well. In fact, since CBD has shown amazing results at relieving different types of pain, it is quite popular amongst users suffering from conditions like multiple sclerosis, IBS, fibromyalgia, and even cancer.
On the other hand, THC has also shown some great results in relieving pain, but since limited studies are conducted, it is not as popular as CBD. Besides, a study conducted on 177 cancer patients revealed that when CBD and THC are used together, they reduce pain by almost 30%. This means, THC can effectively enhance the pain-relieving property of CBD. This is known as entourage effect.
Combining CBD and THC together for entourage effect
Entourage effect is nothing but the benefit which a user experiences when he/she ingests multiple cannabinoids. For instance, CBD and THC both have some amazing pain relieving properties, but when they are combined, the results are more effective.
The analysis of 18 different studies conducted on cannabinoids in terms of multiple sclerosis pain suggests that the combination of CBD and THC is more effective for relieving pain compared to what CBD delivers alone.
Well, it is not easy to decide whether to use CBD or THC for chronic pain. However, it is simple to understand that the combination of both gives better results. After all, there are many evidences which suggest that both CBD and THC has their own pain-relieving properties, and when these two are combined to create the entourage effect, the results are more promising.
Lastly, it is very clear that cannabinoids offer a lot of benefits to patients suffering from chronic pain. Their effectiveness may vary, and thus you might have to try more than just a few products. However, don’t give up, may be all you need is a different potency or a combination of different cannabinoids.