NOOR GAJRAJ, MD, FRCA, DABPM

Low Energy: 5 Reasons You’re Tired All the Time

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 16:44:00 GMT

Life is busy – we all feel that every day. There’s just not enough hours in the day all the time to do the things we want. But how much easier would it all be if we had more energy ?

Most people go through what should be the prime of their lives wondering why they’re so tired all the time – where has their energy and vitality gone? If you’re one of them, know you’re not alone, and you don’t have to live with this.

Here are the top five reasons you’re so tired all the time – and what to do about it.

1. Lifestyle Choices

Getting enough physical activity and eating a healthy and balanced diet is key to getting a good night’s sleep , which is critical to feeling rested and vibrant.

With the sedentary nature of modern life, it’s easy to do the minimum. So maybe add an after-dinner walk into your day, add a few more veggies on your plate at lunch, and try to make sure you’re going to bed early enough to get your 8 hours a night when possible.

2. Too Much Screen Time

Studies have shown that too much blue light, like the kind your phone, tablet, and laptop emit, can interfere with sleep because they send a signal to your brain telling you it’s still daytime.

Try putting the devices down at least an hour before bed and see if it makes a difference in how you feel in the morning.

3. Thyroid Issues

Many hormones can impact your energy levels and make you feel tired, but hypothyroidism is one of the most common. Fortunately, it’s highly treatable once you’ve been diagnosed by a doctor and given the appropriate medication.

4. Menopause

For women, hormonal changes during menopause can lead to decreased sleep . Whether it’s because your sleep in interrupted by hot flashes or because your stress levels are higher, know that this is a common problem.

This is one to talk to your doctor about – see what solutions can help, like hormone-replacement therapy or other potential options.

5. Stress

Chronic stress can take a serious toll on your energy levels , as your body frequently stays in flight-or-fight mode and releases too much cortisol. Eliminating possible causes of stress. Are important where possible.

But for the causes, you can’t control (the traffic on the way to work, the scramble to get the kids ready in the morning), make sure you’re practicing stress-reducing techniques for yourself. Meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises can all be helpful.

We Can Help

Finding the cause of fatigue is one of the best things you can do for your quality of life. More energy means more life for you to live joyfully, whenever your age.

Ready to learn more about the real cause of your fatigue? Call us today to make an appointment . Our compassionate staff will evaluate you and your health and find what works best for you, whether that is:

Don’t wait one more day to live your best life – schedule your appointment today .

Resouces

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Chronic Pain: Ways to Help a Loved One

Wed, 13 May 2020 15:00:00 GMT

Chronic pain can have a ripple effect when it comes to relationships. Not only does the person who has chronic pain suffer, but it trickles over to their connections with friends, family, and loved ones.

There’s an inherent physical and emotional strain that comes from being in pain continually .

And, it’s no wonder that when a chronic pain patient suffers, those nearest and dearest can suffer as well.

Navigating Chronic Pain

So how do you help a loved one who suffers from chronic pain? It starts with these critical guidelines for navigating these tricky waters.

1. Show Compassion

One of the hardest aspects is chronic pain is challenging to see, but easy to notice . You and your loved one may not understand the source of the pain – or how, when, and why it may go from manageable to debilitating , but you both feel the effects.

It’s natural to be frustrated when chronic pain slows your loved one down and prevents you from enjoying activities together daily.

Use compassion whenever necessary. Offer sympathy, support, and encouragement , whenever you can to let your loved one know you are there when they need you.

2. Find Little Ways to Help

Depending on the location and the source of the pain, c hronic pain sufferers may have trouble doing everyday tasks – from mowing the lawn to simply putting away the dishes.

So instead of asking open-ended questions like “What can I do to help,” find little ways to pitch in and lend a hand.

Even the little things can do a world of good for someone who is struggling with their pain regularly.

3. Let Go of the Guilt

When it comes to chronic pain – and especially when the patient is a spouse or partner – feelings of guilt can naturally arise .

You may feel angry and aggravated that you can’t do all the things you used to, or you may feel bad that you are unable to “fix” the problem, and that’s OK!

Recognize it’s fine to have negative feelings, and that neither you nor your loved one is to blame for their condition .

4. Be a Barrier

Your loved one may need to explain to many people why they aren’t as productive or functional as they used to be , so lend a hand in letting people know what’s happening!

By informing other friends and loved ones of the patient’s condition, you can ward off excess questions. You can help other people understand the situation and the reasons why your mutual loved one is not as active as usual.

5. Encourage Your Loved One to Seek the Right Help!

Too much advice is never a good thing when it comes to medical conditions, with one big caveat – if your loved one has not seen an experienced pain management specialist , encourage them to make an appointment!

We Can Help

All too often, chronic pain can lead to months of doctors’ visits, tests, specialists’ visits, and even multiple surgeries, when the best course of action is to get to the root of the problem first.

So encourage your loved one to delve deeper into the cause of their pain, and make your appointment today .

Resources

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Hot Flashes at Night: Causes, Symptoms and How to Prevent Them

Wed, 01 Apr 2020 14:07:00 GMT

Have you been waking up wondering how it got so darn hot and why you are drenched in sweat? It could have been a reaction to a nightmare. Or it could have been because you don’t have the A/C on in the dead of summer. But if you are a woman in the 40-55-year-old age range, it’s probably hot flashes and night sweats caused by menopause.

Researchers have discovered that up to 85 percent of women have reported hot flashes during menopause . Although the experience is common, the severity and duration of these symptoms can be very different. Some women have hot flashes and night sweats that are mild. They come and go and are completely manageable. Other women have a more challenging experience with hot flashes and night sweats that are intense and interfere with their quality of life. Either way, it’s good to know what’s going on and what your options are for treatment and prevention.

What Causes This Inconvenient and Uncomfortable Cycle of Hot Flashes?

If you are between the ages of 45-55 it’s probably menopause. During menopause, your body goes through a natural change in estrogen and progesterone levels. When these hormones shift, it affects other hormones that are responsible for regulating the body’s temperature too. The imbalance in hormones may cause feelings of sudden warmth, flushing, and excessive sweating . And that equals- hot flashes and night sweats.

Although menopause gets a bad rap, it’s nothing to worry about, and it’s completely manageable. Particularly when it comes to hot flashes and night sweats. According to the National Institute of Ageing , menopause can last for 7-14 years, but that doesn’t mean you will have these particular symptoms the whole time.

If you are too young to be going through perimenopause or menopause or have already gone through it, the cause of your night sweats and hot flashes could be reactions to surgery, chemotherapy , medications, or stress, or it could be a hormone imbalance.

Want to know more about how hot flashes and night sweats work? Read on!

What Happens During a Hot Flush Cycle?

A hot flash will come on suddenly and lasts only a few minutes. Here is how the cycle works:

Pretty cool how the body works, right?

Yes, except it can be extremely uncomfortable and inconvenient, so you probably want to know how to prevent this cycle. There are plenty of home remedies that you can try before moving on to medication or hormone therapy, but if your symptoms are severe, skip the home remedies and make an appointment with your doctor.

12 Excellent and Easy Tips to Cool You Off and Keep you Dry During a Hot Flash

It can take time for many of the following remedies to be effective. It will also take time for you to get into the habit of consistently applying them. Be compassionate with yourself and allow up to three months of consistent application before you decide whether or not they are working.

1.) Know your triggers, note them down, and avoid them. Here are five questions to ask yourself:

A few specific triggers to look for:

Here is a great example of how to apply your new-found knowledge: If you notice that your symptoms increase after you eat a plate full of spicy Thai food, avoid ordering spicy food.

2.) Wear light-weight clothing or dress in layers that can be removed when a hot flash strikes.

3.) Keep a fan at your bedside.

4.) Keep your room cool.

5.) Open your windows and use an air conditioner or fan to keep air circulating.

6.) Take cool showers whenever needed, especially before bed.

7.) Keep your wrists cool. Lots of blood vessels are in the wrists. Running cool water on them or applying cool compresses can help you cool off quickly.

8.) Maintain a healthy weight. People who are overweight or obese tend to experience hot flashes more often.

9.) Find ways to relax and de-stress. If you don’t already practice breathing and meditation, start now.

10.) Avoid processed foods. Eat whole foods with at least 5 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit each day.

11.) Drink a lot of water. Not sure how much to drink? The general recommendation is to drink half your body weight in ounces each day, minimum.

12.) Boost your endorphins to help alleviate symptoms. Exercise is an excellent way to boost endorphins.

We Are Here to Help You Treat and Prevent Hot Flashes

Some women learn to manage hot flashes and night sweats and can live a normal life even when symptoms are present. Other women, however, find them unmanageable and disturbing. If you are in the latter category and none of these tips is working, it’s time to make the call.

Set up an appointment with us and we will go over your medical history, run tests and take the time to uncover the cause of the problem. Most of the time it has to do with hormones— if that’s the case for you, then we will create a customized Hormone Replacement Therapy plan jus for you to help your life become livable again.

Resources

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Hormone Replacement Therapy: Is It for Me?

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 08:00:00 GMT

Did you know that your body’s hormones control most of your essential bodily functions? That they serve as an internal communication system between all of your cells?

That hormones coordinate everything from digestion and growth to your appetite, immune function, mood, and libido? Can you imagine what would happen if they got out of their natural balance?

You’ve likely experienced some hormonal imbalance in your lifetime. Nearly everyone, men and women, goes through shifts in their hormones at some point in their lives.

Remember Puberty?

All those emotions swirling, moods swinging, feelings of anxiety, and maybe even depression? Puberty is a prime example of what happens when your hormones get out of whack. But for most of us, puberty was manageable, and eventually, around hormones balanced back out.

But what happens when the symptoms of hormone imbalance are unmanageable and create debilitating conditions that make it hard to live a happy, or even just okay life? Then what?

If you are suffering the symptoms of hormonal imbalance— may be a woman struggling with menopause symptoms or man dealing with the effects from decreases in testosterone— you’ve likely tried a lot of things to help you feel better.

Maybe you’ve changed your diet, started a regular exercise plan, addressed bad sleep habits, or integrated stress-relief practices into your daily routine. But these alone may not be giving you the relief you crave.

The best way to treat a hormone imbalance is by rebalancing the hormones. This is where hormone replacement therapies come in.

One such therapy that you may have heard of is bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT). But you may be a little confused about what it is and how’s it different from other hormone replacement therapies.

We’re here to help you get clarity on what BHRT is, how it differs from traditional hormone replacement therapy, and whether it may be just the right treatment for you.

What Is BHRT?

We use BHRT to treat men and women when their hormone levels drop or become unbalanced. It’s most frequently used to ease symptoms of perimenopause and menopause .

Many use it to improve symptoms of cancer treatment or to treat conditions such as:

What Are Bio-Identical Hormones?

Bio-identical hormones are so named because they are identical in molecular structure to the hormones made by the human body.

It’s important to understand that although these bio-identical hormones act in the body just like the hormones that we produce, they are not found in this form in nature. They are made or synthesized from a plant chemical extracted from yams and soy.

Hormones, most commonly replicated and used in the treatment, are estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Bioidentical hormones come in various treatment forms, including:

How Are They Made?

Drug companies mass-produce bio-identical hormones, while a compounding pharmacy makes some according to a doctor’s orders.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve all bio-identical hormones. The FDA has approved some forms of manufactured bio-identical hormones. This approval includes bio-identical estriol (a weak form of estrogen) and progesterone, but custom-compounded bio-identical hormones have not.

Although many claim that compounded bio-identical hormones may be safer and more effective than synthetic hormones, these claims haven’t been proven in reputable studies.

Traditional Hormones vs. Bio-Identical

Bio-identical hormones differ from those used in traditional hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The hormones used in traditional HRT are made from the urine of pregnant horses and other synthetic hormones. In contrast, bio-identical hormones are chemically identical to those our bodies produce naturally and are made from plant estrogens .

The use of traditional hormone replacement therapies declined when the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) trial of combined estrogen and progestin (as Prempro) for preventing menopause was stopped early because hormone users had a higher risk of:

Many consider hormone therapy the most effective treatment for symptoms, and many women are now choosing BHRT over HRT.

Why Is It Important for Hormones to Be Bioidentical?

A base of cholesterol makes up human hormones. They have specialized attachments that allow them to fit perfectly into receptor molecules in your body.

When a hormone perfectly nestles into a receptor, it tells that receptor to turn on or off certain behaviors.

This is how hormones act as command stations making us act in specific ways and feel certain things. When you experience drops in hormones:

Do Physicians Commonly Use BHRT?

The compounded type of Bio-Identical hormones is most commonly used in the U.S. in women in menopause .

The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) reports that about 1.4 million women are using BHRT to treat their symptoms. According to NAMS, this comprises 40% of all prescriptions for hormone therapy in women who are in menopause. The number of men using this treatment has not been studied yet.

Are Any of the Following Symptoms Making Your Life Unmanageable?

If the answer is yes, then it may be time to talk with your doctor . Your doctor will meet with you, perform blood tests, and come up with a treatment plan for you.

Resources

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Chronic Pain: 4 Things To Know

Wed, 19 Feb 2020 16:09:00 GMT

Millions suffer from chronic pain daily . And because this condition is so widespread and individualized, it can lead to questions and plenty of confusion.

As a result, patients tend to take a few missteps along the way to finding an effective treatment.

So before you live with pain for a moment longer, consider these four things many patients wish they knew, before they finally found an effective treatment.

1. Chronic pain isn’t just physical.

Pain certainly impacts the body, but it also interferes with all aspects of life . Many patients report feeling:

As such, getting treatment as soon as possible is essential to ensure all aspects of your well-being are remedied, and not just the pain itself.

2. Chronic pain doesn’t go away on its own.

Many patients initially think that they can just “wait it out,” and the chronic pain will eventually go away on its own. But unlike a cut or a bruise, chronic pain can linger for weeks, months, and years , and in many cases, the pain simply gets worse over time.

The only way to eliminate chronic pain is to seek help. So if you have been suffering from regular or even sporadic pain for 12 weeks or more, it’s time to seek out the assistance of an experienced interventional pain management specialist.

3. Pills and surgery aren’t always the best treatment.

Many general practitioners recommend pain relievers or prescription pills. Many eventually recommend surgery to fix the problem hopefully.

But pills and surgical procedures aren’t always the best or most effective treatment , and can even be dangerous and lead to additional health issues, such as addiction.

So before you look for a generalized cure, be sure and explore all of your options. You may not have to go through invasive surgery, or rely on prescription painkillers, to deal with your chronic pain.

4. A chronic pain specialist is your best resource for getting to the source of the problem.

Most patients first go to their general practitioner or family doctor when they first suffer from chronic pain. While a general doctor can certainly help with the initial diagnosis or with broad treatments, your best bet to find long-term relief is to schedule a visit with a specialist who deals solely with pain.

Contact Us

Above all else, remember chronic pain is a condition you don’t have to deal with , and you don’t have to put your life on hold to find an effective treatment.

Contact us today to schedule your consultation , and we’ll work together to find the root cause of your pain and to identify an effective and safe treatment that works best for you.

Resources

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Hormones and Weight Loss: What You Need to Know

Wed, 15 Jan 2020 15:00:00 GMT

It happens to most of us at a point in our lives – weight gain. Sometimes we know why it’s happening – we stopped going to the gym and started picking up a donut on the way into work every day.

But too often, it’s unclear. Our habits haven’t changed in a big way – we’re eating our salads and running a couple of times a week – and yet the weight keeps creeping on.

How Do We Figure out What’s Going On?

One of the most common culprits for unexplained weight gain is a change in hormones. As we age, our hormone balance shifts naturally. But there are also underlying hormone disorders that can pop up without us noticing:

You can read more about how to know if your hormone balance is off in our previous blog post .

So many different hormones can affect your weight.

More info on each hormone and its relationship to weight loss can be found here .

As you think about making a doctor’s appointment to figure out what’s going on, take a close look at your habits and lifestyle.

All this information is valuable to both you and your doctor – it will help narrow down what’s really going on and ensure the right tests are run.

You know your body best, and you deserve a doctor and a medical team who will listen carefully and patiently to you and take your needs and your health seriously.

We Can Help

Just because it’s a common problem doesn’t mean it can’t be fixed. We believe every one of us deserves to live a life that’s healthy. We’ll work one-on-one with you, taking the time to really get to know you and your unique needs, problems, and life .

So, if you’re struggling to lose weight despite your best efforts at dieting and exercising, don’t lose hope. Schedule an appointment and start getting answers and solutions today.

Resources

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Hormones: Are You Functioning as You Should Be?

Wed, 11 Dec 2019 15:00:00 GMT

We all want to look and feel our best every day. Especially as we age and get into the middle of our life – we should feel like we’re in our prime.

But often, we spend most of our days feeling tired, lacking energy, and not knowing why . Sure, life is busy – kids, work, the general bustle of daily living – but even with that, we should be feeling more vitality and vigor.

Overlooked Cause

One significant but often overlooked cause of general fatigue is unbalanced hormones. Hormones are the messenger system for your body . Hormones send signals through your bloodstream to your organs and your tissues.

They help control critical biological processes like reproduction and metabolism. So, as you can imagine, when these essential hormones get out of balance – whether you have too much or too little of one or more – your body feels the difference and reacts.

Here’s a great outline of the many possible symptoms of hormone imbalance:

Men and women can often have different symptoms of hormonal imbalances since each gender has a different balance of hormones.

For Women

For women, hormone imbalances are usually related to fertility hormones . Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common hormonal disorder found in women affecting about 10% of the population.

For Men

For men, low testosterone is the leading hormonal imbalance .

But there are so many possible symptoms – how can you tell if your fatigue and low libido is just due to the exhausting demands of everyday life or something bigger?

Let’s Look at Your Symptoms

It’s a very important question, as it can mean the difference between a life full of energy and promise, and one spent feeling tired all the time. So, first, make a list of the symptoms you’re experiencing, no matter how small.

Preparing all of these answers in advance will help you decide what’s most important and give you a written record of your symptoms.

Schedule Your Appointment

Once you’ve gotten all your symptoms and any additional questions you have written down, it’s time to schedule an appointment with your doctor .

If you don’t have a primary care doctor (and you should, for all the reasons we’ve written about here ), this is the time to find one.

Look for one with an office that also specializes in hormone testing and treatment , as we do here. That way, you can get your care, your testing, and your treatment in one convenient place.

The tests your doctor will do varies by your particular symptoms, but the most common one is a blood test. Since your hormones use your bloodstream to travel around the body, they’re usually easy to detect by testing a sample of your blood.

Your doctor might also perform a pelvic exam or an ultrasound to get a clearer picture of what’s going on – PCOS, for example, is often marked by cysts on the ovaries, which can be seen on an ultrasound.

Let’s Talk Treatment

Once your doctor has run the tests and figured out what’s going on in your body to cause a hormonal imbalance, it’s time for treatment. Treatment may involve:

And then you have hopefully found answers, clarity, and – most importantly – relief from whatever is keeping you from feeling your best and living your most healthful life.

We Want to Help

Want more information about your hormones and how you can make sure yours are in balance? Give us a call today, and schedule an appointment to learn more.

Resources

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Pain Management: Treat Chronic Pain

Wed, 13 Nov 2019 15:00:00 GMT

When you are suffering from chronic pain daily, you are willing to do whatever it takes to feel better again.

This is why many chronic pain patients undergo a series of doctors’ visits and different treatments, like pain medications and prescriptions. And yet, the cycle continues indefinitely, looking for a solution.

Using Surgery to Treat Chronic Pain

Sometimes, as a last resort, you may even consider a major surgical procedure to alleviate your pain and to get your life back on track. Understandably, this would seem like the best option, too, especially if previous treatments haven’t worked.

Chronic pain is common, and it rarely goes away on its own. Patients will often consider drastic measures to find any relief .

But before you make such a significant decision, it’s essential to understand some of the issues that may occur. Surgery may not be the best option for your specific chronic pain , and for a myriad of reasons which include the following.

1. It’s Risky

A recent study that was published in a 2018 issue of Pain magazine found that invasive procedures for chronic pain aren’t readily justifiable, and more importantly, are significantly risky.

Focusing on 25 clinical trials that involved 2,000 patients with various chronic pain conditions, (like back pain, arthritis, and abdominal pain), the researchers compared the outcomes of invasive procedures versus “sham” procedures.

(A sham procedure involves all of the rituals of surgery, including preparations and set up, anesthesia if needed, and tissue penetration, but no actual manipulation of the tissue.)

The results found there was a significantly higher risk for adverse events to occur during actual procedures – a troubling 12% – versus sham procedures, which had a 4% risk.

2. It’s Costly

More than 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain. Across the country, medical costs associated with chronic pain are astronomical , with some estimates putting the annual costs at roughly $635 billion.

On an individual level, the expenses for surgery can be high too – even with insurance – as not all inpatient or outpatient care costs may be covered, and there are outside expenses once you’re off the operating table.

Consider the time lost at work, physical therapy, and medication costs. And, all the other extra impacts on your income that can have long-term repercussions, well after the surgery is over.

3. It’s Not Always Effective

The time it takes to recover from an invasive surgical procedure can range from 3 months to 12 months . And even then, it may not alleviate all of your pain, or can also cause new problems.

Though the statistics vary based on the procedure, a large percentage of surgeries for chronic pain are unsuccessful.

4. There May be Better Options!

Before you decide to undergo surgery, make sure you’ve covered all of your options. Start with a visit to our clinic!

An experienced pain management provider will take time to examine your specific case before making a recommendation for treatment. They won’t just rely on common treatments for similar situations.

Partner with a pain management provider who will research and thoroughly examine your specific pain before proceeding.

You may be able to avoid a costly and risky surgical procedure. Also, you may be able to find a clearer path to chronic pain relief.

Tips for Coping With Chronic Pain

If you suffer from chronic pain, you know you need to find ways to cope in everyday life.

There is no substitute for enlisting the help of an experienced pain management specialist. However, there are a few things you can do before your initial consultation and appointment to mitigate the pain.

1. Breathe

Deep breathing and meditation has been shown to provide temporary relief to treat chronic pain sufferers, as it relieves tension and stress, which can increase the physical effects of pain, as well as provide a much-welcomed distraction.

Focusing on your breath or practicing other relaxation techniques is also a coping mechanism that you can perform anywhere, and any time that chronic pain starts to flare up.

2. Increase Your Endorphins

Endorphins, which are released during exercise and physical activity, not only provide an instant mood boost, but they have also been shown to block pain signals temporarily.

If you are unable to engage in rigorous physical activities like running or jogging, try finding more gentle ways to increase your heart rate and to work up a sweat, such as through yoga or swimming.

Be sure and consult your pain management physician before starting any exercise program, however, so that you don’t inadvertently affect the root cause of your chronic pain.

3. Cut Back on Alcohol

Alcohol can make it harder to sleep as it interrupts and interferes with your sleep cycle, and poor quality sleep can easily make chronic pain worse.

Also, although alcohol or other self-medicating attempts can provide temporary relief, it can easily lead the way for dependence, substance abuse, and addiction.

4. Eat Well

Good nutrition has a significant role when it comes to the production of mood-related chemicals, such as the stress hormone cortisol, and too much stress can easily trigger chronic pain.

Avoid foods high in sugar, fat, and unrefined carbohydrates to ensure your mood-regulators are in check.

5. Try a Gentle Massage

You can make an appointment with an experienced massage therapist. Or if you need immediate relief, you can enlist the help of a loved one or try it yourself.

Use very soft strokes for the location of your pain, and also sure and address other parts of your body during the massage for overall relaxation.

A simple massaging of the temples can bring your focus away from your chronic pain while alleviating stress and a calmer and more relaxed state of mind.

6. Switch Positions

Too much time in any position can put added pressure on certain body parts. Also, it can make chronic pain worse – especially when it comes to the back, knees, neck, and legs.

So if you start to feel your pain flare up, try moving to a different position – whether it’s sitting, standing, or lying down – and see if removing the pressure also helps to remove the pain.

We Can Help Treat Chronic Pain

Remember, the only way to fully address and treat chronic pain is to get to the root cause of the problem.

So while these techniques may help in the short-term, working with an experienced pain management specialist is the best and ultimate way to stop chronic pain at the source.

Schedule your consultation today so we can get to work uncovering this root cause of your pain.

Resources

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CBD: How to Use It Safely

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 15:00:00 GMT

CBD, short for cannabidiol, has become increasingly common over the past few years . It’s been legalized in many states , and seems like it can be found in shops on every corner. But what are the real benefits, and how can you make sure you’re getting the best quality and using it appropriately?

The Benefits and Uses of CBD

Many patients turn to CBD for relief from chronic pain, as this is one of the most effective uses for it. Millions of Americans suffer from chronic pain over months or years, and other solutions are imperfect.

Opioids have a very high risk of addiction , while lower-level solutions like NSAIDs can cause stomach issues or worsen kidney issues. CBD, when used appropriately, can avoid these issues while providing lasting relief.

Some chronic conditions are particularly responsive to CBD treatment , like:

And it shows evidence of being a very effective treatment for PTSD, though more studies are needed to know for sure. This isn’t a complete list of possible conditions and diseases that can be helped by CBD.

If you have a specific ailment impacting you, always check with a medical professional first just to be sure.

CBD vs. THC: What to Know

Marijuana has two main active components: CBD (cannabinol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). THC is what gives users the typical marijuana high – it’s a psychoactive chemical.

CBD can provide pain and anxiety relief without the “high” of THC. So, if you’re looking for proven relief without intoxication, CBD-dominant strains or edibles are a good solution.

Both components work well for pain relief, though, so it’s a question of finding what works for you personally (preferably under the advice of a medical professional, like us!).

Using CBD

After a medical professional evaluates you and you decide if CBD is right for you, you can consider the variety of ways to take it .

Often when you picture marijuana, you’ll imagine smoking, which is the most common non-medical way of consuming it. But if you’re a CBD patient, you have many options.

Vaping

Vaping is one option, with many different strains to consider with different properties. You can also opt for oils, either to consume in food or under the tongue.

Edibles

Edibles like gummies and chocolates can be a delicious way to get the relief you need without being hard on your lungs.

Tinctures

And there are tinctures – in salves, lotions, and ointments – to be used on your body that might provide relief to specific areas.

No One Size Fits All

Options abound for treatments with CBD – it’s certainly not one size fits all. That’s why doing your research (like reading this blog post!) and talking to your doctor are vital steps.

As CBD becomes more widespread in the US, there are more options but also more potential for confusion and abuse. Caution and a trusted guide are key to getting the most out of your prescription, just as they would be for any treatment.

We Can Help

To get the best experience, don’t just stop at the shop on the corner. Your best bet for finding relief from your ailments in a holistic way is to visit a reputable medical practice to get a full evaluation from licensed medical professionals .

After taking the time to get to know you and your unique medical needs, we’ll be in the best position to prescribe you the solution that works for you.

Resources

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