Endometriosis is a medical condition plaguing approximately 176 million women worldwide. It is a condition that can cause pain and other adverse outcomes if not treated appropriately. The usage of conventional pain medications has undergone scrutiny over the past several years due to the adverse side effects they can cause. Enter CBD. While the research is not extensive, anecdotal evidence around the usage of CBD for pain, specifically endometrial pain, is promising. 

What is CBD?

Cannabidiol, or CBD as it's commonly known, is a compound derived from the Cannabis Sativa plant. Cannabis Sativa also produces tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which is the compound that creates the "high" effect when ingested. While both compounds originate from the Cannabis Sativa plant, they have widely different applications as they act differently on the body. CBD does not create the same psychoactive effect as THC. However, when used in tandem, they can work wonders for individuals suffering the pain of any origin. Over the past several years, there has been a substantial cultural shift regarding the usage of THC and CBD. It is now legal in many states, and businesses are offering several services like weed delivery Fresno. 

What is Endometriosis? 

Endometriosis is a condition in which the uterine tissue that is typically shed every month begins to grow outside the uterus. It can place pressure on surrounding organs, causing a great deal of pain for many women. While some women experience no pain, the condition can eventually lead to infertility if not treated adequately. Since endometriosis is not well understood and takes anywhere from seven to ten years to diagnose, the current treatments are ineffective and have severe side effects. Sometimes therapy includes several invasive surgeries to remove tissue that has spread. 

How Can CBD Help?

Research on the effects of CBD on the body is relatively new, so there is still much to be learned. Few studies have been done regarding the impact of CBD on endometriosis specifically; however, what we do know about CBD shows that it may be helpful in treating many health issues, endometriosis included. One of the primary causes of endometrial pain is the inflammation of the surrounding spreading tissue, which makes CBD's anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties perfect to use for patients with endometriosis. Endometrial cells spread in much the same way as cancer cells. They are difficult to kill and can spread rapidly. This suggests there is a dysfunction in the body's processes that cause natural cell death. CBD and THC have been shown to interact with receptors in the body in charge of the cell death process in a way that decreases the spread of these endometrial cells. In severe cases of endometriosis, the cells migrate deep into tissues in the body and build new nerves that significantly increase the amount of pain someone feels. It is thought that CBD can also help in slowing down the growth of these new nerves. 

You may be wondering if all of the ways CBD can help treat just this one chronic condition, why is there so little research at this point? Since it has been illegal across the US for so long, even considered a Schedule I substance (one with high abuse potential), it was deemed unethical to perform clinical trials using this drug. Once studies started, a majority of them looked at how participants used or abused the substance. Medical trials came much later. Over the years, it seems as though the focus has been on the potential for abuse of this drug and less on the positive qualities it may possess. Some studies have indeed shown little difference in the effect on pain between CBD or placebo. However, if the risk of harm is little and patients feel CBD is helpful for a chronic, painful condition, they should feel empowered to use it. The more studies conducted, the more anecdotes collected, the more we know about this mysterious substance. The outlook is bright for the use of CBD in treating pain and inflammation.