As a natural remedy to promote health and wellness, CBD oil has benefited many people who choose to ingest it into their bodies. CBD has the ability to promote a sense of homeostasis within both the body and the mind, enabling people who experience symptoms of physical pain or mental distress to improve the quality of their lives. It’s natural to raise the question of CBD before and after surgery.
CBD is available in a wide variety of products, including oils, tablets, capsules, sprays, and lotions. Oils, in particular, are very easy to ingest into the body. A few droplets from an oil dropper sit under the tongue for approximately 30 seconds before the oil is absorbed into the bloodstream. The effects of the oil can be felt almost immediately.
Ingesting CBD oil is a very safe and straightforward procedure, but is it safe to do so around the time of major surgery? Can you safely take CBD oil before and after surgery? Let’s discuss the benefits and concerns of both pre and post-surgical CBD ingestions.
CBD for pain after surgery
Recovering from surgery can take days, weeks, and sometimes months depending on the severity of the operation. Recovery requires plenty of rest and medications to prevent post-surgical infections or risks to the body. Unlike hospital administered medications, CBD is a natural remedy that can be used to recover from surgical procedures.
How does CBD work?
The human body contains what’s known as the endocannabinoid system, which produces endocannabinoids that attach to nerve cells and receptors throughout the body. These receptors manage the effects of pain or inflammation within the body that prevent or lessen the brain’s ability to recognize pain, aches, or stiffness.
However, the body sometimes struggles to produce enough endocannabinoids to keep the system functioning properly. CBD is molecularly similar to the body’s natural endocannabinoids and can substitute for depleted systems. When ingested into the body, CBD attaches to two particular receptors known as CB1 and CB2, effectively blocking pain or ache signals from reaching the brain. Consequently, the body feels less pain and the patient is able to experience a more content and fulfilling life.
Does CBD help with post-surgical recovery?
Surgery is a very painful procedure, though the patient doesn’t feel the effects since they’re unconscious during the operation. But there are many post-surgery pains and symptoms that afflict people in recovery, and CBD can help mitigate those symptoms.
Some of the most common post-surgical symptoms include:
- Headaches
- Muscle pain
- Arthritis
- Join pain
- Inflammation
- Back pain
Regular doses of CBD oil can reduce the effects of each of those symptoms so the body doesn’t feel such strong pain. Additionally, CBD helps promote healthy sleep, which is vital to recovery from a serious surgical procedure.
Effects of CBD before and after an MRI
Before surgery is deemed necessary, patients typically undergo at least one MRI to identify any patterns in the brainwaves that could threaten the patient’s health in the event of a surgical procedure. Seizures are not uncommon side effects of an MRI, but a recent study suggests CBD can help mitigate those symptoms.
The University of Alabama conducted a CBD study that was published in Science Direct. Twenty seven participants were administered daily CBD doses of 15-25 mg, and doses were administered before and after an MRI. The patients documented any seizure-like symptoms throughout the study, and the notes showed decreases in seizure-like episodes, including epilepsy, before and after the MRI.
Effects of CBD before and after anesthesia
Regular ingestions of CBD, particularly CBD derived from marijuana plants, can influence how the body responds to anesthesia, according to Harvard Medical School. Anesthesia helps patients go to sleep in preparation for surgery, but a higher tolerance for marijuana-derived CBD could require higher doses of anesthesia. Doctors need to be made aware of these tolerances to prescribe the proper amount of anesthesia.
The article makes no mention of hemp, which is one of the reasons why hemp-derived CBD oil, from trusted providers, can be more beneficial to people.
Effects of CBD before and after a tooth extraction
One of CBD’s primary benefits is its ability to reduce feelings of anxiety. According to a medical study on tooth extractions, dental phobia is a very real condition that can be treated with controlled doses of CBD oil. Medical experts recommend small doses of CBD oil the night before and the morning of a tooth extraction procedure to help patients get healthy amounts of sleep, and to reduce their anxiousness about the procedure.
Effects of CBD before and after chemotherapy
A growing number of experts in the medical community believe that CBD could be the ideal therapy to help patients prepare for and recover from chemotherapy. Doctors suggest that CBD has the ability to co-exist with the drugs from chemotherapy without disrupting the effects or impact on the patient.
Final thoughts
Surgery is a very serious invasive medical procedure, but it’s a necessary one when the situation calls for such a treatment. Recovery from surgery can be a very long and painful process, yet CBD oil can minimize those painful aftereffects so that happier and healthier lives can be restored. CBD before and after surgery has its advantages.
As mentioned, in regards to CBD’s effects on anesthesia, it’s important to mention to the attending doctors any regular CBD use prior to preparation for surgical procedures. Higher tolerances for CBD could influence the amount of medication required for a surgical procedure, and doctors need to know how much to prescribe to ensure a smooth surgery goes ahead.
CBD is an anti-inflammatory remedy that can minimize feelings of physical pain and improve mental health and well-being, both of which are directly affected by the toll of surgical procedures. If CBD seems like a viable option to improve your preparation for or recovery from surgical procedures, contact your primary care physician to speak about that option for a trained medical opinion on whether or not to proceed.