We all have aches and pains that happen throughout our lives that can be anything from a mild inconvenience to chronic pains. With this, we want to know what the best solution is to these pains. In this article, we will talk about the well-known Ibuprofen and CBD. We will be seeing the benefits of each one, and how they can help with inflammation and pain.

What is Ibuprofen:   

Ibuprofen is a common, over the counter medication that is used to treat pain and inflammation. It is a nonsteroidal inflammatory medication. Ibuprofen works by blocking prostaglandin, a specific type of hormone. Unlike other hormones, prostaglandins form through a chemical reaction at the point they’re required. Most specifically, they form in a site with an infection or tissue damage, leading to inflammation, pain, or even fever. Ibuprofen restricts the production of enzymes by cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), resulting in decreased prostaglandin production when you’re injured. This will help lower inflammation and pain. But it’s recommended not to take more than the recommended dose. This is because it can cause serious side effects when taken in excess. Including heartburn, high blood pressure, dizziness, stomach bleeding, heart attack, stroke, etc

What is CBD?   

CBD comes from the cannabis or hemp plant; this plant being most commonly known for producing THC. The difference is that with how CBD is extracted from the plant, with that it doesn’t have the part of the plant that can cause a psychoactive effect like THC. CBD as a compound is used for medicinal purposes, generally used for insomnia, pain, inflammation, anxiety, depression, stress, etc. It is legal in most states in the USA (most states require it to be used medicinally), which helps make sure it’s accessible to most people. The most common types of products that CBD is used in are gummies, creams/lotions, capsules, and tinctures (gummies being the most popular). CBD has been used to manage and reduce pain for centuries. CBD binds CB1 and CB2 neuropeptides and thus helps manage and relieve pain and inflammation.

While generally considered safe, CBD may cause drowsiness, faintness, nausea, diarrhea, dry mouth, and, in very rare instances, damage to the liver. While these side effects are possible, they are not usually common in most people. Though it’s recommended to be careful using CBD oil specifically with other medications. This is normally only an issue while taking a tincture due to that going through your blood stream instead of through the stomach or skin. This is because the CBD can up the dose of the medication, which can be dangerous for heart medication or blood pressure medications. This can be avoided by taking your pharmaceuticals and CBD two hours apart from each other, so they do not interact.

Can they be used together?   

As you can see, both ibuprofen and CBD can help combat pain and inflammation. However, unlike CBD, which can be taken daily as part of your daily supplements, ibuprofen should not exceed ten days or as advised by the doctor. Using both at the same time can help you with your symptoms, it’s recommended that if you take both, take them in smaller doses so they work together well. Both CBD and ibuprofen are anti-inflammatory compounds and pain relievers. Although there have been no reported interactions between ibuprofen and CBD, CBD may affect the efficacy of the latter when taken at the same time, especially in large doses.

We always recommend speaking with your doctor or a specialist if you ever have any concerns on CBD or other medications.

Let’s first talk about what exactly CBD is. CBD, also known as Cannabidiol, is a naturally occurring compound found in the resinous flower of cannabis. Today, the medicinal properties of CBD are being tested by scientists and doctors all around the world and being shown to be very beneficial to both people and animals alike. CBD is a safe and non-addictive substance used to help with internal and external problems alike. CBD is closely related to another important medically active phytocannabinoid: THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the compound that causes a psychoactive effect that cannabis is famous for. Both CBD and THC have significant therapeutic attributes. Though CBD does not make a person feel “high” or intoxicated. That’s because CBD and THC act in different ways on different receptors in the brain and body. CBD can actually lessen or neutralize the psychoactive effects of THC, depending on how much of each compound is consumed. Many people want the health benefits of cannabis without the high, or with less of a high. What also makes this appealing is that, like for people, your dog will not get any form of high from the CBD, making it safe for them to consume. So, knowing what CBD is, we can talk more about how it can benefit your dog. The CBD oil is best ingested through their mouths and can be given to them through their food. Like tinctures/oil for humans, the oil for dogs will stay in their system for about 12 hours and works best when taken morning and night. This is so it can stay in their system all day and night. The oil can help with many different conditions.

Anxiety and Stress
Let’s start with anxiety and stress, and how the CBD helps with it. CBD has been extensively studied for its effect on stress and anxiety. In humans and animals alike, it’s been found to reduce anxiety in both healthy beings and those with anxiety disorders and can be effective in those with panic disorders and PTSD. This is helpful for dogs with higher levels of anxiety or are just prone to stress responses. It can help with cases anywhere from generalized anxiety to PTSD that can feel challenging to live with. This is due to how CBD connects to the brain and its receptors. When it connects to the brain, it slows the responses to panic and anxiety, allowing the dog to feel safer and more comfortable with their surroundings.

Seizures
CBD has also been shown to treat epilepsy and seizures. It’s estimated that about 5% of dogs suffer from seizures, and that can be scary for both the dog and the owner to experience. Most dogs with these conditions are on medications that, while able to help the conditions, can also be extremely harmful to the dog’s liver and other internal organs. And sometimes the medications don’t even do enough to combat said conditions. CBD has been shown to be effective in drug-resistant epilepsy. In one study, 83% of patients with drug resistant epilepsy saw a noticeable improvement within 4 -5 months of taking CBD on a routine schedule. In another study that was done for people that can apply for how well CBD works, 84% of children with treatment-resistant epilepsy who had been taking CBD had a reduction in
the frequency of seizures.

Pain and Inflammation
CBD is also a strong pain reliever in the body. So as mentioned before, CBD can connect to the brain’s receptors and slow down/lessen a response such as anxiety. This can also apply for pain! Scientists are considering CBD as a new class of medication as a treatment of chronic pain since the cannabinoids in CBD work so well for managing pain. Studies show that CBD is highly effective for a few different conditions. An example being decreasing pain, including neuropathy and nerve-related pain, this generally applies more to older dogs. And decreasing inflammation in the body, this can include internal (such as in the organs) or external (such as on the skin.) Animal studies show that CBD is effective is counteracting colitis (IBD) and restoring normal gut motility in IBD. CBD can also support Cardiovascular health and heart health. Studies show it can reduce the damage from impaired blood vessels and abnormal heart rates, protect blood vessels from damage and dilate the arteries, and reduce heart rate and blood pressure associated with stress and anxiety.

Arthritis
Along with CBD being good for pain and inflammation, that ties into how it can help with arthritis and hip dysplasia. Dogs are no different when it comes to the challenges that arise from aging. Joint problems especially become common in older dogs, which can lead to pain and having trouble with movement. Arthritis is the swelling and tenderness of one or more joints. The main symptoms of arthritis are joint pain and stiffness, which typically worsen with age. The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. This can cause your dog to have trouble moving, they usually walk stiffly, and have inflammation and swelling in their joints. Just like people, dogs have cartilage at the ends of their bones within the joints that serve to cushion the impact between the bones as they move around. As dogs get older, this cartilage can erode and weaken, which can lead to inflammation and pain.

Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplasia can affect any dog, but it’s more common in bigger breeds and is related to a mix of environmental and dietary factors. The health of dog hips is closely linked with the amount and type of exercise a dog gets in their lifetime. While often diagnosed with age, dysplasia is not necessarily limited to older dogs. The early stages of dysplasia can usually be traced to irregular growth rates in puppyhood. Hip dysplasia is usually genetic and begin as a puppy’s muscle mass and hormones increase during growth spurts. The hip is a ball and socket joint, which should move smoothly with a sufficient level of mobility. Dysplasia occurs when space opens up between the ball at the end of the femur and the socket of the hip. In dogs suffering dysplasia, the joint will be loose or underdeveloped, and the two elements will begin to grind against each other. Usually, owners will turn to surgeries or medications as a go to treatment, but luckily, CBD oil may become your new solution. CBD oil is more natural in its components and may be a safer option. Pet owners who are nervous about giving their pets medication often turn to natural alternatives. In the case of arthritis, CBD oil may also be a healthy solution for both human and dogs.

In both cases, CBD is able to reduce the amount of inflammation and pain felt in the body, giving your pet a better quality of life. Adding CBD to your pet’s treatment plan may be valuable with minimal risk to your pet. Several studies have shown that cannabidiol has powerful anti-inflammatory effects, both when taken orally or when applied topically on the skin. One study showed that CBD is so effective against the inflammation caused by osteoarthritis that it may even slow the progression of this degenerative disease by preventing the nerve damage caused by inflammation!

Depending on how you want to give care to your dog, why not give CBD a try? At AHS, we have specialists and a nurse on staff who can answer any questions you may have about CBD or treatment plans for your furry companion.

Let’s start with what CBD is. CBD, or Cannabidiol, is one of the many active compounds found in the cannabis plant. Luckily, CBD is non-psychoactive and has many of the same medical benefits as Tetrahydrocannabinol (aka THC), another active and more well-known compound thanks to its psychoactive properties. This compound being the one that gets you “high.” CBD allows you to take advantage of the healing benefits without leaving you with the inebriated feeling that often goes hand in hand with THC. There has also been research that has shown that CBD is a very powerful painkiller and has anti-inflammatory properties that help make internal and external pain much more
manageable. What’s also nice about this compound is that it is not addictive and very safe for you to take. Even if you take too much, at worst you will have a headache or diarrhea. Though when taking CBD for topical pain, those symptoms do not usually occur.

So why should I use CBD cream? What makes it so special is that with its anti-inflammatory properties, it can reduce the symptoms you may be experiencing on your skin. It can go through about four layers of skin to improve deeper pain you may be experiencing. CBD cream evades the CB1 and CB2 receptors and heads straight for a neurotransmitter middleman that blocks signals for pain and itch by working through agents called anandamide and 2-AG. Sidestepping the CB1 and CB2 receptors means that CBD can mute pain without the high sensation delivered by THC. CBD can significantly reduce intense pain, sharp pain, itchy sensations, and cold. Other research also suggests that topical CBD may be useful for treating joint and muscle pain associated with other conditions, such as migraines. Topical CBD may also benefit certain skin disorders. CBD cream has been shown to help with cases such as eczema and arthritis. Depending on what level of pain you may be having, we will surly have something that can help with your needs.

At AHS, we have two different creams that can help you with different levels of pain. We use a 1-10 scale to represent pain, for example, 1 would be the lightest amount of pain while 10 would be considered some of the worst pain you can experience. We have two different creams to accommodate both levels of pain. We have our 1500mg cream that would be good for pain that is a 5 or lower, and our 2500mg cream that is for 6 and higher levels of pain. Luckily, it’s very easy to apply to the skin as well! Our creams come with little spatulas that can help you scoop up a tiny bit of cream, a little bit can go a long way! You just apply a little bit to your affected area, and it will help elevate the pain within half an hour to an hour, depending on the person. Always be careful where you put the cream though, never put it near your eyes or near more sensitive areas of your body (such as genitalia.) Our 2500mg cream does contain menthol in it, so be warned if you either have an allergy or are sensitive to this ingredient. At AHS, we have many specialists and a nurse on staff who can answer any additional questions about CBD or how to take it if you are on any medications.