What Are Opioids?

Opioids are medicines that are often prescribed or recommended by a doctor to treat chronic pain. These medicines reduce feelings of pain. This occurs when opioids attach themselves to opioid receptors on nerve cells located in the brain, and other areas of the body. This attachment blocks pain signals sent from the body through the spinal cord to the brain. Hence interrupting the communication between the brain and the body. 

If you are eager to learn more about alternative medicine, Altmed is for here for you. Altmed offers frequent podcasts that you can listen to on a wide range of platforms. Their key focus is on topics such as medical cannabis and CBD oil.

What Are The Risks of Using Opioids?

Opioids inherit many risks when using them. Opioids may cause: 

• Life-threatening breathing problems especially if you are older, when you first start taking opioids, after a dosage increase or if you have an existing lung problem
• Drowsiness
• Nausea
• Constipation

In addition to these side effects, they can be extremely addictive. The longer a person chooses to consume opioids for treatment, such as chronic pain, they have a higher likelihood of having an opioid addiction.

In many cases when you suddenly stop taking opioids, you can experience symptoms. These symtpoms include jittery nerves and insomnia. This is because opioids can train your brain and body system to vehemently believe the drug is essential for survival. 

What leads to addiction is that as your body becomes used to the recommended dose prescribed by the doctor, your body may feel the need need to consume even more opioids. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, there are more than 2 million Americans that misuse opioids. Furthermore, they reveal more than 90 Americans die by opioid overdose every single day. 

CBD Oil For Opioid Harm Reduction

Cannabidiol or CBD, is a chemical compound that is often used in oils. CBD oil is commonly used for sleep aid and anxiety management. In addition, it can also be used for chronic pain management and therefore can be an alternative medicine for opioid users. When a person has CBD oil in their system, it interacts with the neurotransmitters within the body and influences endocannabinoid receptor activity. This leads to the endocannabinoid system reducing inflammation caused by pain, hence subsiding feelings of pain. 

Furthermore, CBD oil does has several effects that are beneficial for pain management: 

• Anti-inflammatory
• Antioxidant
• Reduces nausea and vomiting from other pain medications
• Antipsychotic
• Neuroprotective
• Promotes bone growth
• Reduces anxiety and depression related with chronic pain
• Subsides intraocular pressure
• Reduces spasticity and muscle spasms
• Stimulates appetite

Key Takeaways with Altmed

If you are eager to learn more about natural and alternative medicine, Altmed is here for you. Altmed offers podcasts that you can listen to on a large range of platforms such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts. They dive into topics such as medical cannabis and CBD oil.

In Altmed’s articles and podcasts, you will find influential stories and intriguing discussions related to natural and alternative medicinal solutions.