Are CBD Gummies Effective For Treating Chronic Pain?

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

cbd gummiesEvery once in a while a new product splashes onto the market claiming to be a miracle cure for chronic pain. Recently, cannabidiol or CBD oil has become that product, and odds are you’ve seen an advertisement for CBD oil, CBD gummies or CBD products on the radio or in a magazine. CBD oil is derived from the cannabis plant, but unlike medical marijuana, CBD products do not contain THC, the primary psychoactive compound in the plant.

Like a lot of passive treatment options in the chronic pain community, CBD oil has earned mixed reviews. Some patients are calling it a wonder drug, as they say it’s been able to rid them of arthritis pain, calm their anxiety and help them sleep. Doctors on the other hand are a little more skeptical of the actual science behind the drug, but then again, since CBD products have been shown to have fewer side effects than traditional opioids, who are doctors to condemn a product that appears to be working for some people?

Is CBD Effective?

By most scientific reports, the jury is still out on whether or not CBD oil has a causal relationship with reducing chronic pain. A study involving rodents found that CBD helped to lower arthritis-related pain and inflammation in rats, but that same study has yet to be conducted on humans. Another recent study published in the journal Pain suggested that low-dose CBD may be effective at reducing pain and anxiety by interfering with a neurotransmitter linked to both. However, Dr. Gabriella Gobbi, who conducted the second study, said more research still needs to be conducted on how CBD really affects the body.

“[CBD] should be more thoroughly studied by doctors and scientists, and then go though the drug development stages and approved by regulatory agencies before being commercialized,” said Gobbi.

The problem is we’ve kind of skipped those middle steps, and that can be dangerous. Even if CBD oil is effective for some, there’s always the chance that we’re missing a potential side effect because the product hasn’t been thoroughly vetted by medical research. There’s also the possibility that the effectiveness is largely a placebo effect in a number of individuals, but again, placebos have been used to treat a myriad of health conditions in the past, so if it’s working for someone, it might be worth continuing.

With that said, if you’re considering beginning or continuing a CBD product regimen, run it by your primary care physician or pain management specialist. While it has shown promise for some conditions, it certainly won’t help certain ailments caused by physical problems, like a herniated disc or spinal stenosis. Don’t waste your time with a passive treatment that will not work if you’re dealing with these conditions. Talk to your doctor, uncover the root cause of your pain, and then determine if CBD oil could be effective for your condition. If you’re a candidate, odds are your doctor will be open to helping you explore the benefits of CBD oil.

One last thing of note – CBD oil is governed differently across the US. It is illegal in some states, while others allow it. Here in Minnesota, hemp products are legal so long as the THC concentration is below 0.3. So while CBD oil may be legal at the state level, it’s actually illegal at the federal level. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration considers all cannabinoids, including CBD, a schedule 1 drug, which means it’s as illegal as heroin from the federal government’s perspective. The federal government isn’t activly enforcing CBD’s illegal status, so while it’s unlikely you’ll get in trouble for purchasing or using it, it’s worth remembering that it’s not completly legal in the US, and it could affect your employment depending on where you work.

For more information on CBD oil or your chronic pain condition, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office today.

New Exercise Guidelines Can Help With Chronic Pain

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

exercise guidelinesNew federal health guidelines want Americans to move more and get kids active, and this advice can also help to prevent and treat chronic pain. The three main talking points from the new guidelines, which are the first update to government physical activity guidelines in a decade, suggest that we need to move more, sit less and get kids active at a younger age. We take a closer look at all three of those talking points below.

Get Kids Active

The biggest update to the guidelines centers around when parents should really start encouraging their kids to partake in physical activities throughout the day. The old guidelines said six was the target age to encourage kids to be active, but the updated guidelines says you should push kids to move at the age of three. There are no strict guidelines, but they said about three hours of interactive activity and physical movement of various intensity is a good start. That would put us in line with the average amount of activity observed in kids in other countries at this age.

Once they hit the age of six, the activity should be a little more vigorous. At least an hour of moderate-to-vigorous activity a day is recommended, from activities like brisk walking, biking, running or playing on a playground.

Sit Less

Another point that was stressed in the updated guidelines was to have people sit less. Sitting can be especially harmful for your health if it leads to a sedentary lifestyle, and while you don’t need to swap out sitting with activity, at least make it a point to move around regularly or consider switching to a standing option. Find ways to break up your sitting, whether that’s by taking a phone call on your feet at the office, walking around during your lunch break or simply going for a walk instead of plopping down in front of the television after dinner. Strive to sit less in the new year.

Move More

Along a similar vein, movement for adults is emphasized under the new guidelines. The duration for movement and activity remains the same – at least 2½ to 5 hours of moderate-intensity or 1 ¼ to 2 ½ hours of vigorous activity a week, but they also added that aerobic exercise, even in short bursts less than 10 minutes are helpful. Even a single episode of activity can help to lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety and improve sleep.

All of these pieces of advice are also helpful for patients with chronic pain. If we take care of our body when we are young, we can reduce our likelihood of developing a pain condition down the road. And if we pursue active treatments, like movement and exercise over options like rest and opioids, odds are we’ll see more improvement. So try to follow these guidelines in the new year, regardless of whether or not you have chronic pain, and your body will thank you for it.

How Regular Exercise Keeps Your Body Young

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

old fitnessNew research published in the Journal of Applied Physiology revealed that regular exercise can have your muscles acting as if you are decades younger than your actual age.

According to researchers, older men and women who exercised regularly for decades had muscles that were indistinguishable in many ways from the muscles of healthy 25-year-olds. These older men and women also had much higher aerobic capacities than most individuals their age, making them biologically about 30 years younger than their chronological age, the study’s authors conclude.

Previous studies have found that older athletes have healthier muscles, brains and immune systems than individuals of the same age who are sedentary. However, those studies have concentrated on competitive athletes, not recreational exercisers. This study suggests that you don’t need to be a professional athlete to see many of the same benefits of regular exercise.

Exercise Study

For the study, researchers looked at the health of individuals who took up regular exercise during the fitness boom of the 1970’s. They were most interested in individuals who maintained that hobby through the next 40-50 years, with activities like running, cycling, jogging or swimming, even if they never competed in these activities.

28 men and women fit the bill, and they were compared to a second group of age-matched older individuals who had not exercised during adulthood, as well as compared to a third group of active young people in their 20s.

Each group was tested in a lab setting to measure their aerobic capacities, and tissue samples were also taken to look for the number of capillaries and levels of enzymes in muscles. The higher the numbers, the better the muscle health.

After looking at the findings, researchers were surprised to find that the muscles of the older exercisers resembled the muscles of the young group, and their aerobic capacities were about 40 percent higher than inactive individuals their age. They also concluded that the active older group had cardiovascular health similar to that of people about 30 years younger.

These findings are amazing, and they help us understand why regular exercise is so important. Exercise can literally roll back the clock and slow down the aging process, which can help prevent problems like pain or degeneration-related issues. So take care of your health while you’re young, and continue exercising as you get older. If you do this regularly, you can prove that age really is nothing more than a number, and we are in control of our health!

Can Using A Sauna Be Considered Exercise?

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

saunaScandinavians have had healthy lifestyles for centuries. One of their traditions has been saunas, often followed by the quick jump into the snow bank or into a cold lake. New research published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings indicates that frequent sauna use can have the same effect on the body as regular exercise. Yes, sitting in a sauna is similar to a workout. To be beneficial like exercise, however, it has to be done about five times a week. Occasional saunas do not have a benefit.

How Saunas Simulate Exercise

A typical sauna is heated upwards of 175 degrees Fahrenheit or hotter. Spending five to twenty minutes in the sauna will normally get the heart rate to increase to 120 to 150 beats a minute. This is the same range that the heart would beat at when exercising moderately. At the same time that the heart rate increases, blood flow also increases to the skin, and that is an important factor seen in cardiovascular exercise.

The health benefits of sauna baths were studied in Finland. In the people who frequently used saunas, the same benefits of exercise were noted. These people had a 60 percent decease in heart disease and stroke. There was also evidence of improvements in other diseases such as some pulmonary conditions, arthritis, headaches and the flu. Direct findings included decreased blood pressure and decreased artery stiffness.

The effects of frequent sauna sauna use are the same as aerobic exercise. For those with pain and difficulty walking or exercising, the use of a sauna may have a significant benefit to improve cardiovascular fitness. The extreme heat forces increased heart rates and peripheral vascular flow. Since this is pushing your heart rate up, starting a sauna routine should involve the same cautions as an exercise program. Make sure that your heart can tolerate the increased heart rate and the extra work. Consult your physician and get approval to be exercising before you start using a sauna. Other precautions include drink plenty of water and do not drink alcohol.

For more information about using a sauna for your pain condition, reach out to Dr. Cohn’s office today.

The Amazing Benefits of Tai Chi

/ Thomas Cohn, MD

tai chi benefitsTai Chi is an ancient Chinese tradition, and today it is practiced as a form of exercise. It is a series of postures and slow movements accompanied by deep breathing. Consider it a gentle form of physical exercise and stretching. It involves constant motion, moving from one posture to another without pause. It is safe for all ages including the elderly, and the low-impact movements put minimal stress on muscles and joints.

The Basics of Tai Chi

Tai Chi has many forms. There are forms that are more typical of martial arts, performed for competitive purposes, and there is the general version that is often practiced for its personal health beenfits. There have been five main family styles of Tai Chi, and all seem to based on the Chen style dating back to the 1600’s. Now, classes in Tai Chi are performed mostly for those interested in the combination of physical and mental health benefits. Movements emphasize a straight spine and natural range of motion of muscles and joints. There is also a seated form of Tai Chi that includes most of the traditional components of the art.

The health benefits of Tai Chi have been studied in a number of conditions, and has been generally accepted as beneficial in osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s disease, and for general chronic pain. Once the techniques are learned, no special equipment, place or clothing is needed to practice the art. The exercises are especially good for lower body strength to improve posture, promote overall flexibility, and for the awareness of balance and position of the body in space. The goals are to minimize stress on painful areas and to foster improved circulation, relief and healing.

The studies done around the world have shown benefit, especially for those who have chronic pain. Exercise in general has been shown to be beneficial. Studies specifically with regards to Tai Chi have shown better outcomes with pain control for Fibromyalgia than with more traditional exercise like aerobic conditioning or swimming. The concentration on slow balanced movements and breathing does especially well for all aspects of improving physical abilities of those who have chronic pain.

Classes for those wanting to learn Tai Chi are easily found. Many senior centers, larger health clubs and YMCAs have programs and classes. Once the movements are learned, one can continue with group programs or perform the art on their own. Since no equipment, special space or clothing is needed, only a commitment to improve oneself is necessary. If you have chronic pain and are looking for an activity to improve fitness, Tai Chi may be beneficial.