One of the most common injuries is a sprain,
which affects millions
of Americans each year.
A sprain can be enormously painful, and always requires a lot of care
while the area heals. While there are
various proven treatment methods for managing a sprain, a lot of people are
finding that using a CBD
topical delivers some value when it comes to easing the
symptoms.
What is a Sprain?
A sprain is the result of a stretch or tear in the
ligaments, which connect bones in a joint.
By far, the most common type of sprain is an ankle sprain, due to the
vulnerable nature of the ankles, but a sprain can affect any joint, and the
second most common type of sprain is a wrist sprain. It can result from overextension, twisting,
improper bending or overexerting, and is particularly common among athletes,
but can happen to anybody of any age. A
very common reason for spraining one’s ankle is walking on an uneven surface.
What are the Symptoms of a Sprain?
Usually, a person will know that they have injured
themselves as soon as the sprain occurs.
Many feel or hear a pop, which indicates that a ligament has been
torn. They will also likely feel pain
immediately, and notice that they suddenly lose full mobility of the affected
joint.
A sprain will almost always result in pain, swelling,
and bruising, which results from the inflammation that occurs when a ligament
is sprained. This can last for days or
weeks depending on the severity of the sprain, in terms of how stretched the
ligament is. While not all sprains
involve a full, clean tear of the ligament, even stretching the ligament beyond
its capacity can result in an extremely painful experience with lots of
swelling.
Does a Sprain Require Treatment?
A mild sprain that does not involve severe tearing of
the ligament can be treated at home.
While the pain may make it difficult to use the joint, simply resting
the area and applying ice may be able to bring down inflammation to a manageable
level while the area repairs itself.
But, a more severe sprain will require treatment. The more severe the tear of the ligament, the
most likely it is that you will need professional help while healing from a
sprain. You should consider seeing a doctor
as soon as possible if:
- You
can no longer use the affected joint - You
can no longer bear weight on the affected joint - You
experience pain directly above the joint, in the bones - You
experience numbness near the affected area - You
experience debilitating pain - You
suspect that the injury is worse than just a sprain
How a Sprain is Typically Treated
The treatment that is required following a sprain
depends largely on the severity. Like we
said, minor sprains can be treated with ice, rest, and elevation, as the body
can repair smaller stretches and tears of the ligaments on their own.
A more severe sprain may require surgery if a fracture
has actually occurred at the affected area.
And, if the pain is unbearable, prescription pain medications may be
required. A more severe sprain may also require
physical therapy once the joint is usable again, to strengthen and heal the
surrounding tissue and prevent reinjury.
What Might CBD Be Able to Do For Certain Sprains?
Ultimately, when you experience an injury of any kind,
you should strictly follow the advice of your doctor. But, that doesn’t mean that we can’t
simultaneously support the body while following our doctor’s advice during the
healing process. One way in which many
people support their bodies when dealing with a sprain is by using CBD.
We know that there are a lot of individuals out there
who take
cannabidiol for different forms of pain, as this cannabinoid works through the
body to activate cannabinoid receptors in the muscles and joints that deal with
inflammation, pain sensitivities, etc. But, as a sprain is localized, it may be most
useful to opt for a CBD topical.
CBD
topicals allow the compound to absorb in a transdermal manner,
through the skin to quickly reach cannabinoid receptors in the muscles and
joints that deal with pain and inflammation.
This allows us to apply a CBD topical in order to experienced very
localized and targeted effects, rather than allowing the cannabinoid to get
dispersed widely throughout the body.
CBD topicals are extremely popular among those dealing with more
localized issues in the deep tissue.
What to Look for in a CBD Topical When Dealing with a Sprain
There are many different kinds of CBD topicals on the
market, and because of that, you may feel intimidated by the selection, not
knowing which is best suited for a sprain.
To make things simpler, here are some key things to look for when
choosing a formula:
- ØThe
Right Milligram Strength: With a sprain, you’ll likely want to
go for a topical that contains at least 100 milligrams of CBD per ounce, to
offer the right potency level to provide the relief you’re looking for. - ØA
Fast-Absorbing Formula: Opt for a formula that’s
fast-absorbing, which can come in the form of a cream, salve, lotion, balm or
gel. These types of topicals can absorb
through the skin within minutes to deliver effects quickly. - ØThird-Party
Testing: Only buy a topical from a company that has their hemp
extracts tested by a third-party lab, which guarantees authenticity, quality
and purity. - ØEnhanced
with Other Active Ingredients: Many topicals are
enhanced with other naturally derived ingredients like menthol, camphor and
arnica, which all have the ability to provide further desirable properties to
the affected area to give you the relief you’re looking for.
How to Use CBD Topicals When Recovering from a Sprain
Now that you can see how CBD topicals give us the
unique ability to address specific areas of the body by offering them the
properties of the hemp plant, here are some quick tips to using that said
topical solution properly.
Tip #1: Be Consistent
CBD is more effective when used consistently over
time, because it works cumulatively.
Therefore, try to use your topical twice each day to continue supplying
the affected area’s cannabinoid receptors with proper cannabinoid levels.
Tip #2: Massage the Solution Thoroughly
Because the goal of a CBD topical is to provide the
affected deep tissue with the cannabinoid, make sure that with each
application, you thoroughly massage the formula into the skin until it fully
absorbs. Otherwise, the formula will
remain on the skin and evaporate before reaching the joints and muscles.
Tip #3: Continue Following Your Doctor’s Advice
This is perhaps the most important. Although CBD
topicals cannot interfere with other medications or the CYP3A4 enzyme
responsible for metabolizing half of those medications we take, and while they
also can be enormously helpful, that does not mean that they should replace the
treatment plan recommended by a medical professional.
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