UPPER MACUNGIE TWP., Pa. — Until recently, John Wells was experiencing restless nights.
Wells, 69, of Orefield, was suffering from knee pain and said he “couldn't sleep, I just couldn't get comfortable."
- People are using CBD to treat pain and get off of narcotics
- CBD can be ingested or used as a topical cream, although it's not regulated by the FDA
- A neuroscience professor says there is evidence that CBD can ease certain ailments
"I messed up my knee, I'm bone on bone," he said. "I've had a torn meniscus. The doctor had me basically on bed rest till — I had a bruise on my knee — until the bruise healed and stuff and I was taking oxycodone for the pain.”
He was prescribed the strong narcotic, but said the idea of taking narcotics didn’t sit well with him.
"I hated being on it," he said. "I hate the way it made me feel. I hated what it did to my body. I just hated it."
Wells thought that was the only option, but a friend’s recommendation would soon change his treatment plan.
What is CDB?
The Wellses were told to look into using CBD to treat John's condition.
CBD shops have began opening to the public in the past few years — around the time medical marijuana dispensaries started popping up.
But what is CBD and what ailments can it treat?
The Wellses found the answer at CBD American Shaman in Fogelsville.
"That happens every day," said Crystal Frey, the shop's owner and a certified CBD consultant.
"We get people [who] come in, they say what they're taking. They say it's not working for them. They're really, sometimes, really desperate to try anything. They don't like the side effects of their other pharmaceutical drugs, so they'd like to try something more natural."
Frey said humans "all have this natural endocannabinoid system, so your body actually needs the cannabinoids, so it will attach to your receptors in your body and trigger your brain to do the things that it's lacking."
She said it "helps with some inflammation, aches and pains. Calming is another good reason — sleep is a huge thing we see people coming for."
How does CDB work?
So how does CBD work and how is it different from its federally prohibited counterpart: marijuana?
"Cannabis has hundreds of compounds inside it that can work in a variety of different ways," said Jeremy Teissere, the Stanley Road Professor of Neuroscience at Muhlenberg College.
"The compound that gets the most attention is tetrahydrocannabinol, which is THC, and THC is responsible for the psychoactive effects of cannabis. But CBD or cannabidiol is another compound in this cocktail of compounds that come with the plant.”
"We're interested in figuring out why CBD seems to increase sleep, reduce anxiety, help treat epilepsy and these are things that cannabis really can't do."Jeremy Teissere, Stanley Road Professor of Neuroscience, Muhlenberg College
Teissere, a neuroscience professor, studies how drugs work at the chemical level and has a research student currently looking at CBD.
“We're interested in figuring out why CBD seems to increase sleep, reduce anxiety, help treat epilepsy and these are things that cannabis really can't do," he said.
"That suggests that CBD works on totally different targets in the body that are different from the ones cannabis works on.”
Other considerations
However, Teissere said there are things to consider before using CBD.
First and foremost, he said, is that it's not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, meaning the amount of CBD in any given product may not be the actual dosage.
“Another thing that the public, I think, needs to be aware of, is that we don't know how CBD works,” Teissere said.
“We know it doesn't work the way the active ingredients in cannabis do, because it doesn't have those psychoactive effects, but it seems to work on other targets and that might complicate the pharmacology of other drugs someone might be taking in two major ways.”
Frey, the CBD shop owner, said though rare, there can be side effects to using the products.
"There are definitely fewer side effects than regular pharmaceuticals," she said. "The most common one sometimes I hear — and it's not even very often — is headaches, but that's, like I said, it's a very rare occasion for most people there are no side effects."
Teissere said that when it is used without other medications, there is evidence the substance can have an effect on pain.
"It can work to stop inflammation cascades in the body, and so here it would be almost like a kind of weak ibuprofen or naproxen," he said.
"The effect on how it might help someone who is struggling with chronic pain might be a combination of both this sort of removing inflammation and also helping to reduce anxiety and help promote sleepiness and of course, rest is really valuable in reducing pain.”
THE END GAME
Reducing pain is John Wells’ end game.
He said that after he began using CBD products he immediately felt relief. He said he likes the gummies form.
"The CBD helps," Wells said. "I'm walking now with a cane and I really am not putting much weight on the cane. I'm feeling better. I'm able to walk more, I'm able to get around, I can drive.
Meanwhile, Wells's wife, Donna, started applying CBD lotion for her own pain.
"I have a very sore wrist and I use the topical and the gummies and it works wonderfully," Donna Wells said.
The couple even started treating their dog, Buddy, with CBD to combat his anxiety.
“In my opinion, it's safer than a lot of the drugs that physicians want to put you on," Donna Wells said.
John Wells said he plans to continue using CBD to improve his quality of life, especially after three of his doctors gave him the green light to do so.
"It's a big thing for me if I can live life with less pain itself," he said. "I can do things. I can spend more time with my grandsons. I can be more active with them and I can be active in my life.”
CBD American Shaman in Fogelsville has a special program that discounts items to those who have a serious medical condition, such as cancer.
Those looking to replace any medication with CBD should first consult their doctor.
