If you’ve ever woken up in the morning and you notice that your first few steps caused you a stabbing pain in your heel, then you may have a foot condition known as plantar fasciitis. Will CBD help with your foot pain?
A large number of CBD-infused essential oils are available for the treatment of the condition as well as lotions, balms, and topical creams which provide relief for many muscle pain and joint conditions.
We will discuss the various treatment options, including the use of hemp derived CBD oil, so you have so that you'll be better equipped with the helpful information you need to treat this condition.
In this article, we'll cover everything you need to know regarding the use of CBD for foot pain, its causes and symptoms, so please keep reading to learn more...
What is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is a chronic, local inflammation of the ligament beneath soul of the foot caused by inflammation at the attachment points of the heel where the fascia begins (a band of tissue connecting the toes to your heel bone), and is a widespread cause of heel pain.
It can be characterized by shooting pains at the bottom of your foot towards the inside point of your heel. It can cause mild discomfort, limping, a super-sensitive heel, to constant severe pain in the plantar fascia.
The severity of this condition can range, but in most cases, it hurts when you place your foot flat on the ground and is most noticeable in the morning when you take your first few steps.
When your foot starts to ache, you might put more pressure on the outside border of your foot, limp or walk on the ball of your foot. Similar to arthritis, the pain have be excruciating, but there are topical creams and lotions you can use to help treat your pain.
What Causes Plantar Fasciitis?
Repetitive stretching and tearing are the most common causes of heel pain. These events cause the fascia to become irritated or inflamed. This is because the plantar fascia connecting the front and back of the foot acts like a shock-absorbing bowstring that supports the foot's arch.
When persistent tension and stress on that bowstring becomes too high, small tears can arise in the fascia hence leading to the pain and inflammation associated with the condition.
There are also risk factors that lead to the development of chronic foot pain, namely:
Age: The risk of developing a fascia injury increases with age. Plantar fasciitis is most common between ages 40 and 60.
Exercise: Athletes who enjoy exercises that place a lot of stress on your feet contribute to an earlier onset of plantar fasciitis. Some examples are:
- Long-distance Running
- Ballistic jumping activities
- Ballet dancing
- Aerobic dancing
Obesity: Excess weight puts extra stress and tension on the plantar fascia.
Medical Treatment for Pain In Your Feet
Before taking any medications, it is recommended to consult your doctor to find the best treatment regimen for you.
Some treatment options are more preventative and recovery while others treat an active symptom, which may require a stronger pain reliever.
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With that being said, here are some treatment options that have been used for plantar fasciitis:
NSAIDs: Medications like Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS), Steroids, and exercises are treatment options for the conditions, but these interventions are not without side effects and limitations.
They have been proven to be gastro-toxic and are even contraindicated in patients with peptic ulcer disease.
Consider the side effects before you take any drug. People with cardiovascular problems and patients with hypertension will not find NSAIDS to be helpful for the treatment of their plantar fasciitis symptoms.
Alternative Treatment
Among the traditional treatment options available are countless home remedies and holistic options which may provide some benefits, but lack enough scientific evidence to make definitive conclusions.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy in the form of exercises that strengthen and stretch the plantar fascia at the bottom of your feet, the Achilles tendon near your ankle, and the lower leg muscle fibers in your calf can help relieve pain and inflammation associated with pain in those areas.
While foot stretches and exercises can help plantar fasciitis by relieving pain temporarily, this method, however, can take a long time before clinical manifestations in terms of treatment are observed.
Shoes and Insoles
There are many therapeutic shoes and insoles you can wear which have been designed to help support the arch and relieve daily pressure placed on the fascia.
Consider shopping for shoes specifically meant for running if you find that symptoms arise after heavy exercise.
Foot Braces
If you are interested in stretching your fascia at night while you sleep at night, consider one of these foot braces which aims to help your body heal overnight.
One of the most essential relief measures you can experience is an improvement in sleep.
When you incorporate pain management while you rest, you'll undoubtedly sleep better as a result.
Shockwave Therapy
Shockwave therapy utilizes sound waves to produce vibrations that literally ''shock'' the fascia. This is a possible intervention that can be used in combination with medical treatment/physical therapy for the management of plantar fascia pain.
Essential Oils
While there isn't any substantial research backing up the efficacy of using essential oils alone for plantar fasciitis, there are countless blogs and videos pointing out the many benefits that these natural oils provide.
For example, components of frankincense oil has been shown to reduce inflammation, while peppermint, lemongrass oil, and grapeseed oil are a few of the most popular essential oils for foot therapy.
Imagine finding a product that combines these essential oils with CBD. Not only would you help relieve your pain, but you'd smell pleasant too!
Creams, Lotions and Salves
Your search for pain relief may include plantar fasciitis cream. Look for a company that includes ingredients focused on providing relief for inflammation of the plantar fascia.
These inflamed areas are responsible for most of your discomfort, so anything out there which aims to subdue swelling is a good option.
CBD Oil Treatment
One of the components in cannabis that is extracted from the hemp without THC and infused into topical products in the form of oils, lotions, and balms is CBD.
Plantar Fasciitis pain relief may come from how cbd oil interacts with receptors around the plantar fascia.
Hemp oil is also available in many topical products, but hemp oil rarely contains any cannabinoids which interact with local pain receptors like CBD does.
CBD Oil has been shown to help control localized acute swelling when massaged into the area where you are feeling pain.
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Geriatrics who cannot withstand prolonged periods of exercises will not be able to use the exercise approach for the management of their condition.
These observations have led to the evolution of numerous alternative treatment options like CBD oil for plantar fasciitis and supplements which aim to promote muscle strength and an improvement in foot flexibility and joint health.
Does CBD Help Plantar Fasciitis?
The endocannabinoid system regulates the body's function. Cannabidiol (CBD) interacts with the CB1 and CB2 receptors to help the body regulate itself optimally.
That means, if you take CBD regularly, you may experience many benefits over time, not just relief in your muscles and joints.
Foot Pain
Since CBD oil has anti-inflammatory properties, when used topically, it can be an excellent option to help promote long-term recovery for conditions such as plantar fasciitis, achilles tendonitis, inflammatory arthritis, skin irritations and musculoskeletal pains in your feet.
Chronic Heel Pain
Topical creams containing CBD for plantar fasciitis possess analgesic properties that help reduce the chronic pains associated with neuropathic pain over long-term use.
Swelling
Studies concerning the pharmacology of CBD have shown that regular use of CBD has an immunosuppressive effect on cells that play a role in inflammation and immunity, which significantly reduces the potential for chronic inflammatory pain.
Something to keep in mind is that physical pain often requires medicines with a targeted and immediate effect. The terpenes found in many essential oils and cannabis are helpful in treating the underlying causes of your symptoms, but may take longer than other analgesic and pain medications.
How To Take CBD For Plantar Fasciitis
While CBD can provide benefits over a long-term basis, for immediate relief, consider supplementing other recommended medications as it can take hours for CBD to soak into your feet and work effectively.
Topical CBD products which claim to have large amounts of CBD may not be as effective as they claim. This is due to CBD's bioavailability which indicates the amount of the substance that eventually ends up in your bloodstream.
That being said, if you use topical CBD products before going to bed or after activity and allow ample time for the medicine to soak in, it will have lasting effects.
Using a CBD tincture another edible CBD product may also provide relief for your foot pain when used over time.
What's the CBD Dosage for Plantar Fasciitis & Foot Pain?
Based on widespread anecdotal evidence only, the standard CBD dosage recommendation may depend on your body weight. Start with 1 to 6 mg for every 10 pounds of body weight.
We've built a calculator for you so that you can find the lowest starting dose for your body weight below:
The above dosage recommendation is general and merely a suggestion. Your case may differ in that you may need a lot more, while others may need a lot less. Please consult with your physician before supplementing your treatment with CBD.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The use of over-the-counter analgesics and anti-inflammatory agents for pain treatment associated with plantar fasciitis is a widespread practice today. They are, however, not without side effects and complications.
Even though the science is still new, CBD is useful for treating the underlying causes of many conditions including plantar fasciitis.
If you'd like to learn more about how CBD can help treat the symptoms of many conditions, take a look at our expanding resources where we explore the many benefits of CBD.