To date, the most significant research supports the use of CBD oil for those who experience seizures. Epidiolex, a CBD healthy hemp oil oral solution, was approved by the FDA in 2018 to treat people with one of two rare forms of epilepsy — Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. Scientists believe CBD oil helps suppress seizures by slowing down messages being sent to the brain, changing calcium levels in brain cells and decreasing inflammation in the brain. While also derived from the hemp plant, hemp oil is different from CBD oil.
Reflecting the next morning, I was most surprised by the fact that I never felt "high" in any way—there was never a moment of It’s kicking in; I can feel it now like with pain medications or even anti-anxiety drugs. Considering it takes time, consistency, and the right dosage to experience the full effect, I continued taking the oil once a day for the next six days. It was actually a bad bout of jet lag after a trip to California that inspired me to finally test out the CBD oil (I’ll admit that my weed-based reservations kept me from trying it for the first few months). Knowing that the oil had also helped people with sleep issues, I squeezed one full dropper of the Everyday Plus oil onto my tongue, per the instructions, and waited.
“There is a specific difference between CBD oil and hemp oil,” explains Integrative Medicine Specialist Melinda R. Ring, MD, executive director of Northwestern Medicine Osher Center for Integrative Medicine. “Hemp oil comes from the seeds and contains very little CBD oil. Meanwhile, CBD oil or extract has a variable amount extracted from the flowers or seeds.” For that reason, she strongly suggests reading labels carefully.
Our best results came from taking both the CBD oil under the tongue while at the same time applying the CBD cream (or more potent salve, or lotion) directly to the joints in pain. Also, if you’re new to using CBD oil, we recommend you start with 10 milligrams per day to establish a safe, effective amount for you. Most of our RA colleagues end up getting relief when they take 20mg of full spectrum lab grade CBD tincture under the tongue twice per day.
“The biggest mistake people make with CBD is failing to follow a regular routine. You need to have patience to see the full effects,” Olshavsky says. This is especially true for people dealing with chronic pain from arthritis and other illnesses, she adds.