In the United States alone, there are 25 million asthma sufferers, who each have a unique level of severity pertaining to this chronic, incurable disease. Asthma is a respiratory condition affecting a person’s ability to breathe and can seriously limit one’s ability to take in enough oxygen each day. Therefore, asthma has the potential to be fatal, especially among those with a more severe form of the disease. [Source]
Asthma sufferers must devote enormous effort to maintaining their overall respiratory health and managing their symptoms through means prescribed by a doctor. That’s why we’re gonna be talking about CBD and how it relates to asthma.
What Exactly is Asthma?
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disorder in which the airways narrow and swell, interfering with one’s ability to take in enough oxygen. Asthma varies in terms of its severity from person to person, but those who have more severe forms of the disease can die due to a sudden inability to breathe.
Those who have asthma experience inflammation of the bronchial tubes, and this is why the airways narrow so much. The more they become inflamed, the more they swell up, and the narrower they get, which stops enough air from getting in. Generally, those who have asthma struggle with some decreased respiratory function at all times, but also have intermittent attacks which can vary in frequency from one patient to the next. Asthma attacks are triggered by specific factors and can cause the airways to suddenly narrow for a short period of time.
Common asthma attack triggers include:
- Allergens
- Physical Exertion
- Odor Sensitivity
- Food Intolerances
- Psychological Stress
- Respiratory Infection
- Difficulty Breathing (coughing, wheezing, and feeling out of breath)
Why Some People Develop Asthma
While we don’t know exactly why some people have asthma, we do know some potential contributing factors. It’s now believed that asthma may be an autoimmune condition, which is classified by the immune system attacking healthy cells of the body. This would explain why the airways become chronically inflamed despite no real threat of infection or injury. We also know that there’s a genetic component in which a person is more likely to have asthma if someone in their family has it as well.
While most asthma sufferers develop the condition during childhood, adults can develop it as well. It’s possible that prior severe respiratory infections or respiratory injuries can lead to the development of asthma.
How Asthma is Most Commonly Treated
As of now, asthma is considered an incurable condition, although in some cases the symptoms go away on their own, or at least decrease in severity. While there is no cure, and it is considered a lifelong disease in most cases, there are treatments. Before a treatment is prescribed, a doctor must assess the patient to rule out other underlying causes so that the patient can be accurately diagnosed.
The most common treatment for asthma is an inhaler known as a rescue inhaler, which forces air into the lungs through the airways so that a person can get enough oxygen during an attack. Asthma sufferers are expected to carry this inhaler with them at all times so that should an attack occur, they are prepared.
Many asthma patients also take some form of a daily medication in the form of steroids or anti-inflammatories to decrease the swelling and narrowing of the respiratory tract. A new procedure exists that aims to correct the issue through surgical means, known as bronchial thermoplasty. This involves the use of heat to reshape the lung tissue to make it less likely to narrow and tighten.
Would Cannabidiol Be Able to Help Asthma Sufferers?
CBD is a cannabinoid, and cannabinoids are compounds that have the unique ability to bind with cannabinoid receptors existing throughout every bodily system, including the respiratory tract and immune system, which controls inflammation levels throughout the body. When cannabinoids bind with these receptors, regulatory actions take place that allow these bodily systems to operate more efficiently for improved wellbeing.
By now, we’ve seen a couple of successful studies demonstrating the potential benefits of CBD on asthma patients.
- Study #1: Asthma patients noted a decrease in the severity of their symptoms after taking cannabidiol.
- Study #2: We also know that CBD may play a role in regulating the immune system’s functions, including its inflammatory response, thanks to unique anti-inflammatory properties combined with the regulatory effects on bodily systems noted above.
How to Use CBD if You Have Asthma
If you have asthma, and you wish to start incorporating CBD into your routine, it’s crucial that you first talk with your doctor. He or she needs to be aware of your medical history, severity of symptoms and current medications before recommending it for daily use. Once you have their approval, you should seek out a CBD product with a higher-than-average milligram strength due to the potential severity of the condition. We recommend avoiding any CBD products that are to be inhaled, as those sensitive may find them irritating, and this can exacerbate asthma symptoms.
It’s suggested that you take CBD daily for the best results. This gives the body an ample amount of cannabidiol to work with, so to speak. Do not stop taking any current treatments recommended by your doctor unless he or she specifically advises you to do so.
Asthma Can Be a Frightening and Even Debilitating Condition
But the good news is that various treatments are out there. If you wanna throw cannabidiol into the mix, do so under the guidance of your doctor, and choose a high-quality, adequately potent product that comes from a reputable company.