Asé Pure Naturals joins the conversation about CBD oil use and potential applications for Traumatic Brain Injury and concussion.
Concussion and other traumatic brain injuries are real threats for athletes. With only one concussion athletes are at risk for long term memory issues, sensory impairment, post concussion syndrome and other health problems.
But what about CBD oil and concussion? Can CBD oil help concussions or other TBIs? What are the potential applications for CBD oil for post concussion syndrome or other traumatic brain injuries?
These are questions the NFL and others are asking researchers to answer.
Defining Concussion, TBI, and Other Brain Injuries
There are many types of brain injuries. Recently CBD oil manufacturers, scientists, researchers and even the NFL are all asking more and more questions about how CBD works on brain tissue. In early 2022 the NFL dedicated a million dollars to aid in research on a possible application for CBD oil and concussion management for athletes like pro football players who are at risk for concussion and other TBIs.
What Is Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)?
Traumatic Brain Injury or TBI is a blanket term for any type of injury to the tissues of the brain. Because the types of injuries and resulting head trauma is so varied, symptoms of TBI are also quite varied. Any type of TBI likely will require medical treatment. Doctors will perform neurological, cognitive, and imaging tests to make a determination of the injury and severity.
What Is Concussion?
Concussion, according to the CDC, is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) where brain cells suffer damage or trauma, usually due to a blow to the head. Symptoms appear immediately, hours after injury, or even weeks later, and can last several weeks or longer. A medical doctor or an on-site athletic medical professional can make diagnosis and prescribe treatment.
What Causes Concussion?
Concussions are caused by some type of external force on the body which causes the body to jolt. Usually, concussions occur following some type of blow to the head which causes the inside brain matter to be jolted back and forth inside the skull. The brain cells bounce around, twist, or are smashed against the skull during the injury – which could be anything from a wreck to a bump-up in a contact sport – and may sustain injury or permanent damage to the brain cells.
Concussions are very serious brain injuries and repeated concussions are shown to have even more devastating effects. Athletes who participate in contact sports are at risk for concussion and if they have already sustained one concussion, may be at greater risk for subsequent developments of post concussion syndrome following contact to the head such as during football tackles or falls on the field. Ongoing chronic problems from concussion may even lead to Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a form of permanent brain damage.
What Is Post Concussion Syndrome?
The period of symptoms following a concussion are known as post concussion syndrome.
What Are the Symptoms of Concussion?
Post concussion syndrome involves a wide variety of symptoms and you may experience some, most, or all of them after head injury. And don’t think a smaller “bump on the head” is any less dangerous than an incredibly jarring one – as concussion symptoms can occur to varying degrees for both. Remember that any head injury or potential brain tissue damage is serious.
You may experience these types of symptoms, broken down by the CDC as “symptoms reported” and “symptoms observed.” (Full list here.)
Symptoms reported
- Headache
- Pressure in the head
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Dizziness, coordination or balance issues
- Light sensitivity
- Confusion
- Gaps in memory and sensory awareness
- Feeling “off,” “down,” or mentally sluggish
Symptoms observed
- Person seems confused after a hit or fall
- Person appears dazed, stunned, slow to respond
- Person can’t seem to follow simple instructions or remember what you just said to them
- Person is confused about gameplay, scores, and opponents
- Person moves clumsily
- Person seems to be “different” in personality
- Person loses consciousness, even for a brief time
Concussion and CBD Oil
Athletic directors and athletes follow concussion protocol for whatever sport they are in, and this protocol is regularly reviewed to follow the latest science on concussion. One fairly new interest of study is concussion and CBD oil as a possible aid to help players heal from concussions.
Can You Take CBD Oil with a Concussion?
Most sources say that CBD oil has very little or few side effects. But when you are considering CBD oil for concussion or any other specific ailment or injury, talk with your medical doctor. They know your full medical history and can make a clearer determination if CBD is safe and recommended for your concussion or other injuries.
CBD for Sports Applications
The NFL recently tossed their hat into the ring on the topic of CBD oil and concussion. Cannabidiol has sparked many research projects and continues to get the attention of neuroscientists and the athletic medical community. Of most interest is cannabidiol’s potential use as a neuroprotectant, its potential use in reducing cerebral inflammation in the brain after concussion or other TBIs, and cannabidiol’s effects on post concussion syndrome like in this study on female athletes. One study’s focus is specifically concerning headache and trigeminal pain that can follow concussion and how the endocannabinoid system may play a role in modulating pain.
While research on cannabidiol, THC, and other cannabinoids and how they may aid in brain health or healing is still very much in its infancy, the NFL pressing for more research in this field is good news to athletes, especially those at risk for concussion or other TBIs.
Current research does seem to be positive and promising. Preliminary research findings seems to support that flooding the endocannabinoid system with plant-based cannabinoids like THC and CBD may help concussions by relieving some of the post concussion syndrome symptoms, and is promising on whether or not CBD oil can help with post-concussion measures and for healing.
Asé Pure Naturals, Your Source for CBD and Sports Updates
Asé Pure Naturals is keeping sharp watch on this so we can deliver the latest and greatest cannabis news for athletes. Stay tuned to learn more about cannabis-derivatives, CBD oil and concussion research, and other CBD topics of interest to you and your lifestyle…because wellness starts with how we care for ourselves and with staying in the know of how we can best do that!
In conclusion – Can CBD Help Concussions?
This research is critical for athletes, for victims of car crashes or domestic violence, and for anyone who has had a bump on the head. Concussions, as serious as they are, can happen to any of us – so this research will benefit us all.
So, can CBD help concussions? The most honest answer here is – we are anxiously waiting for definitive scientific proof, but we are waiting with hope and positivity on the matter. Many signs indicate CBD can help, but how much and exactly how is what we hope this new research answers.
