What is CBD oil?

Different cannabis plants — often called hemp or marijuana — contain different levels of chemical compounds.

How people breed the plant affects the CBD oil levels. Most CBD oil comes from industrial hemp, which usually has a higher CBD content than marijuana.

Makers of CBD oil use different methods to extract the compound. The extract is then added to a carrier oil and called CBD oil.

CBD oil comes in many different strengths, and people use it in various ways. It is best to discuss CBD oil with a doctor before using it.

Benefits

People have used CBD for thousands of years to treat various types of pain, but the medical community has only recently begun to study it again.

Here are some of the possible benefits of CBD oil:

Arthritis pain

A study in the European Journal of Pain used an animal model to see if CBD could help people with arthritis manage their pain. Researchers applied a topical gel containing CBD to rats with arthritis for 4 days.

Their researchers note a significant drop in inflammation and signs of pain, without additional side effects.

People using CBD oil for arthritis may find relief from their pain, but more human studies need to be done to confirm these findings.