Can CBD Oil Be Used to Clear Up Symptoms of Pneumonia?

Pneumonia can be a scary disease, but fortunately, most people with the condition will have a mild illness and recover without complications. The disease, which involves an infection that causes lung inflammation, can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. This infection may result as a complication of another illness a patient already has, like the flu, or it can even occur after a common cold in immunocompromised or elderly patients.

What Are the Symptoms of Pneumonia?

Symptoms of severe, acute pneumonia usually include a cough, which can be wet or dry, fever due to the infection, stomach symptoms like nausea and diarrhea, and shortness of breath. Interestingly, in older adults, body temperature may drop due to the infection. Elderly patients and those with immune deficiencies are at high risk for complications of pneumonia, such as trouble getting enough oxygen to their bodies and brains, lung abscesses, and pleural effusion, which involves the space around the lungs filling with fluid.

Could CBD Play a Role in the Treatment of Pneumonia?

As pneumonia involves inflammation, it stands to reason that the inflammatory symptoms of pneumonia, like difficulty breathing, could be alleviated with the use of CBD. Other symptoms of the condition like nausea, vomiting, chest pain, and exhaustion may be alleviated by CBD, which is thought to help with both gastrointestinal conditions as well as sleep troubles. Patients with pneumonia, in addition to their illness, often suffer from poor sleep due to fever and trouble breathing.CBD has not been specifically researched as a potential treatment for symptoms of pneumonia, but it is possible that its anti-inflammatory effects and airway-dilation effects could be of benefit to patients suffering from the condition. When used in conjunction with antibiotics, antivirals, or other prescription medications that the patient has been given to treat pneumonia, CBD may help pneumonia patients recover more quickly and with fewer complications.