Using CBD for Bladder Pain and Inflammation
Bladder diseases such as UTIs, interstitial cystitis, and bladder cancer may cause pain, frequency of urination, and a general feeling of chronic discomfort. CBD may be used to treat symptoms associated with these conditions that are frequently debilitating and can decrease a patient’s quality of life.
Types of Bladder Diseases
Bladder disease, from simple urinary tract infections to interstitial cystitis to bladder cancer, generally affects women more often than men. Women are more prone to simple UTIs because their urinary tract has closer proximity to the anus — and it is therefore exposed to more bacteria that can cause infections. On the other hand, men suffer from prostate problems and kidney stones that may cause symptoms that affect urination. Bladder diseases include the following conditions:
• Cystitis (bladder inflammation caused by an infection)
• Interstitial cystitis (painful inflammation of the bladder’s wall)
• Overactive bladder
• Bladder cancer
• Multiple sclerosis (this disease often affects the nerves controlling urination)
Using CBD for Bladder Inflammation
Because symptoms of bladder diseases often include pain and urinary urgency, researchers suspect that CBD could be used to trigger the role of the endocannabinoid system in the urinary bladder. This system regulates aspects of pain, mood, and sleep within the human body. Using CBD for bladder inflammation may help patients with diseases as varied as interstitial cystitis and multiple sclerosis.
CBD may allow the bladder itself to relax and cause the muscles around the bladder to stop spasming. In the case of painful symptoms such as burning urination and bladder wall pain, CBD could help decrease the brain’s perception of the pain.
Living with a bladder disease can be frightening and painful for affected patients, and it can greatly decrease their quality of life. CBD offers hope for people who want to try taking control of their pain with a natural option.
