When you wake up in the morning and before you even reach the bathroom, you sneeze, followed by that all too-familiar feeling of your nose and eyes watering…
It can be frustrating, and for some, debilitating, to live with constant allergies. In this article, we’ll explore the connection between hemp, cannabinoids and allergies.
There is a variety of medication called Antihistamines. These are regularly used to treat a wide range of allergic reactions.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3667286/
Common Allergies
Some of those allergic reactions are congestion, runny nose, sneezing, and nasal itching. People experiencing these annoying reactions often find themselves reaching for an antihistamine for relief (to what sometimes seems like a never-ending cold, such as the dreaded summer pollen-days hay fever). Luckily, cannabis can work for allergies like these.
Other reactions such as skin rashes, itching, hives and watery, itchy eyes can also be treated effectively with antihistamines. These medications can be purchased over the counter or through a prescription depending on the severity of the symptoms, and strength of the medication.
“First generation” antihistamines, like Benadryl, can cause dizziness, loss of appetite, muscle weakness, and nervousness.
Those suffering with conditions such as emphysema, high blood pressure, heart disease, seizures, and thyroid problems are encouraged to talk with a medical professional before using first generation antihistamines.
“Second” and “third generation” antihistamines are specialized medications with more potent effects. Some of these include Zyrtec, Claritin, and Allegra. Although more potent, they also come with stronger side-effects like headache, dizziness, and stomach pain.
Some long term side effects of taking antihistamines are Memory Loss, Sleep Issues, High Blood Pressure, Vocal Cord Dysfunction, Diabetes, Mood Issues, and Osteoporosis.
https://www.bustle.com/p/7-unexpected-potentially-dangerous-side-effects-of-taking-allergy-medicine-long-term-8970194
People with kidney or liver diseases should talk to their doctors before taking these medications.
How Do Cannabinoids Help With Allergy Symptoms
Can I use CBD oil if I am allergic to hemp?
When in doubt, always talk to a licenced medical professional. If you have an allergy to hemp, that could be due to any number of the hundreds of compounds found in the plant such as terpenes, fatty acids or phytosterols. CBD oil is made by extracting cannabidiol from cannabis so it's less likely you'll react to CBD oil.
Cannabinoids abundant in the cannabis plant work directly with the CB-2 receptors in the endocannabinoid system (ECS) to support the immune system. If you haven’t learned about the ECS, you can discover how the incredible endocannabinoid system works for allergies and other conditions in this article.
Can CBD Oil help with allergies?
Cannabinoids found in CBD oil have been shown to prevent mast cells from releasing histamines. Histamines are released by the immune system in response to inflammatory and allergic reactions, causing allergic symptoms. Kinda like when you shake a bottle of hemp kombucha and then open it. It explodes and causes a bit of a mess.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17004927
Shaking your immune system up, puts it on high alert, where it begins attacking the very organism it’s supposed to be protecting – you. That’s why the symptoms are sometimes cold-like. There’s an attack going on. The trouble is your own defence system is pointed right back at you.
When you prevent histamine production in the body, cannabinoids can stop allergies in their tracks, essentially preventing the shake up in the first place.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2826.2008.01674.x
Does Hemp oil help with infections?
A whole plant hemp product will work for allergies and some infections like Staph MRSA because the whole food form of hemp is a powerful anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-fungal.
If you’re experiencing seasonal allergies such as nasal symptoms, cannabis' anti-inflammatory properties are crucial for those typs of allergy symptoms. Whole plant cannabinoids can assist in reducing swelling and irritation associated with allergic rhinitis. CBD products open the sinus pathways and allow the body to expel mucus, relieving congestion and pressure.
How does cannabis work for allergies of the skin? Allergic skin reactions are also soothed by reducing inflammation. Cannabinoids act as powerful antimicrobials, helping to heal the skin faster after a harsh allergic response. Hemp cannabinoids can also assist in preventing skin infections from setting in caused by scratching.
Should I take CBD or hemp oil?
There are many ways to use cannabinoids, and allergies is just one of them. Just see our Blog for other posts on the many health benefits to consuming whole plant hemp cannabinoids. For skin allergies, topical applications can be used to provide immediate relief to symptoms like hives and rashes.
You can also ingest cannabinoids from a whole plant hemp product to provide the body with the cannabinoids it needs to best activate the endocannabinoid system and balance out an allergic reaction, or stop it from occurring in the first place.
If you've been considering utilizing cannabinoid products to improve your allergy symptoms, it's important to consider that there are many advantageous to doing so, however, you should take your time in researching which variety you would most like to utilize, as there are many. We provide a guide on full spectrum extracts, along with methods for ingesting cannabinoids to maximise the benefits in this article here.
It would be an advantage to learn about the endocannabinoid system and how it balances all vital systems in the body, including those that are responsible for alerting the immune system that then brings on allergic symptomology.
And if you found this article of value consider sharing it with a friend. Check out our blog for more articles like this one covering various conditions that cannabis has been shown to assist with.
