This is a paid post contributed by a Patch community contributor. The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and the information presented has not been verified by Patch.
At the age of seven, I was bitten by a tick and developed a fever. Although I didn't know it at the time, this would cause me years of pain, brain fog, and confusion.
Unbeknownst to me and my family for years, I developed Lyme disease. This caused inexplicable pains all over my body and countless other symptoms that a seven year old should not have. I would wake up crying because I was in so much pain. I had constant muscle spasms and needed aspirin and pain cream just to get through the day. And what's more is that I had no idea why I felt this way – I thought the pains were just increasing.
I was diagnosed 11 years later when I was 18. After I described my symptoms to a doctor my freshman year of college, we decided to get some tests done. These tests revealed that I had Lyme disease. Finally, I had an explanation for these awful symptoms.
Diagnosis was only part of the fix. Now I needed therapy. Doctors prescribed multiple rounds of pharmaceutical drugs, including antibiotics. These didn't calm my near-constant symptoms—in fact, they brought their own nasty side effects.
Years later, I visited my friend in California and came across CBD. Although I didn't know much about it, I decided to try it because many people note that it relieves pain. Surprisingly, it worked. I had almost immediate relief from pain and muscle spasms. I could finally think clearly after all these years after using CBD for three solid weeks.
Additionally, unlike the pharmaceuticals I was prescribed, I had no side effects from CBD. While some people experience side effects such as fatigue, change in appetite, or nausea, these side effects are rare and usually mild.
There are no clinical trials looking at CBD and Lyme disease, which means there is a lack of research on whether or not it might be helpful. This is unfortunate because many people with Lyme disease say that CBD helps them – take a quick look at some popular Lyme disease forums if you want to see for yourself.
What we have is research on CBD and some of the common symptoms of Lyme disease. One of the most unbearable symptoms, for me, was the pain. CBD, unsurprisingly, has been linked to pain relief: a 2018 review looked at numerous studies conducted between 1975 and early 2018 that looked at CBD and pain. The review found that CBD has analgesic properties, meaning it can relieve pain. The authors noted that it may hold promise for the relief of cancer-related pain, fibromyalgia-related pain, and neuropathic pain.
More recently, a 2020 review concluded that CBD has pain-fighting and anti-inflammatory properties. That's good news for those of us with Lyme disease—but it's also great for those with other painful conditions. CBD can even be a great alternative for people struggling with headaches, injuries and even period cramps.
My story is not unique: many people have found CBD to be a lifesaver, and not just those with Lyme disease. CBD has been linked to other benefits, such as helping with symptoms of anxiety disorders and improving sleep. Some research even shows that it can help with skin conditions like acne because it's an anti-inflammatory that regulates the production of natural oils in your skin.
Hopefully, in the future, we will have more information about how CBD helps people with Lyme disease. But for now, I've decided to help others by starting my own CBD company, Ergo Hemp Co. I did this after realizing that many CBD companies were selling inferior products. Ergo Hemp Co. products. they are all THC free and independently lab tested and we have the certificates of analysis (lab reports) available for you to read. And we don't just focus on people – we also have a range of dog-friendly products!
I have spent most of my life dealing with the frustrating symptoms of Lyme disease and my goal is to educate people about CBD so they don't have to endure a similar experience. By providing my customers with high quality, safe CBD products, I hope to make a small but positive difference in the lives of others.
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