As many states in the US and countries around the world make strides in the legalization of CBD oil and cannabis, there has been a remarkable shift in attitude towards the cannabinoid. 

This has opened the door for scientists and others in the medical field to explore the true benefits of CBD oil after decades of strict regulations. 

In just a few years, this has provided us with information about how CBD oil can be used to treat a variety of different health ailments due to the properties it possesses.

This includes being able to control seizures, acting as a natural antidepressant and having anti inflammatory effects on the immune system. 

It isn’t just scientists who are benefiting from the leniency, however, with people from all generations now turning to CBD oil to provide therapeutic relief. 

Despite the growing awareness for more conventional uses of CBD oil, however, scientists and ordinary citizens alike have become curious, with some deciding to push the limits of the oil to see what it can really do.

This has led to a number of unusual and unorthodox uses for CBD oil that may initially shock people, which is what we’re to explore more throughout this article. 

To Effectively Treat Heroin Addiction

Although most consider CBD oil a helpful addition to the pharmaceutical industry now, it’s still a byproduct of cannabis.

This leaves some people struggling to leave behind the old stereotypes, making it difficult for them to view CBD oil as an effective way of treating addictions to other illegal substances. 

Not everyone holds this view, however, and there is a lot of anecdotal evidence to suggest that it could be an effective way of treating heroin addiction in years to come.

This isn’t just something that people think might help, either, as a study was recently published in The American Journal of Psychiatry to back said anecdotal evidence up.

The researcher behind the study said they thought CBD oil would be an effective way of decreasing the cravings which drive heroin addiction. 

For a pilot study, the results were amazing, and backed up the original hypothesis.

Not only did they find that those who received CBD oil found their cravings decreased by two or three times more than those who received the placebo, but the effects were also relatively long lasting. 

In some patients, it took seven days before the heroin cravings returned to what they were before the trial. 

Though it is not currently being used as a mainstream treatment for heroin addiction, and won’t be until further studies are completed, this study does show that CBD oil could transform the way we view and treat addictions in the future for good. 

To Help People Quit Smoking

It might surprise you to learn that the properties in CBD oil that help people to quit smoking are completely different from the ones used to treat heroin addiction.

Researchers have found that nicotine, the addictive substance from cigarettes, interacts greatly with the endocannabinoid system.

It’s thought that by using CBD oil, the cravings can be sufficiently minimized because it’s replacing the interactions with the endocannabinoid system that it would usually receive from the nicotine.

In one double-blind study investigating this, it was found that those treated with CBD oil smoked 40% less than those on the placebo.

Like with the heroin study, there was a level of maintenance reported with these participants, though further research will be needed to determine just how effective CBD might be. 

To Treat Health Conditions In Dogs

Up until this point, most of the attention into the positive impact of CBD oil has focused on how it can benefit humans.

This hasn’t put passionate dog owners off, however, with many turning towards the cannabinoid to alleviate the varied health conditions their beloved pets suffer from.

The list includes everything, from yeast infections to situational anxiety, such as during thunderstorms or a fireworks display.

Despite generally receiving good reviews from those who utilize it, many vets are urging caution due to the significant lack of research into the potential risks. 

Dr. Annette Sysel is a veterinarian at Martin Downs Animal Hospital, and says “at this time, there’s really not enough out there to say the product is safe.” 

She also says that it’s difficult to know exactly what’s in the CBD oil product, making it harder for vets to understand why a dog may be behaving differently if something goes wrong as they may not know what caused the reaction. 

With that being said, there have been some studies that have yielded good results.

That includes this clinical trial published in 2019 that shows CBD oil could be used to effectively reduce seizure frequency in epileptic dogs.

Generally, however, it’s always best to consult a veterinarian who specializes in CBD before using it for your dog wherever the option is available.

As A Key Skin Care Ingredient

When thinking about or actively taking CBD oil, most people think about ingesting it orally or through an edible of some kind. 

While these are definitely two of the most popular ways, as more industries attempt to grasp their share of the growing CBD market, the ways to use CBD oil are increasing. 

Originally used by tribal communities in Pakistan to cure a multitude of common skin diseases like acne and eczema, it’s since gained traction in the western world as the latest trend in skincare.

In fact, CBD as a skincare ingredient has become so popular that even Sephora have jumped on board, releasing their own line of CBD-infused products. 

To Alleviate Pain For Wearing High Heels

This is definitely one of the most unusual uses for CBD oil on our list, but it’s incredibly popular among celebrities.

In particular, celebrities like Busy Philipps and Mandy Moore, who have reportedly used CBD oil to alleviate high heel pain on the red carpet themselves. 

Though there are no studies into why this may relieve high heel pain, it’s theorized to be due to the anti-inflammatory and painkilling properties CBD oil possesses. 

Some celebrities and others who have tried out this trend have also reported experiencing numbing effects, though there is no research currently to suggest why this may be. 

To Treat Alzheimer’s Disease

As the medical community becomes more desperate for answers to one of the most puzzling diseases they’ve faced, with numbers of cases continuing to rise, CBD oil may provide a valuable treatment option for sufferers. 

The first investigation into this came from a study published in 2014, which wanted to explore what, if any, impact CBD could have on Alzheimer’s Disease. 

This study involved injecting Alzheimer’s Disease transgenic mice with CBD daily for eight months.

At the end of it, they found that CBD could reduce cognitive deficits, social withdrawal and even increase facial recognition. 

If not a viable option for a cure, the above research shows that there is some hope in CBD oil being used as a treatment option that could potentially slow down the progression of the disease. 

To further investigate these findings, a human trial was launched in the U.K in February 2019. 

This aims to see if the above results, and ones from similar studies, are true, and whether there may be any other findings if CBD oil is used directly with humans. 

Post Exercise Cramping

The aforementioned assumptions about CBD’s relation to marijuana means that many athletes will avoid the oil in fear of it appearing on drug tests.

Though CBD oil shouldn’t show up in your drug tests due to the significantly small THC count found in most brands, it’s understandable that some won’t want to risk it.

For those who aren’t competing and aren’t in a job that is strict about drug testing like the police force, using CBD oil to treat post exercise cramping is actually increasing common.

It sounds unusual, but when used, the anti inflammatory properties trigger a response in the CB2 receptors in the endocannabinoid system.

This then triggers a response from the immune system that sends relief to the area, in this case the muscles, that is affected by swelling. 

By using this, you may find that your recovery time lessens, enabling you to work harder and see results sooner.

Summary

If these unusual uses for CBD oil are anything to go by, it’s clear to see that we’re just beginning to understand the true benefits that come from the cannabinoid. 

Though things like high heel pain and post exercise cramping may not seem as significant as some of the others on our list, they prove that CBD oil is fast becoming normalized within our society.

As scientists continue their research and people’s curiosity begins to uncover more uses, it’s not unreasonable to suggest that the unusual uses we’ve mentioned today may go on to be common place, adopted by more of our society.

And who knows, we may even have another updated list of unusual uses based on these discoveries in a few years time?