02/12/2021
CBD and Arthritis Pain:
As a refresher, arthritis is inflammation of joints or tissue around the joints, which often causes pain and stiffness, according to the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC). Each of the more than 100 types of arthritis affects the body in a different way. Arthritis symptoms include aching joints, stiffness, swelling, difficulty moving, and reduced flexibility—but the most common symptom is chronic pain.
Cannabidiol is more commonly referred to as CBD, is one of hundreds of constituents found in the cannabis plant. These chemicals are collectively known as cannabinoids or phytocannabinoids. THC (found abundantly in ma*****na) is also among those. THC and CBD differ in that CBD cannot get you high, but they’re similar in that CBD has potential therapeutic and pain relief benefits—which is why it’s being incorporated into a variety of products, particularly for people with arthritis.
First, CBD has been shown to absorb into skin making it ideal for topical therapy. Next, in a 2020 survey 21 percent of patients who used CBD said they felt it helped with their illness, including pain reduction. In another self-reported study, the overwhelming majority of users of CBD found that it shared similar efficacy, but with fewer side effects, compared to opioid-based pain medications for chronic pain.
