Using CBD to Help Arthritic Pain

According to a recent poll (news.gallup.com/poll/263147/americans-say-cbd-products.aspx), about 15 percent of Americans use CBD. In most cases, they use it to deal with pain of different kinds. CBD is particularly popular among those who suffer from arthritis; according to the Arthritis Foundation, one in three patients of arthritis use CBD to deal with the pain that the condition causes (blog.arthritis.org/news/patients-tell-us-cbd-use/). People using CBD for arthritis report different levels of pain relief.

Is there evidence to support the claim that CBD is effective for arthritic pain?

Arthritis comes in dozens of varieties, and they don't act or feel the same or respond to treatment in the same ways. Some kinds, like rheumatoid arthritis, respond very well to the kind of conventional prescriptions your doctor might give you. Such medications also help keep the condition from worsening. Nevertheless, CBD may be effective for certain types of arthritis pain.

Major studies supporting the use of CBD for arthritic pain do not yet exist. Nevertheless, smaller studies do exist, and they often find for the effectiveness of the substance. For example, a 12-week randomized trial (oarsijournal.com/article/S1063-4584(18)30167-5/pdf) that looked at CBD applied to the skin at the location of arthritic pain, found positive results. A major study by a different organization (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6561449/) has found encouraging results, as well. Nevertheless, these studies aren't conclusive. Anecdotal evidence of the positive effects of CBD on arthritic pain, however, does exist.

Does the use of CBD come with negative effects?

In general, CBD is considered safe. Rare side effects include a dry mouth, drowsiness, and complications of the liver. Results aren't in yet, as well, about how safe CBD is for pregnant women. Another downside comes from how expensive CBD is, especially since health insurance doesn't cover CBD.

The dos and don'ts of using CBD for arthritis

In general, given that CBD is not yet conclusively proven to help with arthritis, medically approved guidelines on CBD use are hard to come by. Nevertheless, the Arthritis Foundation has come up with a few dos and don'ts.

CBD use, by itself, is usually not adequate as a treatment for the pain of arthritis. It is best used as one component of a larger pain reduction plan that includes exercise and psychological support.

At least in the beginning, a low dose of CBD oil is a better option than CBD inhalation.

It's important to talk to your doctor about your CBD use, so that they are able to adjust your conventional prescription.

CBD shouldn't be your first choice when it comes to addressing arthritic pain. CBD is better as an idea of last resort when conventional approaches don't work.

It isn't a good idea to have nonmedical people managing your pain, such as people from the CBD store where you buy your products. You want to take your doctor into confidence.

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, it's important to remember that your conventional medications help protect your joints from further damage. You don't want to quit your prescription in favor of CBD.

If CBD doesn't work for you, and if you live in a state where medical or recreational marijuana is allowed by the law, it would make sense to try a CBD product that contains a small quantity of the chemical THC. THC may make you high, but it can be more effective than CBD at addressing arthritic pain in some cases (arthritis.ca/AS/courses/medical-cannabis-arthritis/content/index.html#/lessons/x6N83jhhvBmLQdeoqkVOGudp3sMJJtKt).

It's important to be careful about your use of CBD, considering how expensive it can be. It's a good idea to use the substance regularly for a couple of months, observe for improvements, and only continue if you see real results.

6th Sep 2022 Editorial team