CBD for Arthritis
The Natural Way to Ease Pain
CBD for Arthritis
Arthritis Suffers Turning To CBD For Relief, Here’s Why…
Arthritis is the number one cause of disability in the United States. But for the 52 million Americans living with arthritis pain, cannabidiol (CBD) may offer a natural therapeutic solution.
Recent research has provided evidence that CBD could play a role in treating pain associated with the two most common types of arthritis – rheumatoid and osteoarthritis.
Curiously, these two types of arthritis have very different causes, yet CBD is beneficial for treating both.
Want to try CBD to treat your arthritis pain?
We’ll give you our top CBD recommendation, and everything you need to know to get started in a minute.
But first…
Why is CBD so therapeutically beneficial to humans, anyway?
You may have noticed the widespread adoption of CBD as a natural remedy for seemingly endless conditions. And maybe that makes you skeptical about the effectiveness of CBD. With all the newness and noise surrounding CBD, you might be tempted to dismiss it as hype, without giving it a try.
However, that would be a mistake. Here’s why…
CBD is so powerful as a natural treatment because our bodies are designed to interact with it in beneficial ways.
Each of us has an internal endocannabinoid system (ECS) that maintains complex interactions within our bodies. The ECS plays a key role in how we experience pain and emotion, and it’s vital to our overall health and wellbeing.
It works like this…
Endocannabinoid receptors throughout our brain and body are perfectly suited to interact with cannabinoids that our bodies produce naturally to minimize pain and promote healing when needed.
But here’s what’s so interesting…
Cannabinoids also exist in nature – specifically in cannabis and hemp plants.
CBD and other plant-derived cannabinoids, called phytocannabinoids, are effective at treating so many human conditions because they supplement our own natural production of therapeutic cannabinoids.
Simply put, our bodies understand how to interact with these compounds. And when they interact, we experience therapeutic benefits – like calming inflamed joints.
Which means…
CBD may be the much-needed solution to easing arthritis pain naturally.
CBD For Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that can happen to anyone at any age. It occurs when our immune system mistakes the soft tissues surrounding our joints and bones for a threat, and attacks.
The result is chronic inflammation in the joints and a deterioration of the soft tissues that keep them healthy.
But luckily…
CBD Eases the Pain of Rheumatoid Arthritis
CBD and other cannabinoids have anti-inflammatory properties capable of slowing down the effects of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.
CBD calms inflamed joints and interacts with the endocannabinoid system to reduce localized pain.
And what’s more…
The root cause of rheumatoid arthritis is not fully understood, but a link to the body’s T-cells has been established. There is reason to believe that T-cells play a vital role in the onset of the disease.
Which is exciting news because…
Recent studies have revealed that CBD is capable of suppressing localized T-cell activity and function. Which means CBD may one day be able to help prevent arthritis altogether by treating the underlying cause.
One of the most interesting studies about the ability of CBD to ease the chronic pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis took place over ten years ago.
The study involved 58 participants who were living with the disease. Of the participants, 31 were given medication with CBD, while the rest were given a placebo.
At the end of 5 weeks, the group that received the CBD medication reported a significant reduction in joint pain and improvements to the quality of their sleep.
And as for the other most common type of arthritis…
CBD For Osteoarthritis
Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis is not associated with chronic inflammation, but rather a degeneration of cartilage and largely affects aging adults.
Mechanical (repeated trauma), metabolic (obesity), and hormonal (menopause) factors are believed to be the root cause of osteoarthritis.
With this condition, cartilage cracks and disintegrates over time, while new bone growth emerges and interferes with movement.
But here’s how CBD can help…
CBD Eases the Pain of Osteoarthritis
Studies have shown the endocannabinoid system is actively involved in the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis. Which means, it may be able to minimize pain and regulate joint function.
Here’s how it works…
In laboratory research, CBD has been shown to ease the pain of osteoarthritis by interacting with endocannabinoid receptors in the brain and immune system. This interaction causes the receptors to respond by reducing the sensation of pain.
And here’s more good news…
CBD Treats Other Symptoms Associated With Arthritis, Too
Whether you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis, you likely have symptoms beyond joint pain. Related symptoms that are common among people with arthritis are —
- Difficulty sleeping
- Depression
- Digestive upset
Luckily, CBD can help with each of these. The versatile cannabinoid improves sleep and digestion and helps treat depression – all without adverse side effects.
While more research is needed, there is no doubt that CBD has a bright future as a treatment for arthritis and its associated conditions.
And this is good news because…
Many Arthritis Medications Have Serious Side Effects
The most conventional medications for treating arthritis can have serious side effects. Here’s a look at the most common pharmacological treatments currently prescribed to treat arthritis.
This class of drugs is the most commonly prescribed to treat rheumatoid arthritis and works by literally ‘modifying’ the disease throughout your body. Side effects can include increased risk of infection, upset stomach, liver problems, and hair loss. Common brands include Plaquenil, Arava, and Trexall.
These drugs reduce inflammation but do not prevent the spread of the disease. They are generally thought of as mild and relatively safe; however, they are associated with a wide range of side effects including upset stomach, ulcers, heartburn, and an increased risk of blood clots, heart attack, and stroke. Advil, Motrin, Aleve, and Bayer are common brands of NSAIDS.
Made to resemble cortisol, a naturally produced chemical in our bodies, corticosteroids are strong drugs that are meant to be taken for only a short period of time. Possible side effects include elevated blood sugar, ulcers, weight gain, cataracts, osteoporosis, diabetes, and hypertension. Celestone, Prednisone, and Orapred are common brands.
And on top of that…
As if these potentially severe side effects were not enough to contend with – these medications can be quite expensive!
The truth is…
CBD is an effective treatment for arthritis pain that is both safer and less expensive than conventional medications.
What Else Can CBD Do?
If you start taking CBD to treat your arthritis, you may experience other therapeutic benefits too.
For example, over a period of time, you may notice –
- Reduced stress and anxiety
- Improved sleep
- Improved immune system
- Improved digestion
- Reduced acne
And longer term, CBD may offer you these benefits –
- Neuroprotective and cardioprotective properties
CBD has protective properties that benefit the brain and heart. - Anti-tumor effects
In laboratory studies, CBD has shown the capability to inhibit tumor growth. - Diabetes treatment and prevention
CBD can treat symptoms of diabetes and has been shown to have the capability to reduce the incidence of the disease in laboratory studies.
But before you try CBD for yourself, it’s important to understand…
The Surprising Truth About CBD Bioavailability
When you’re ready to get started with CBD, you may be surprised to learn that your body will not absorb all of the CBD that you consume. What you’ll want to understand is the bioavailability of different CBD products.
What is CBD Bioavailability?
CBD bioavailability simply refers to the amount of CBD that can be absorbed into the bloodstream. The higher the bioavailability of the CBD, the more effective it will be.
And how you consume CBD plays a major role in how much bioavailability there is.
Edibles have become extremely popular since CBD became legal nationwide. There is a seemingly endless supply of cookies, candies, chocolates, sodas, and so much more, now available. While they can be a fun way to enjoy CBD, they also have the lowest bioavailability. CBD is not able to withstand our powerful stomach acid.
Products that are designed to be administered under the tongue offer a higher bioavailability that is more suited for stronger therapeutic use. They are more effective than edibles because the CBD permeates the sublingual gland which is located under our tongue where it then swiftly enters our bloodstream – bypassing our stomach and avoiding those powerful acids.
The highest CBD bioavailability can be experienced through smoking and vaping. Smoking CBD flower and vaping CBD are the quickest, and most cost-effective ways to experience the therapeutic benefits of CBD – so it is a lucky break that these methods also provide the highest bioavailability.
So, what’s the right option for you?
While there are a lot of products on the market, and it can be a little overwhelming to choose one, getting started with CBD has never been easier.
Here’s our top CBD recommendation…
When looking for a CBD product to treat arthritis, we recommend picking one with high bioavailability.
Many people opt to start with a full-spectrum CBD oil because it has good bioavailability and does not involve inhaling anything.
Why full spectrum?
Full-spectrum CBD oil is a perfect way to get started because it offers a full range of beneficial cannabis compounds that in a phenomenon known as the entourage effect, work synergistically with CBD and enhance its therapeutic effects.
How to Choose a Full-Spectrum Oil
If you’re ready to give full-spectrum CBD oil a try, we’ve made it easy for you to choose a product that’s right for you, with our definitive buyer’s guide and a see the full-spectrum cbd oil from Sunsoil I am enjoying right now.
And here’s what else you need to know…
How much CBD should you take?
A good first step in getting started with CBD as a pain management tool is to understand what your CBD dosage should be.
To help you get started, we’ve created this handy dosage calculator:
A number of factors including your age, weight, severity of symptoms, and prior experience with CBD will be needed to determine your ideal dosage.
It may take some experimentation to get it just right, but the good news is, taking too much CBD does not have severe side effects like a lot of other medications.
But keep in mind…
When looking for CBD products, choose only the highest quality brands.
Why?
When it comes to CBD, quality matters because the highest quality products provide the best therapeutic benefits.
Look for products that are naturally grown without harmful pesticides, carefully harvested to preserve integrity, and responsibly extracted without the use of toxic chemicals.
Here’s the bottom line —
CBD may prove to be the economical, effective answer to reducing pain associated with arthritis. It may also reduce the need for conventional arthritis drugs that carry severe side effects.
How do we move forward?
To date, CBD research on arthritis pain that has been conducted in laboratories, and while the results are promising, clinical trials are needed to further advance CBD as a common treatment.
Luckily, with CBD now widely available, there’s really no reason to wait. While we wait for the official science-backed evidence to continue to emerge, you can give CBD a try for yourself and determine if it is right for managing your arthritis pain.
