How to Use CBD Oil To Relieve Arthritis Pain
If the Arthritis Foundation is to be believed, an estimate 54 million Americans suffer from this Arthritis. And that number is expected to grow to 74 million by the year 2040.
In order to successfully treat this progressive disease, early diagnosis is crucial. Some of the most common early symptoms of Arthritis include swelling, pain, or stiffness in the joints.
Although we recommend CBD for Arthritis pain, it is not something that you should use as an alternative to medical advice. Make sure you talk to your doctor and find the root cause of the disease and explore as many treatment options as possible before settling to one.
With that out of the way, a lot of people are actually finding pain and inflammation relief caused by the disease by using CBD. And there is actually some scientific evidence to back these claims too.
In this post, we will try our best to answer common questions related to CBD and Arthritis, these include –
- What exactly is CBD?
- Can you use CBD to get relief from Arthritis pain?
- Is there any solid research backing the support of CBD oil for Arthritis?
- What is the best dosage and method to take CBD for Arthritis?
- Where can you find the best CBD oil for this disease?
What Exactly Is CBD?
CBD or cannabidiol is one of the many compounds found naturally in the cannabis family of plants. This compound can easily be extracted from the hemp plant and used in many beauty, health, and wellness products.
Contrary to popular belief, CBD is not psychoactive or addictive. The compound which causes the ‘high’ and induces psychoactive effects is THC, which is one of the major compounds found in the hemp plant along with CBD. In fact, many companies of CBD oil, capsules, creams, tinctures, and edibles extract the CBD from industrial quality hemp which has very low traces of THC to start with.
(For more on that, view our chart comparing THC and CBD.)
Over the past three decades, scientific search has been able to identify a unique system in the human body known as the endocannabinoid system. This system has many unique receptors that occur naturally in the body and are designed to respond to the presence of cannabinoids such as CBD. The endocannabinoid system regulates a variety of important bodily functions such as appetite, memory, immune function, stress response, sleep, pain, health, skin health, and nervous system.
While we have known about the endocannabinoid system of the body for nearly two decades, the research overhealing properties of CBD and other common cannabinoids found in the hemp plant has largely been slow thanks to many restrictive policies by authorities that list marijuana as a schedule 1 controlled substance in America.
But as time passes by, more and more companies around the world are taking steps to learn more about the medicinal uses of the compound. In fact, a well known Australian pharmaceuticals company, GW Pharmaceuticals has actually made two drugs, namely Epidolex, and Sativex from combinations of naturally occurring cannabinoids such as THC and CBD.
Can CBD Actually Reduce the Pain and Inflammation Caused by Arthritis?
One of the widest study areas of CBD and its effect on our body is its ability to help reduce pain. In addition to its pain killer effects, CBD also has strong anti-inflammatory properties when used topically or orally. It has been confirmed by many different studies conducted on both humans and animals.
In addition to general studies on the benefits of CBD on our bodies, there is also some research available that looks deeper into the relation CBD has with arthritic pain. Researchers are very excited to study CBD better and learn more about its ability to treat arthritis pain because, in addition to having pain relieving and anti-inflammatory qualities, there is some evidence available that the endocannabinoid system may actually have a specific role to play in pain specific and joint areas.
In fact, some of the research conducted on mice has revealed that CBD can also slow down the progress of arthritis when it comes to joint damage, which is the most common case in arthritis sufferers. Although, it is important to note that this research is only limited to animals and have yet to be conducted on humans.
CBD may have not been completely understood yet, but it has been identified as an important therapeutic with a potential for further study in the treatment of both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
What Are the Common Treatments of Arthritis and Their Side Effects?
Arthritis is treated using several treatments meant to ease the pain. However, most of these treatments come with a fair share of side effects, particularly harmful when you use these treatments for extended periods. Let’s have a closer look at the different treatments and their side effects.
Corticosteroids – This treatment is either applied topically or injected in the body. The compound in the treatment can significantly reduce inflammation and gives you a great deal of pain relief. However, regular use of this treatment can lead to elevated blood, fat and sugar levels. Some people even report discoloration of the skin, bone loss, and cataracts in the long term.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) – NSAIDs are commonly available over the counter and offer a great deal of relief from pain that results from inflammation. Typical NSAIDs include ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen, and more. People have reported serious side effects from using these drugs regularly, these include ulcers, digestion problems, liver problems, and in some rare cases, heart attack and stroke.
Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) – These drugs are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. The drugs work directly on the immune system of the body to provide relief. This, to some, is a legitimate cause to worry. Some examples of these drugs include Methotrexate, Plaquenil, and Arava. People report varied side effects of using these drugs, some include increased risk for other diseases and liver toxicity.
As Much As CBD is Good For Arthritis, It is Not A Miracle Cure
Even though there is enough solid research that provides evidence of benefits of CBD oil for arthritis pain, it is very important to note that CBD is not a miracle cure and should not be used as a substitute to medical treatments.
First of all, no CBD drugs are approved by the FDA for the treatment of arthritis pain. Secondly, the research is still very less on the topic and it is too soon to tell how effective CBD actually is in the treatment of arthritic pain.
However, there is solid evidence that CBD is safer than most drugs out there with very few side effects.
Given that CBD does not have the harmful side effects you would otherwise typically find in all treatments of arthritic pain, it should come as no surprise that many people are willing to try it out.
How Should You Take CBD Oil for Arthritis Pain?
There are actually several methods to take CBD for pain, and these methods actually produce different results for different people. So it is very important to know which method best suits your needs.
This is largely due to our endocannabinoid system and its unique reception to CBD. The system reacts differently to CBD from person to person. This is why the method you choose will actually provide you different forms of relief.
There are three most common ways to consume CBD for arthritic pain, they are:
CBD Capsules for arthritic pain – the capsule form of CBD is the easiest way to get CBD in your body. The capsules offer you precise dosing and they are easy to add to your existing medical routine. Simply pop a pill in your mouth during the afternoon and that’s all. This form is popular amongst elders.
Sublingual Tinctures – this kind of CBD oil is sold in small bottles with an eye-dropper cap. It is also the most common form of CBD oil widely available. The drops from the bottle can be added to your food or dropped under your tongue for fast relief. The CBD rapidly absorbs into your bloodstream thanks to mucous membranes in the mouth.
CBD Creams, salves, and lotions for arthritis pain – CBD also comes in cream and salves form that can be applied directly on the skin where the joint pain is felt most. When you buy this form of CBD, make sure to see the ingredients list. A good CBD cream should have other potent inflammation reducing natural ingredients including menthol and arnica.
What is the Ideal Dosage of CBD for Arthritis Pain?
Since CBD oil reacts differently from one individual to another, it is impossible to give you a recommended dosage. The key is to find it out yourself through trial and error. We highly recommend joining online forums and talking to people who are already using CBD oil for arthritis pain.
Follow their lead and try finding the best method and dosage of CBD oil through their advice. When you find the ideal dosage, just stick to it.
Some manufacturers of CBD oil also provide you a recommended dosage. Your first step should be to follow the recommended dosage listed on your bottle to get the desired results.
The Best Brands of CBD Oil for Arthritis
With the CBD oil trend reaching its all-time high in 2019, there is no shortage of CBD oil brands. It has become harder than ever to find a reliable and legitimate CBD oil product. Fortunately, we have tried and tested several brands and have come up with the list of best brands of CBD oil for Arthritis. If you’re trying CBD oil for arthritis for the first time in your life, we recommend starting with one of these brands.
CBDPure – Best CBD Tincture and CBD Capsules for Arthritis
CBDPure is one of our top most recommended CBD oil vendors. It is highly recommended for first-time users. The company produces quality eccentric CBD products that make use of in-house specifically developed strains of high CBD hemp.
Both the CBD tincture and capsules available from this brand are made with full spectrum CBD oil, which means that you get the added benefit of other important compounds found in the hemp plants. Some researchers believe that when CBD is combined with other compounds of the hemp plant, it is twice as effective.
CBDPure is without any doubt, a leader in the industry when it comes to excellent customer support. They also provide you with a full 90-day money back guarantee which is a great way for newcomers to try their product out. The prices of their products are also very reasonable.
They offer tinctures in 100mg, 300mg, and 600mg bottles and capsules with a 25mg dose.
Hemp Bombs – Best CBD Cream for Arthritis
Looking for a CBD topical treatment for arthritis pain? Then look no further than the Hemp Bombs ‘Pain Freeze’ CBD salve. This is an excellent cream to try if you like applying CBD topically. It provides 50mg of CBD per ounce and is available in 1 and 4-ounce bottles.
One of the biggest advantages of using the topical method to apply CBD is that it allows you to directly apply the compound on the site where the pain is most apparent. Since Transdermal absorption is almost instant, many people will get almost instant relief from this method.
Moreover, the Pain Freeze salve has a formula that provides a cooling effect on the skin, a sensation that itself is very relieving. It also has many potent natural and organic ingredients like menthol, arnica, tea tree oil and more to boost its anti-inflammatory qualities.
The pain freeze cream is also quite affordable keeping in mind that CBD creams are usually very expensive. Another important thing to note is that this cream is made with CBD isolates and does not offer you a full spectrum range. Still, this is good enough if you are just starting out with CBD.
Final Thoughts on CBD for Arthritis
We hope that this post was able to provide you valuable information on CBD oil and its uses for arthritis pain. We strive to provide you with the best CBD products out there so you can avoid scam and actually find relief from the health problem you are suffering from.
Before you buy your first CBD product for arthritis, make sure you have done plenty of research on the subject. If you are already on some kind of ongoing treatment, recommended by your doctor, make sure to consult your doctor before trying out CBD.
Finally, make sure you only buy CBD from a reputable manufacturer. The ones listed above are genuine and provide you with the best relief and value for money.