Clinical Trials
Does CBD help with arthritis?
Does CBD help with arthritis? Researchers say yes, CBD improves symptoms in arthritis patients and could provide an alternative to opioids.
CBD use was associated with significant improvements in symptoms among arthritis patients, according to a study published earlier this month.
According to the Journal of Cannabis Research, patients also reduced their use of prescription medications, suggesting CBD could be an adequate opioid substitute.
Hofstra University researchers and Banner University Medical Center researchers surveyed patients with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Symptoms such as painful joints and swelling can make day-to-day living difficult for people with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, according to the NHS.
Nine million people in the UK suffer from osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis. People in their mid-40s and older are most likely to develop it, but it can occur at any age.
In the UK, more than 400,000 people suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. When the body’s immune system attacks the affected joints, it is known as an autoimmune disease.
Does CBD help with arthritis? - Many patients already believe so
Among the most common uses of CBD is arthritis, which is one of the reasons older generations turn to cannabis-based therapies.
70% of the participants in the study have admitted to having used CBD products for relief from their symptoms.
As seen in many studies of its kind, the authors also stated that patients often went on to reduce or completely remove their use of other medications once they tried CBD products.
In total, patients reported a 44% reduction in pain scores, especially the osteoarthritis groups, who saw a much greater reduction than the RA and other autoimmune conditions.
The researchers reported: “Most respondents using CBD for joint pain reported a reduction or cessation of other medications due to CBD use (60.5 percent), including a reduction in anti-inflammatories (31.1 percent), discontinuation of anti-inflammatories (17.8 percent), reduction in acetaminophen (18.2 percent), discontinuation of acetaminophen (17.8 percent), reduction in opioids (8.6 percent), and discontinuation of opioids (18.9 percent).”
The majority of patients on the trial taking CBD medication reported experiencing either no, or very mild, effects.
Topical CBD administration, such as with an oil or compress, has been shown previously to be effective in certain types of arthritis, according to placebo-controlled trials.
The study then concludes: “In terms of the perceived effects of CBD on pain, physical function, and sleep quality, many patients using CBD reported symptomatic improvements. These findings suggest that CBD could be an alternative to opioids for the treatment of arthritic pain.”
“Clinicians and patients should be aware of the various alternative therapeutic options available to treat their symptoms of arthritis, especially in light of the increased accessibility to cannabidiol products.”
