CBD oil has been hyped as the next big solution for many ailments – from chronic pain and depression to anxiety, etc. But is it effective for arthritis symptoms?

“A recent trial* showed CBD alone was effective in [the treatment of] knee OA, and it appears as though it is very safe,” he says. “Nearly all potential side effects of cannabinoids are from THC, not CBD,” said Daniel Clauw, MD, a professor at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. ¹

Here are some tips from Dr. Clauw in how you can use CBD to help with arthritic pain²:

• Use low doses, which seem to work best for pain relief.
• Start with a CBD-only product, 5 – 10 mg twice daily, and then slowly increase, going up to dose of 50 – 100 mg per day. If that doesn’t help, try a CBD product with a low dose of THC.
• Use only at night at first; slowly increase dose if needed.
• Edibles’ effects last longer than vaping, so don’t try them until you know what CBD strain and dose work for you.
• Use caution if you are 25 years old or younger and using CBD products that contain THC. This age group is at highest risk of addiction, dependency or even psychosis

Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints. It can affect one joint or multiple joints. Two of the most common types are osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

The symptoms of arthritis usually develop over time, but they may also appear suddenly. Arthritis is most commonly seen in adults over the age of 65, but it can also develop in children, teens, and younger adults. Arthritis is more common in women than men and in people who are overweight.

Osteoarthritis involves wear-and-tear damage to your joint’s cartilage — the hard, slick coating on the ends of bones. Enough damage can result in bone grinding directly on bone, which causes pain and restricted movement. This wear and tear can occur over many years, or it can be hastened by a joint injury or infection.

In rheumatoid arthritis, the body’s immune system attacks the lining of the joint capsule, a tough membrane that encloses all the joint parts. This lining, known as the synovial membrane, becomes inflamed and swollen. The disease process can eventually destroy cartilage and bone within the joint.

When doctors classify pain for patients, they base it off of two categorizes acute pain and chronic pain:

Acute pain happens when you have a disease or injury. It is part of your body’s warning system. You’ll experience acute pain if you burn your hand on the stove, pull a muscle, have knee surgery or get a kidney stone. The pain may be momentary – the cut of a knife before you pull your hand away. Or, it can last for days or weeks – like a tooth that throbs until you can get to the dentist to have it filled. Some acute pain – for example an arthritis flare or gout attack – comes and goes.

Acute pain often is described as sharp, throbbing, shooting or stinging, though it can also be mild. It usually improves once the cause has been treated. Acute pain that isn’t resolved can eventually turn into chronic pain.

Chronic pain ³ lasts for at least three months, but it can continue for many more months, and even years. Arthritis pain, migraine headaches, nerve damage, and low back pain are examples of this type of pain. Chronic pain is often described as an aching, dull, burning or throbbing.

Pain can continue long-term because there’s no treatment for your condition, or your doctor can’t find the source. Pain can also be self-perpetuating. Over time, the constant barrage of pain signals can change nerve cells in your brain and spinal cord. So even after the injury has healed or the condition has been treated, you’ll still feel the discomfort. In a sense, chronic pain becomes its own disease. This is the case with complex regional pain syndrome, fibromyalgia and other chronic pain conditions.⁴

Usually arthritis medication has tough side effects that CBD oil does not. Below are a few typical arthritis medications with harsh side effects:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Edema (swelling of the feet) heartburn, stomach upset and stomach ulcers and possibly increased risk of blood clots, heart attack and stroke. ⁵
• Cortiocosteroids. Cataracts, elevated blood fats and blood sugar levels, increased appetite and bone loss. ⁶
• Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Stomach upset and increased susceptibility to infection. Other side effects vary by drug. ⁷
• Biologic agents. Injection site reactions, including redness and swelling; infusion reactions (difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, rapid or weak pulse) and increased risk of serious infections. Other side effects vary by drug.⁸

The benefits of using CBD oil vs. pharmaceutical medication is unbeatable. CBD oil for arthritis patients is effective and causes less harsh side-effect that prescribed pharmaceutical medications.

Our Products

Our full-spectrum hemp extract oil is made from organic industrial hemp which contains only legal trace amounts of THC (less than O.3%). These amounts are so small there is no psychoactive effect. We also offer THC-Free Isolate CBD Oil for an alternative option.

Our products are 3rd party laboratory tested multiple times from time of harvest to shipping.  All of our products are produced from 100% non-GMO Domestic Hemp, grown to organic standards and have been tested for contaminants such as pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals and mold.  Our industry leading 3rd party testing procedure is performed on every final product batch and is critical to confirm accuracy in potency information and to check for residual solvents, terpenes and cannabinoid content. Our Certificates of Analysis are available on our website.

We also use a super critical CO2 method of extraction for all of our CBD Oil Tinctures.  CO2 is a much healthier choice than other potential solvents and is “generally regarded as safe” (GRAS) by the FDA.

If you decide to use CBD products for pain management, be sure to consult with a doctor first to help avoid harmful interactions with your current medications and treatments, along with negative side effects.

Visit our shop of legal CBD products today and see which ones will be the best for your needs.

Safe Harbour Wellness, is a contemporary wellness focused company, offering natural products made exclusively in the U.S.A. We aim to optimize individual wellness through natural American made products of uncompromising quality, while furthering our quest to give, love and serve.  Visit www.SAFEHARBOURGIVESBACK.com to learn about our BOG1 mission and how we support our US Heroes; US Veterans, Active Military, Law Enforcement, Firefighters and First Responders.

Sources:

1 https://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/treatments/natural/supplements-herbs/cannabidiol-oil.php
2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4851925/
3 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/
4 https://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/pain-management/understanding/what-causes-pain.php
5 https://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/treatments/medication/drug-types/disease-modifying-drugs/drug-guide-dmards.php
6 https://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/treatments/medication/drug-types/corticosteroids/drug-guide-corticosteroids.php
7 https://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/treatments/medication/drug-types/disease-modifying-drugs/drug-guide-dmards.php
8 https://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/treatments/medication/drug-types/biologics/drug-guide-biologics.php