Arthritis is a common condition and affects millions of people across the world. Arthritis can cause inflammation and extreme pain in joints, which can make it painful to do everyday tasks. In terms of treating arthritis, there’s unfortunately no cure, but there are some lifestyle changes, medicines, and other alternatives that can help slow down the condition and soothe the pain.
One relatively new way of being able to deal with arthritis is through the use of CBD. Whilst more research needs to be done on the specific effects of CBD on treating arthritis, there are many people who suffer from the issue that have reported pain alleviation when taking CBD.
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol, which is more commonly referred to as CBD, is a natural chemical derived from the Cannabis sativa plant. Although more research still needs to be done, CBD has been at the forefront of much attention and many medical studies over the past few years. CBD is thought to be potentially beneficial for those suffering from anxiety, stress, sleep troubles, and joint pain.
It’s important to note that although CBD comes from the Cannabis plant, it isn’t a psychoactive ingredient that can get you ‘high’. THC is the ingredient that is commonly associated with the ‘high’ feeling, however, CBD is a separate chemical derived from the same plant but can be taken without experiencing psychoactive side effects.
How Could CBD Benefit Arthritis?
CBD has become more commonly used by those suffering from arthritis because of its anti-inflammation properties and its effects on pain alleviation. Arthritis can cause severe pain in your joints, which is a result of inflammation.
It is thought that CBD can help to reduce pain in two separate places which can contribute to tackling the severity of the pain felt from arthritis. Firstly, it is thought CBD could potentially be useful for directly reducing inflammation within joints, so it makes sense that people suffering from arthritis have felt the benefits of CBD. Additionally, it is thought that CBD can impact how the pain receptors in the central nervous system influence pain.
CBD can help to reduce the severity of pain experienced through our pain receptors, which along with the ability to reduce inflammation in our joints could be beneficial for those suffering from arthritis.
Best Time to Take CBD for Arthritis?
If you are just starting with CBD, it’s recommended that you take between 5-10mg around 30 minutes – an hour before you go to sleep. Once you have got used to the CBD, you should take an additional 5-10mg in the morning just after you wake up. However, several variables can affect how much CBD will be the optimal amount for you.
Weight, body composition, and the severity of your arthritis may all affect how much CBD could be the optimal amount for helping to alleviate pain. If you are new to CBD though, it’s recommended that you start with a lower amount and increase the amount if needs be.
For supporting pain relief for arthritis, there are several forms of CBD you can try. CBD oil is the most common, but you can also try balms, gummies, or creams which could all potentially help with the reduction of inflammation and pain relief.
Should You Take CBD for Arthritis?
Whilst studies are still ongoing to determine the direct medical benefits of CBD and most of the reported benefits for pain relief and inflammation are anecdotal it could be worth trying if arthritis is causing you a lot of issues. CBD certainly won’t be the solution for everyone, but if you have tried other painkillers which have not been much use, CBD could be a potential alternative that provides you with some much needed pain alleviation.