If you have been living with arthritis for a long time, simple tasks that normal people take for granted can seem arduous to you. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 54 million patients in the USA alone are battling arthritis.

The latest medical advancements have helped bring relief to people with arthritis. Among the latest treatment options is Cannabidiol or CBD. 

CBD is an essential compound found in cannabis and hemp plants. Its anti-inflammatory properties can provide relief from arthritic pain or other types of joint pain caused by rheumatic diseases. As a result, the CBD arthritis cream is an effective ally to those fighting this condition.

What is arthritis?

Arthritis is an ailment involving inflammation of the joints and causes searing pain, stiffness, aching, and swelling. 

• Anyone from kids to the elderly could be affected.
• Osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are the most common types of this ailment.

What is CBD cream?

CBD compound found in plants is used in medical creams and ointments. The cream, which is a mix of concentrated CBD and a carrier oil or natural butter, should be applied on the surface of the skin for relief from arthritis. One of the major factors that work for CBD is that it doesn’t get consumers intoxicated, unlike cannabis’s other main compound — tetrahydrocannabinol or THC.

CBD for arthritis pain relief

From various studies on animals, researchers concluded that CBD arthritis cream had the potential to reduce pain related to arthritis. Here are some examples:

• In 2016, researchers used rats to examine the efficacy of CBD for arthritis; they applied gels in various quantities on rats for four days in a row
• The application reduced joint swelling and overall pain
• Another study focused on the effect of locally-administered CBD on animals with end-stage osteoarthritis; the results showed that CBD cured joint pain in a dose-dependent manner
• It also prevented the subsequent progression of persistent pain associated with osteoarthritis

What to check before you buy the cream

• Brand and quality-check results: While choosing the brand, don’t go by reputation. Instead, read reviews and look at the ratings. A lesser-known brand may be well ahead of its competitors in terms of quality.
• Type of hemp extract used in the product: A ‘full-spectrum’ or whole hemp plant extract contains all the plant’s cannabinoids, including THC. A ‘broad-spectrum’ extract includes most cannabinoids, but not THC, and the third type, ‘CBD isolate,’ contains just pure CBD and no cannabinoids or THC.
• The potency of the product: Though there is still no clinical consensus to inform about dosing, you can select a product based on your pain. Each container of a potent product may have about 200 mg of CBD. Few containers even have up to 1,000 mg of CBD.

Does CBD have side effects?

Though the cream doesn’t pose significant risks, if taken orally, there may be side effects such as fatigue, diarrhea, changes in appetite, or weight. If a user’s oral medications or supplements contain grapefruit warning, that person must exercise caution.

Preferred method of pain management

The anti-inflammatory properties of CBD could help people with arthritis and therapeutically provide relief. Tests on animals, too, have shown positive results. Nevertheless, more human studies are needed to determine dosing and overall safety guidelines. The silver lining is that many arthritis patients have reported positive effects after having used CBD arthritis cream to relieve pain.