Statistical data for healthcare indicates that arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the United States. Approximately 54.4 million people in the country are suffering from arthritis which is very painful and adversely affects the quality of life. In the last few years, Cannabidiol (CBD) derived from the industrial hemp plant is being widely advertised as a natural and effective treatment for different health problems especially pain and inflammation. So many patients who are suffering from arthritis would like to find out the effectiveness of CBD for treating arthritis.

Types of Arthritis

Though there are different types of arthritis, most patients in the country are suffering from either rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, in which the hands, feet of the patient become swollen, and the patient has stiff joints. For osteoarthritis, the joints, cartilages of the knees, hips, and thumbs are affected, leading to pain when there is movement. Since all kinds of arthritis are painful for the patient, they usually use allopathic medicines, like painkillers to alleviate the pain. In addition to being expensive, these medicines may also have horrible side effects. This is why many patients are interested in other alternative medicines like CBD.

CBD for Pain Relief

In the last few years, arthritis patients looking for alternative treatment methods have been using CBD since many claim that it is very effective for reducing their pain and inflammation. The active ingredients in the CBD are affecting the endocannibinoid system, especially some of the receptors. This may reduce the pain which the person suffering from arthritis is experiencing if he is taking the right amount of CBD. Studies also indicate that the the CBD ingredients affect the receptors in the brain, linked to pain, due to which the patient will experience less pain.

Using CBD

A large number of businesses online and offline are selling CBD of different grades, concentrations, and specifications. While CBD oil and tinctures are the most widely used form of CBD, CBD gels and creams are also available. Depending on the severity of the pain and inflammation, the arthritis patient should decide how much CBD he will require daily. Then he can consume CBD oil directly, add it to the food. Alternately the gel or cream can be applied to the area around the joint which is inflamed. Usually, patients start with a small amount of CBD initially and increasing their dosage daily until the desired reduction in pain is reached.

Benefits of CBD

The main benefit of using CBD for arthritis treatment is that there are very few side effects compared to conventional pain killers and it reduces inflammation. Though CBD oil can be derived from both the industrial hemp and cannabis plant, in the United States, only CBD derived from the industrial hemp plant is legal. Also, the user should ensure that the THC content of the CBD oil is less than 0.3% to conform to legal requirements.

The arthritis patient should consult their doctor while finalizing the dosage of CBD so that it does not affect their other treatments.