In the United States alone, 1.5 million people suffer from a form of rheumatoid arthritis — one of the most common disabilities for citizens in America. This autoimmune disease is characterized by an immune system that mistakenly attacks one’s joints, causing high levels of inflammation, pain and discomfort.
This issue becomes problematic as the inflammation heightens and causes severe damage to cartilages scattered throughout the body. Gradually, the cartilage breaks down and causes smaller joint spacing between bones. This consequentially creates looser and less stable joints with a loss of mobility in more severe cases.
Currently, doctors can identify more than 100 varying types of arthritis marked by their severity and diverse symptoms. However, rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by more than inflammation and joint pain — this form of arthritis is categorized as an autoimmune disease instead.
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis are likely to feel pain or experience swollen or inflamed joints in the following areas:
Rheumatoid arthritis not only attacks the joints, but it can also produce the manifestation of many debilitating symptoms. Common side effects of arthritis include:
Many other symptoms of RA can be apparent, as well, although the frequency and severity of these side effects may vary from patient to patient.
Because there is no known cure for rheumatoid arthritis, it’s essential to find a treatment plan that helps alleviate the tension associated with these conditions. Many therapeutic options are available on the market, and each year, more patients turn to CBD products to help improve their daily sense of wellbeing.
For those who have rheumatoid arthritis, the manifestation of inflammation is one of the top causes of joint pain and discomfort. The interaction between cytokines, ion channels and various mediators of inflammation create an imperfect immune response that heightens pain and inflammatory signals.
Because endocannabinoids produce an immunomodulatory effect, their role concerning immune regulation and inflammation management is crucial in everyday patients. Stimuli responsible for lessening one’s perception of pain in the endocannabinoid system may be imbalanced in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. For these patients, the nervous system is corrupted and creates a variation that deviates from the typical pain response.
Aside from pain, the endocannabinoid system in rheumatoid arthritis patients represents a various inflammation. The pathways followed by cannabinoid compounds responsible for regulating inflammatory pain may not portray common functionality.
CBD has been proven in clinical studies to alleviate chronic pain and discomfort — primary symptoms that afflict patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Because rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by hyperalgesia, a heightened pain response to painful stimuli, CBD helps lessen one’s hypersensitivity to various receptors.
In pain experiments conducted on genetically modified mice, pain responses were significantly lower for mice with CB1 receptors implanted in their body. This is because the neuromodulatory actions of CB1 receptors are crucial in influencing the autonomic nervous system’s perception of pain. CBD helps activate cannabinoid receptors critical to the body’s daily functionality — especially how one interprets and perceives pain.
Because the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis concentrate so heavily on joint pain and discomfort, one of the most widely used forms of CBD for these patients is through topical application. Topical ointments provide rapid relief in a targeted area without causing the discomfort potentially triggered by inhalation or vaporizing.
Transdermal patches are another CBD option that produce immediate relief in a targeted spot. Transdermal patches with CBD deliver slow-releasing cannabinoids into the bloodstream for more effective treatment, as well.
Patients also can choose to ingest CBD directly through vaping measures or edible options. Vaping produces an immediate medicine effect and can create rapid pain relief for certain patients. Edibles and tablets that require oral ingestion also permit patients to measure the specific amount of medicine they seek to absorb. This method provides consistent dosing and can be a reliable form of medication.
In a 2006 study conducted by doctors examining the effects of CBD oil on rheumatoid arthritis patients, CBD oil caused relief from inflammation and pain after a five-week trial period. If you or a loved one is
suffering from the chronic symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, you may want to consider opting for a CBD form of relief.
Fortunately, there are various CBD products on the market to fit the unique symptoms and needs of every patient. Patients who seek to lessen inflammation should explore the following options:
For immediate relief from joint pain, patients may find the most comfort from the following strains:
It’s important to keep in mind that finding the ultimate form of relief may require a period of trial-and-error, as everyone reacts differently to marijuana products.
To learn more about relief from rheumatoid arthritis through alternative medicine practices, be sure to check out our list of resources and our blog at MarijuanaDoctors.com. Our number one priority is to give patients access to the information they need. With the right tools, you can experience the comfort you deserve.
Learn more about Rheumatoid Arthritis and what makes medical marijuana an effective treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis’s symptoms.
