Can CBD Help My Arthritis?
Generally speaking, Arthritis refers to pain and inflammation of the joints and is said to be an Auto-Immune Disease in many cases. And even though there are numerous types of Arthritis, a common factor among all of them is the inflammation of the joints that can cause swelling, discomfort, pain, and many other issues that cause a variety of health concerns. Additional symptoms of most types of Arthritis include fatigue and appetite loss, and many severe cases can even impact the kidneys, skin, saliva glands, heart, blood vessels, nerve tissue and bone marrow.
Arthritis is a very common issues around the globe, and in the United States alone there are nearly 54 million people who are diagnosed with some form of Arthritis. And nearly 10 million of those people are impacted so much by their symptoms that it prevents them from being able to work a full day due to the chronic pain and discomfort of their Arthritis symptoms. Most of the people diagnosed with some form of Arthritis are considered adults between the ages of 18-64, however, there are over 300,000 children in the United States who also suffer from various types of Arthritis.
One of the most common varieties of Arthritis is a "Degenerative" type known as Osteoarthritis, which can occur as a result of various factors. With the Degenerative variety of Arthritis, the degradation of the bone's cartilage can occur which results in a the bone creating friction against another bone. People with Degenerative Arthritis will experience stiffness and swelling which results in chronic pain and can even limit their mobility in many cases. Your overall activity, weight, and diet can play a significant role in the prevention of Degenerative Arthritis. But there are also other factors such as hereditary medical history, injuries, and repetitive movements to consider when preventing or managing symptoms of Degenerative Osteoarthritis.
Another common variety of Arthritis is considered to be “Inflammatory” and include types such as Rheumatoid, Psoratic, Ankylosing Spondylitis, and Gout. These types of Inflammatory Arthritis are said to be a result of a combination of hereditary, genetic, and environmental factors and their interactions with an individual's deficient immune system. Rheumatoid Arthritis is specific to the immune system and negatively impacts the body's tissues. Over time, Rheumatoid Arthritis can induce bone erosion and joint deformation which causes the individual to experience a great deal of chronic pain. While the Rheumatoid type of the “Inflammatory” variety of Arthritis can attack the body's tissue, the Gout type of Inflammatory Arthritis can attack collections of crystallized Uric Acid that occur in the body. Proper diet and activity is a great way to help minimize the buildup of Uric Acid in your body. Crystallization of Uric Acid can also result in Kidney Stones!
Yet another variety of Arthritis is “Infectious”. Our bodies can often intake a virus, bacterium, or fungus that can attack specific areas such as the joints. Food-born contamination, like Salmonella, is one example of how Infectious Arthritis can occur. Other Infectious types of Arthritis can come from other from Sexually-Transmitted Diseases (a.k.a. “STD's”) and even contaminated blood transfusions. In all instances of Infectious Arthritis, the overall issue relates to the infection of a joint and its surrounding area which can cause a great deal of pain and discomfort.
Considered to be separate from the Inflammatory variety of Arthritis, the Metabolic variety can be somewhat confusing and generally requires a specialist's oversight for proper diagnosis and treatment. Metabolic Arthritic occurs when the body either produces too much Uric Acid, or when the body can't properly break down the amount of Uric Acid being consumed as part of your diet. Either way, the Uric Acid will crystallize and Gout can occur which can become a very serious issue.
So let's now shift the conversation to Phytocannabinoids and Endocannabinoid Receptors. The body is naturally equipped with an Endocannabinoid System that is made up of Endocannabinoid Receptors. These receptors essentially control and mediate a variety of systems within our body including the ones that maintain our mood, appetite, pain threshold, and the immune system. While there are Endocannabinoid Proteins that are naturally produced by our bodies, there are also Phytocannabinoid Proteins that exist in plants, such as the Cannabis Plant, that help to maintain and protect the overall Endocannabinoid System and allow the body to function more optimally.
The Cannabis plant contains over 100 Phytocannabinoids such as CBD (“Cannabidiol”), THC (“Tetrahydrocannabinol”), CBN (“Cannabinol”), CBG (“Cannabigerol”), CBC (“Cannabichromene”) and many others. And even though each of these Cannabinoids play a different role independent of one another, they are the most beneficial for our Endocannabinoid System when combined, thereby creating a more synergistic effect. This is why, in my own opinion, I feel that “Full Spectrum” Cannabis Extracts and Cannabis Products hold a more beneficial and therapeutic effect for the consumer. See below for a list of some of the Phytocannabinoids that are commonly found in the Cannabis plant, and some of their beneficial uses!
THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol)
Analgesic (reduces pain)
Appetite Stimulant (increases appetite)
Antimetic (reduces nausea)
Anti Spasmotic (reduces muscle spasms)
THCA (Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid)
Anti Inflammatory (reduces inflammation)
Anti Epileptic (reduces seizures and convulsions)
Anti Proliferative (inhibits Cancerous cell growth)
THCV (Tetrahydrocannabivarin)
Anorectic (reduces appetite)
Anti Epileptic (reduces seizures and convulsions)
Anti Diabetic (reduces and regulates blood sugar levels)
Bone Stimulant (promotes bone growth)
CBN (Cannabinol)
Analgesic (reduces pain)
Anti Insomnia (promotes sleeping)
Anti Spasmotic (reduces muscle spasms)
CBC (Cannabichromene)
Analgesic (reduces pain)
Anti Inflammatory (reduces inflammation)
Anti Proliferative (inhibits Cancerous cell growth)
Anti Bacterial (reduces bacterial growth)
Bone Stimulant (promotes bone growth)
CBCA (Cannabichromenic Acid)
Anti Bacterial (reduces bacterial growth)
Anti Fungal (reduces growth of fungus)
CBG (Cannabigerol)
Analgesic (reduces pain)
Anti Inflammatory (reduces inflammation)
Anti Bacterial (reduces bacterial growth)
Anti Fungal (reduces growth of fungus)
Anti Proliferative (inhibits Cancerous cell growth)
Bone Stimulant (promotes bone growth)
CBGA (Cannabigerolic Acid)
Anti Inflammatory (reduces inflammation)
CBDA (Cannabidiolic Acid)
Anti Inflammatory (reduces inflammation)
Anti Proliferative (inhibits Cancerous cell growth)
CBD (Cannabidiol)
Analgesic (reduces pain)
Anti Inflammatory (reduces inflammation)
Appetite Stimulant (increases appetite)
Antimetic (reduces nausea)
Anti Spasmotic (reduces muscle spasms)
Anti Epileptic (reduces seizures and convulsions)
Bone Stimulant (promotes bone growth)
Anti Diabetic (reduces and regulates blood sugar levels)
Anti Proliferative (inhibits Cancerous cell growth)
Anti Bacterial (reduces bacterial growth)
Anti Ischemic (reduces blockage of the arteries)
Anti Psioratic (prevents psoriasis)
Neuro Protective (regulates and prevents degradation of the nervous system)
Immuno Suppressive (suppresses weak immune systems and promotes function of the immune system)
Anti Psychotic (regulates to improve psychosis conditions)
Anxiolytic (reduces anxiety)
Intestinal Anti Prokinetic (reduces intestinal contractions)
As you can see, many of these Cannabinoids have multiple benefits when we consume them! And although it is best to have as many Cannabinoids present as possible, CBD is certainly loaded with benefits all by itself! Additionally, it is easy to see how Cannabis can be beneficial for the management and treatment of the various types of Arthritis! And thanks to the passing of the 2018 Agricultural Act, we can now access products containing these Phytocannabinoids and have the opportunity to experience their benefits! Products such as Tinctures and Salves are a great way to intake these properties on a daily basis to help maintain your Endocannabinoid System, and to help treat the painful symptoms of Arthritis!
Check out @BeeWellHemp on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for some great CBD Topicals that may help with treating and managing your symptoms of Arthritis, or visit BeeWellHemp.com to go directly to their Online CBD Store! Other ways to intake Phytocannabinoids is through oral ingestion, which can be achieved with the use of Tinctures and Edibles. For those types of CBD Products feel free to check out @CBDlollipop on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter or go straight to TennesseeHempCandy.com to visit their Online CBD Store!
I hope you enjoyed this blog article about Cannabis For Arthritis!
Please let me know if you have any questions or a particular topic you'd like me to write about!
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