Arthritis sufferer finds out first-hand how cannabis improves health

162 0

The proof that marijuana offers health benefits is found in those who consume it

Arthritis is a disease that affects millions of people worldwide. In the US alone, 32.5 million adults suffer from osteoarthritis, while another 1.3 million Americans suffer from rheumatoid arthritis (RA). As a leading cause of chronic pain (one of the most common conditions for which medical marijuana is recommended), it should come as no surprise that cannabis can help manage arthritis and arthritic pain.

It is common knowledge that cannabinoids and particularly THC and CBD have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, hence their application in all these processes. On the other hand, the osteoarticular system has a shortage of sites of action (receptors) for most of the compounds, which explains the ineffectiveness of most of the drugs. However, the presence of sites of action for cannabinoids in the joints has been demonstrated, even in degenerative processes such as osteoarthritis.

In addition, cannabinoids have actions in the modulation of immunity and, as mentioned, many of these diseases have an autoimmune cause. In this sense, CBD, unlike conventional immunosuppressants, is capable of reducing the immune response against the body itself (autoimmunity) without affecting the response to infections or tumor processes.

Although THC has a significant analgesic effect, due to its psychoactive and cardiovascular effects, especially in the elderly, doses of this compound should be limited. This helps avoid cognitive and blood pressure side effects, and should be accompanied by effective doses of CBD to neutralize the psychoactive effects.

In addition to pain relief and reduction of inflammation, cannabis and cannabinoids in rheumatic diseases can provide other benefits to the general condition of the patient. It can improve the quality of sleep, appetite and mood; in short, the quality of life.

CBD is thought to work on pain in two parts of the body: the site of pain (such as the joints) and the central nervous system, which sends pain signals to the brain when it detects certain stimulation or damage to nerves and cells. CBD’s ability to calm that response is one reason why the compound could be a pain remedy for people with arthritis.