CBD for Joint Pain: Can You Find Relief in the Power of Cannabidiol?

Joint pain is quite a common condition affecting millions of people across the globe. It can come from a wide variety of conditions and factors. In most cases, joint pain is mild and can be resolved successfully at home without any long-term problems. However, in some cases, it can be severe and prolonged, causing great discomfort. Over 15 million people living with arthritis in the United States suffer from chronic joint pain. Chronic joint pain can have a significant impact on one’s quality of life. Besides causing emotional distress and anxiety, ongoing pain interferes with one’s functional capacity. It can inhibit their ability to fulfill social, family, and vocational roles. As a result, people suffering from chronic joint pain are actively seeking healthy and effective ways to get rid of this pain. This is where CBD for joint pain comes in. 

CBD has garnered a lot of attention in recent years thanks to its potential to treat a wide range of conditions. While CBD has many uses, over 80% of CBD users have reported using it mainly for pain relief. Research into the effectiveness of CBD for chronic joint pain such as arthritis is still ongoing. However, preliminary results as well as anecdotal evidence show that there is a clear relationship between CBD and joint pain relief. 

Joint Pain

Joint pain, or arthralgia in medical terms, refers to aches, discomfort, and soreness that arise from any of the joints in the body. A joint is any part of the body where two bones meet, allowing for some level of movement. While some use the terms joint pain and arthritis interchangeably, there is a difference between the two. Arthritis refers to joint inflammation. This inflammation then causes pain and other symptoms from joint pain. It is important to note that joint pain can still occur without the presence of inflammation.

Joint pain can affect a single joint or multiple joints in the body. The areas and number of joints affected will mainly depend on the underlying cause of the joint pain. 

Some of the most common symptoms of joint pain include redness, tenderness, and swelling in the area around the joint, and it can also feel warm to touch. 

What Causes Joint Pain?

Joint pain has a wide range of causes. While sometimes it can be the result of an injury affecting the tendons, ligaments or muscles surrounding the joint. In other cases, a medical examination might be required to identify the underlying cause. Besides physical injury, here are some of the other causes of joint pain:

– Arthritis: This is perhaps the most common cause of joint pain. There are two main types of arthritis:  rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). OA causes joint pain through the wear and tear of the joint due to the breakdown of the cartilage that acts as a shock absorber for the joint. RA is associated with inflammation, pain, and the build of fluids in the joint as the membranes lining the joints are attacked by the body’s immune system. 

– General body infection: Any general body infection, particularly those associated with flu-like symptoms can lead to pain in joints all over the body. 

– Infectious diseases such as mumps, hepatitis, and influenza

– Overuse of a joint

– Sarcoidosis

– Fibromyalgia

– Osteoporosis

– Rickets

– In some rare cases, cancer

Dangers of Chronic Joint Pain

Most cases of joint pain are usually mild and can be easily resolved at home. However, beware if the pain persists and comes with certain other symptoms. If these symptoms also persist, you should treat it as an emergency and seek immediate medical attention as it can be an indication of something life or limb-threatening: 

– Fever or chills

If you are also experiencing fever (not from flu), this might be an early sign of a joint infection. In some rare cases, if left unaddressed an infection of the joint can lead to you losing your limb or even your life. So, it is important to seek immediate medical attention. 

– Sudden swelling 

If you notice sudden swelling of the joints, especially in your fingers, it could be a sign of rheumatoid arthritis or other autoimmune conditions. You need to seek immediate medical attention to avoid further issues. 

– Joint stiffness, particularly in the morning or reduced range of motion

While it is normal to feel a bit stiff after waking up if this stiffness specifically targets your joints it might be a sign of something serious.  

– The joint appears to be deformed

– Excessive bleeding after injury

– Uncontrollable pain

– Severe headache

– Limping

All these symptoms can be a sign of a serious and life-threatening underlying cause. So, it is crucial that you seek immediate medical attention if your joint pain comes with any of the above symptoms. 

What is CBD?

CBD, short for cannabidiol, is one of the hundreds of active compounds in the cannabis plant called  cannabinoids. It is the second most abundant and popular cannabinoid after THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol). However, unlike THC, CBD doesn’t cause a high or intoxicating effect. Through its effect on the body, CBD presents a wide range of potential therapeutic and health benefits to its users. CBD-based products are some of the most sought-after products in the health and wellness industry. What’s more, there is emerging scientific evidence that supports some of the proposed benefits. 

Effects of CBD

CBD provides plenty of potential health benefits that are currently under scientific investigation. It has become the preferred option for many people seeking relief from pain and other symptoms without the intoxicating effects of THC as well as the many negative side effects of conventional pharmaceutical drugs. Here are some of the possible benefits of CBD:

– Helps to address symptoms of drug withdrawal

– Can treat seizures in certain forms of epilepsy

– Helps to reduce nausea and vomiting in certain instances

– Can ease anxiety and depression

– Helps to reduce some symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease

– Minimize antipsychotic behavior among people with schizophrenia

CBD for Pain and Inflammation

As you can see, CBD presents a lot of valuable benefits to users. But perhaps the most notable benefit among the majority of its users is its ability to alleviate pain and inflammation. Scientific studies show that CBD provides relief from pain and inflammation through its effect on receptors in the brain as well as the immune system. 

How Does CBD work? 

CBD works in the body by influencing the Endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is a complex physiological messaging system in the human body as well as in other organisms. It is responsible for regulating a wide range of bodily functions and processes including pain perception, inflammation and other immune system responses, learning and memory, sleep, mood, etc. 

The ECS consists of three main components:

i) Receptors (CB1 and CB2) to which endocannabinoids bind to produce various effects.

ii) Endocannabinoids – chemical compounds produced by the body similar to cannabinoids. They carry signals between nerve cells.

iii) Enzymes responsible for breaking down endocannabinoids after they have completed their tasks. 

Unlike other cannabinoids, CBD doesn’t bind directly to the endocannabinoid receptors. Instead, it influences these receptors through some other action i.e. by activating or inhibiting the activation of these receptors. In addition, CBD inhibits the functions of the FAAH enzyme which breaks down anandamide, one of the two major endocannabinoids, thus maximizing its action.  

CBD for Joint Pain

CBD helps to reduce pain and inflammation in a number of different ways making it an effective treatment for joint pain. As stated above, CBD mainly works through the Endocannabinoid system. This compound interacts with certain receptors associated with pain and inflammation in the body to produce reduced pain and inflammation. First, it is important to note that high levels of the endocannabinoid called anandamide are associated with reduced pain perception. Thus, by blocking certain receptors and increasing the levels of anandamide in the body, CBD helps to reduce pain. In addition, by stimulating CB1 receptors, CBD helps to reduce peripheral pain. CBD also helps to reduce inflammation and produce pain relief by stimulating the increased release of adenosine in the body. 

Does CBD Get You High?

CBD doesn’t contain the same psychoactive properties of THC, which is the main active ingredient of marijuana. While CBD produces certain effects in the brain, it doesn’t cause the intoxicating high that recreational cannabis users seek. This is one of the main qualities that makes CBD so appealing to people seeking the pain-relieving benefits of cannabis. However, given that the CBD market is highly unregulated, it is important to ensure that you are getting your CBD from a reputable online supplier such as Tanasi. 

How to Use CBD for Joint Pain

While there are many ways to use CBD, when it comes to CBD for joint pain, the best option is topical CBD. According to various studies, the topical application of CBD is effective in treating joint pain and inflammation. According to a 2006 animal study, the topical application of CBD helped to reduce pain and inflammation among rats with arthritis, with no activation by the liver. Besides allowing for higher levels of local CBD, topical creams lower the risk of systemic symptoms.