Five warning signs of rheumatoid arthritis
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Currently, the therapeutic approaches for arthritis are limited as no drugs are available to control the disease progression and many that are out there have restricted efficacy. Increasing evidence from preclinical studies supports the interest of CBD oil which contains extracts from cannabis plants. Some people use CBD oil to relieve pain associated with chronic conditions including that of arthritis.
Two of the most common types of arthritis are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition wherein a person’s immune system attacks their joints, causing inflammation and commonly affects the hands and feet and leads to painful, swollen, and stiff joints.
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition that affects joint cartilage and bones, causing pain and stiffness. It often affects the hip, knee, and thumb joints.
There is anecdotal evidence to suggest that some people with arthritis who use CBD report noticeable pain relief.
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In a study published in the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, inflammation prevention by cannabidiol to help prevent pain and nerve damage in rats with osteoarthritis was investigated.
The study noted: “Osteoarthritis (OA) is a multifactorial joint disease, which includes joint degeneration, intermittent inflammation, and peripheral neuropathy.
“Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-euphoria producing constituent of cannabis that has the potential to relieve pain.
“The aim of this study was to determine whether CBD is anti-nociceptive in OA, and whether inhibition of inflammation by CBD could prevent the development of OA pain and joint neuropathy.”
The study found acute, transient joint inflammation was reduced by local CBD treatment.
“The data presented here indicate that local administration of CBD blocked OA pain,” concluded the study.
In another study CBD and its ability to reduce inflammatory pain in rats was investigated.
The study hypothesised that CBD could help affect the way that pain receptors respond to stimuli.
Recent findings suggest that some cannabinoids bind to atypical receptors, noted the study.
Their findings suggest that some cannabinoids bind to atypical receptors helping to reduce both symptoms and pain associated with the condition.
CBD oil affects brain activity, but not in the same way that THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, does.
CBD oil interacts with two receptors, namely CB1 and CB2, to reduce pain and the effects of inflammation.
CB2 also plays a role in a person’s immune system.
Rheumatoid arthritis involves the immune system attacking the tissue in your joints.
Therefore, this relationship to the immune system could explain why CBD oil seems to work well for rheumatoid arthritis symptoms.
Cannabinoid receptors, together with the physiological role of the endocannabinoid system has shown impressive results in the regulation of pain and inflammation.
The endocannabinoid system are the neurotransmitters which bind to cannabinoid receptors and are expressed throughout the vertebrate central nervous system and peripheral nervous system.
There is limited clinical evidence which has been provided to support the therapeutic use of cannabinoids, despite the promising preclinical data.
However, there are a number of reviews indicating the promising results that have been recently obtained in support of the therapeutic value of cannabinoids for osteoarthritis management.
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