An August 2022 research study entitled "Cannabidiol as a Treatment for Arthritis and Joint Pain: An Exploratory Cross-sectional Study" that was published in the Journal of Cannabis Research explored the efficacy of the hemp-derived cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) for arthritis.
"The purpose of this study was to explore patient perceived effects of cannabidiol on symptoms of arthritis," reported the research. It noted that patients who have "exhausted conservative measures" and conventional treatments suffer chronic pain and may "resort to symptomatic management with anti-inflammatories, acetaminophen, opioids," and CBD.
According to the Mayo Clinic, arthritis produces "swelling and tenderness of one or more joints" and the primary symptoms are pain in the joints and stiffness. The condition is known to worsen as sufferers age. The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and the rheumatoid variety.
"For people aged 18 to 64, nearly one in three (both men and women) have doctor-diagnosed arthritis and/or report joint symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of arthritis," reports the organization. For those over 65, the Foundation reports that the statistics are much more alarming and severe and that women are more frequently diagnosed. Of those over 65, half of men have arthritis, while two-thirds of women get it.
The researcher's analysis of the data collected from the questionnaire revealed that the study participants reported improvement in pain resulting from their use of CBD. 83 percent of study subjects reported a decrease in pain, 66 percent an improvement in physical function, and 66 percent improvements in sleep quality.
Improvements in physical function occurred most commonly in subjects suffering from osteoarthritis. The participants reported a 44 percent "reduction in pain after CBD use." Also significant, 61 percent of subjects (259) reported a "reduction or cessation of other medications after CBD use."
The study's authors concluded that the results of their research mean that both medical professionals and their patients "should be aware of the various alternative therapeutic options available to treat their symptoms of arthritis" and that this awareness is especially important "in light of the increased accessibility to cannabidiol products."
The study stated that its data reveal "associations between CBD use and improvements in patient's arthritis symptoms and reductions in other medications." Like thousands of other studies that have investigated the efficacy of hemp, cannabis, and its constituent cannabinoids such as CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), it recommended ongoing research that focuses on "the benefits of CBD use in this patient population with clinical trials."
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