A Recent Survey by the Arthritis Foundation Reveals Findings

By Dan Reich

Recently the Arthritis Foundation surveyed a group of those struggling with various kinds of arthritis, a painful condition that affects a large segment of our aging population. They asked the question “Are you using CBD for your arthritis?” Here’s what respondents had to say…

Nearly one out of three reported that they use CBD to manage the pain that accompanies their arthritis. The vast majority of those used it daily or several times a week. Patients were almost evenly split between those using a liquid (ingested) product or topical (roll-on or salve) applied to the affected joints. A comparable number claim to be “open to CBD” despite not currently using it. Only one out of five was satisfied with their current regimen and had no curiosity as to the benefits of CBD. Some of these likely had questions about its efficacy or safety, having heard of opportunists peddling untested, inferior products.

By far, pain relief was cited most often as a reason to use CBD, and in this context, many felt CBD was less addictive than opioids. Some used CBD to wean themselves from opioids after joint replacement procedures. Patients who found that CBD was effective for pain relief also attested that they discovered many other benefits.

Nearly 75% of CBD users reported improved sleep and a significant number felt that it reduced fatigue. Two out of three said that CBD reduced depressive episodes and helped alleviate their anxiety.

Summary: CBD is rapidly entering the mainstream as an effective remedy for arthritis patients, and those using it are experiencing a myriad of benefits without the negative effects of opioids or other pharmaceutical medications. The survey concluded that access to reliable information was the crucial factor in changing sufferers attitudes regarding CBD treatments.

While searching for recent research into the effectiveness of cannabinoids for relieving symptoms of arthritis, I found that there were very few clinical trials that involved humans, and the few that had been undertaken were called out for a variety of reasons; from too few participants to a lack of standardization in dosages and quality of cannabis medicines. Following are two quotes which sum up the situation:

“Google Scholar was queried using “cannabinoids, joint pain” as key phrases. While the search returned myriad articles from receptor classification to the effects of CBD in animal models, there were no relevant studies regarding any human, clinical data entertaining prospective CBD use and joint pain.”

And:

“There is a lack of high-quality, novel research investigating the use of CBD in human musculoskeletal diseases aside from anecdotal accounts.”

Clearly, despite mountains of anecdotal data, rigorous research studies have been few and far between. Whether the uncertain regulatory climate that affects all things cannabis (particularly if THC is involved) the difficulty in standardizing a plant product (as opposed to a pharmaceutical) or a combination, we need more high-quality research on humans to validate what so many are experiencing and sharing anecdotally…CBD and THC are more effective (and safer) than pharmaceutical solutions.

At Synergy Wellness, we have helped many people get relief from the pain of arthritis. Most people respond well to the topical application of our Synergy Salve for pain. Using the roller ball in addition enables deeper penetration, making it even more effective. These are both 1:1 CBD:THC infused. Remember, topical applications are NOT psychoactive and will not get you high.

Our experience has found that CBD helps with inflammation and THC works well for pain. If you have pain, you will want to try something with THC in the mix. For oral consumption, the 4:1 CBD:THC tinctures produces good results for pain. For more severe pain, a 1:1 CBD:THC solution may be more effective. Always start with a low dose and titrate up (increase the dose gradually).

Synergy is offering a free sample of our salve with every order that includes either a 4:1 tincture (#103, #104, #105, #116) or a 1:1 (#154, #155; #156; #160).

For more detail and to order, click here.

If you are interested in just the topicals, we offer:

If you or someone you know is living with pain from arthritis, we are here to help.