CBD oil for arthritis has been found in many studies to help alleviate pain from this frustrating illness. If your current pain relief routine isn’t working or you’re looking for a more natural way to manage your pain, then CBD is a holistic alternative.
Below, we’ll dive into what arthritis is, what causes it, how you can manage to navigate its effects with CBD.
What Exactly Is Arthritis?
If you suffer from joint inflammation and stiffness on a daily basis, know that you’re not alone. In fact, arthritis affects approximately 54.4 million adults in the United States currently.
The term “arthritis” is a common phrase that’s used to describe various kinds of joint inflammation. There isn’t one kind of overarching arthritis that everyone is experiencing the same way and there are over 100 kinds of arthritis.
With all of the different kinds of arthritis, the effects it has on people’s daily lives can be equally nuanced. However, the most common symptoms include joint pain, stiffness, and swelling.
What Can Cause Arthritis?
Since there are so many different kinds of arthritis, there’s a wide range of causes that can trigger it. However, the two most common types of arthritis in the US are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
Rheumatoid - rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that occurs when a person’s body mistakes healthy tissues for foreign cells. As a result, the immune system attempts to protect itself by causing inflammation at a target location.
Osteoarthritis - osteoarthritis (OA) is caused by the breakdown of joint cartilage that takes place over time. As the cartilage continues to wear away, a person’s bones will start to rub against each other. This causes both pain and damage.
Natural Ways To Alleviate Arthritis Pain
Currently, arthritis is a disease that doesn’t have a definitive cure. It can fade away into remission only to “flare-up” when you least expect it. Studies have shown that higher levels of stress or lack of sleep can be factors that increase inflammation, but for many people, there isn’t a particular reason that their arthritis worsens.
If you’re living with arthritis, the main goal is to find ways to alleviate your pain while maintaining or increasing your mobility. Your diet, exercise routine, and the use of the best CBD creams or oil on the market can help you manage your arthritis pain.
1. An Anti-Inflammatory Diet
A person’s diet has been shown to be a huge factor in the amount of inflammation they experience in their body. Certain foods are prone to cause more inflammation- with some of the main culprits being sugars and saturated fats.
If you’re experiencing high amounts of inflammation, attempt to eat a Mediterranean diet for a couple of weeks. The Mediterranean diet consists of whole grains, fruits, veggies, eggs, fish, lean meats, and nuts. It’s low on processed foods and limits sugar, alcohol, and red meat- all known for increasing your inflammation.
2. Yoga
Yoga is a form of exercise that includes moving through a series of poses while focusing on your breathing. While there are many different kinds of yoga, when yoga is practiced gently on a regular basis, the practice is known to help reduce tension and improve mobility and joint flexibility.
Yoga has the added benefit of allowing you to shift your practice so you can focus on specific areas of your body that are causing you the most pain.
3. CBD Oil For Arthritis
The two main ways that you should administer CBD to help with arthritis is orally or topically. Currently, there isn’t enough research to show if inhaling CBD will help reduce inflammation.
By mouth: CBD oil can be absorbed directly into your bloodstream by placing the oil under your tongue and keeping it there for approximately 60 seconds. Typically, people report that they can feel the effects of relief within 15-45 minutes.
Topically: CBD creams can be applied directly to a pain area. As the CBD sinks into your skin, it should begin to bring your joints relief.
It’s important to note that many people who have arthritis and have used CBD have lessened their painful symptoms. However, medical experts are still conducting studies on the exact effectiveness of CBD products for arthritis and not everyone who uses a CBD product will find relief.
To give yourself the best chance of finding relief when using CBD, be sure to choose a CBD brand that only uses high-quality products when you’re looking for the best CBD creams for arthritis pain. Not all CBD brands are created equal and some will include lower doses of CBD in their products or they’ll mix in lower-quality “fillers” to go along with their CBD. These factors can lead you to not receive the relief you’re looking for when turning to CBD as a form of pain management.
How CBD Oil Can Help Relieve Arthritis Pain
So, how does CBD work?
CBD affects your CB2 receptors, and some studies have indicated that CBD can have a positive impact on autoimmune diseases while other studies have shown that CBD can positively impact inflammation and reduce the pain and nerve damage that’s associated with high levels of inflammation.
Interestingly, CBD can potentially work directly and indirectly. Some people find relief directly through using CBD oils or creams to reduce the amount of pain in their systems. Other people find that CBD helps them handle painful inflammation in a more indirect fashion by using CBD to manage their stress levels or by using a CBD oil to help them sleep at night.
Keep in mind that your story and the obstacles you’re facing with your arthritis won’t be identical to someone else’s. Since the effects of arthritis are so varied, your pain management plan will need to be unique and fit with your lifestyle.
As you create a pain management plan, you’ll need to experiment to find what combination of CBD products, exercise, and diet works best for you and your inflammation. Stay positive and know that pain relief lies in your future; you just need to find the right solution.
