Over the past few years, many people have been turning to CBD products for their wellness. CBD, also known as cannabidiol, is an organic cannabis compound with many health benefits. While this compound doesn’t promise to cure diseases, it’s an effective alternative that can help significantly reduce certain symptoms. It normally interacts with pain and inflammation receptors in the body, helping to ease pain and inflammation. But how effective is CBD in reducing arthritis? Besides that, how does CBD cream for arthritis work, and what does science say? This article highlights how CBD cream works for arthritis pain, its safety, and the pros and cons.
Arthritis and CBD
Inconclusive study indicates that CBD can help treat arthritis. The effectiveness of CBD is due to the fact that it has anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritis properties. As a result, it can help ease arthritic pain and soothe inflammation.
Almost 60 million in the US are currently affected by arthritis. It’s worth noting that arthritis is the leading cause of disability and is found in two types – osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative type of arthritis that affects the bone and joint cartilage, resulting in pain and stiffness. Generally, it affects the hip, thumb joints, and knees. On the other hand, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition where the immune system self-attacks itself. This usually results in the inflammation of the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis commonly affects feet and hands, resulting in stiff, swollen, and painful joints.
CBD is an effective and organic source since it naturally interacts with the receptors that influence inflammation and pain response. According to most scientists, its believed that CBD normally affects how these receptors respond to stimuli. They possibly work by reducing pain perception and the severity of inflammation.
What Studies Show
A 2017 study found that CBD is a highly effective treatment for joint pain associated with osteoarthritis. Another study done in 2016 found that using a CBD-rich topical application can help ease inflammation and pain that’s normally associated with arthritis. There are still two other promising studies done previously that showcase the effectiveness of CBD and related topical products in managing arthritis symptoms.
A 2014 review based on animal research concluded that using CBD can generally lead to better results in reducing pain relative to osteoarthritis. In another, it was found that CBD helped to significantly reduce inflammatory pain in rats. This was achievable by how it influenced the pain receptors’ response to stimuli.
Pros and Cons of CBD Arthritis Cream
Once you find the recommended CBD cream for arthritis pain, then you can use it to manage your symptoms. Of course, you expect to experience the benefits of using such a product. However, there are also cons to using CBD cream for arthritis pain.
Pros
- CBD has a generally a good safety profile
- Topical creams provide localized effects
- Ideal for nourishing the skin
Cons
- No dosage guideline
- the effects are limited
Is It Safe?
A report by the World Health Organization indicates that people are generally tolerable to CBD. It’s a compound with a wide range of health benefits and doesn’t produce the “high” effects associated with THC. A 2020 systematic review indicates that CBD is well tolerated. So, using it is less likely to result in adverse reactions.
It’s clear that CBD products are relatively safe to use. However, there is still a need for more research studies. For instance, it’s not known what dosage could make CBD unsafe. This is because the FDA hasn’t approved the use of CBD products. It’s still treated as a supplement. Hence you have to find the dosage that works for you.
Side Effects
CBD is a cannabis compound with a good safety profile. But this doesn’t completely eliminate the possibility of users experiencing unwanted side effects. Though the side effects of using a CBD cream product are quite a few, some of them include:
- Increased skin sensitivity
- Skin redness
- Skin irritation
- Rash or an allergic skin reaction
To minimize the possibility of these side effects, ensure that you talk to a dermatologist before using CBD cream for arthritis pain. It should be noted that you should discontinue use immediately in case of an unusual reaction. In case the reaction is severe, then seek immediate medical attention.
How to Find the Right CBD Arthritis Cream for You
There are many well-established brands that sell CBD cream for arthritis pain. As many more CBD brands are popping up regularly here and there, this can make the product selection process quite challenging. However, there are certain factors that you can consider in particular when choosing the best cream for arthritis pain. Below is an overview of the most effective criteria:
- Type of ingredients: It’s generally important to choose a high-quality CBD product that’s safe. Consider the type of ingredients highlighted on the product label. Go for CBD cream for arthritis pain with ingredients that are free from heavy metals, pesticides, and mold.
- 3rd-party lab tests: The best CBD products have undergone independent 3rd-party lab tests. This is important in checking the presence of contaminants. Besides that, the laboratory needs to be ISO 17025-compliant.
- Certificate of Analysis (COA): This certificate is important in offering transparency. COA is a receipt that has the details of the 3rd-party lab results.
- Dosage: A high-quality product from a reputable brand should have the CBD cream’s dosage clearly stated on the label. Each product should be clearly labeled to avoid confusion.
Conclusion
The popularity of CBD has grown over the past few years. It’s an effective source of alternative medicine, and that’s why it’s used to treat arthritis. CBD cream has anti-inflammatory properties; hence it can help ease arthritic pain. Besides that, CBD creams are used externally; hence they are effective in providing a localized effect. You need to specifically apply the cream to the affected region for optimal results.
However, it’s important to choose a high-quality product for a high level of effectiveness. Organic, lab-tested products with certificates of analysis are certainly great options. Just make sure that you use your CBD cream in moderation to avoid unwanted effects.
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