Can Marijuana Relieve Arthritis?

Can marijuana relieve arthritis? The evidence is weak so far: in a 2022 trial, CBD did no better than placebo for people with hand or psoriatic arthritis. Arthritis is very common. CDC says arthritis affects 53.2 million U.S. adults, about 1 in 5. Many ask about cannabis for arthritis and medical marijuana for rheumatoid arthritis, but trials so far are few and small.

Knowing what to take for arthritis and the pain it causes can be confusing. Standard arthritis medicines can have side effects, which is one reason people ask about cannabis. In Florida, arthritis is not a listed condition, so a qualified physician must find it of the same kind or class as, or comparable to, one of the listed conditions other than a terminal condition or chronic nonmalignant pain before certifying it. Below, we look at what research says about marijuana for arthritis.

What is Arthritis?

Arthritis is an inflammation of the joints that can cause pain. Sometimes this pain can be crippling. It comes in many different forms and is particularly common in people over the age of 65. Over time, arthritis can develop in ageing joints.

Causes and Forms of Arthritis

There are different types. Osteoarthritis risk rises with age, joint injury, extra body weight and some inherited cartilage defects, NIAMS says.

RA or rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease: the immune system attacks the lining of the joints, causing pain, swelling, stiffness and loss of function. Over time this can damage the tissue that covers the ends of the bones in a joint.

Traumatic arthropathy is joint damage that follows an injury, and NIAMS lists joint injury as a risk factor for later osteoarthritis.

Arthritis can leave joints stiff and painful, and some forms can cause lasting joint damage if not treated. Some people ask about medical marijuana for rheumatoid arthritis when deciding what to take for arthritis.

Arthritis Treatment Methods

Several standard treatments are used for arthritis, and each has its own trade-offs. Some mainly calm inflammation and others mainly ease pain, and their side effects can be a lot to deal with.

Pain relievers such as acetaminophen and anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen are common choices. Follow the label: NSAIDs can cause stomach bleeding, and those other than aspirin can raise heart attack and stroke risk.

Some creams can be used to stop pain signals from the joints in question and prevent the brain from processing the pain in the same way. Also, cortisone or other immunosuppressants may be used. These can also assist with inflammatory issues.

Cannabis products come as flower, edibles, oils and topical gels, but evidence for arthritis pain is thin: in a 2022 randomized trial of 136 people with hand osteoarthritis or psoriatic arthritis, CBD did no better than placebo.

There are a lot of different methods and techniques for treating pain. Unfortunately, the root cause of the pain often can’t be fixed, but the pain itself can be managed with a combination of drugs. Speak to your doctor about which options fit your type of arthritis and your other medicines.

Can Cannabis Help Arthritis? What Trials Show

Cannabis for arthritis is a common question, but the evidence is limited. A 2022 trial of CBD and a 2006 trial of a THC and CBD mouth spray do not show that either treats the root causes of arthritis, and relief in studies has been small or absent.

In a 2006 randomized trial of 58 people with rheumatoid arthritis, a THC and CBD mouth spray eased pain slightly more than placebo over 5 weeks. The trials we found do not show that cannabis works better, or with fewer side effects, than standard arthritis drugs.

Rules differ by state. In Florida, only a qualified physician, an MD or DO who has completed the state’s required course, can certify a patient.

Rheumatoid Arthritis: What People Ask About

Questions people ask about cannabis for rheumatoid arthritis and other types of arthritis include:

Pain relief

Pain is one of the main reasons people look at medical marijuana. NIH describes the benefit for chronic pain as small, possibly too small to matter to many patients.

Inflammation

Joint inflammation findings are mixed. In the 2006 rheumatoid arthritis trial the spray modestly lowered a disease activity score but did not change morning stiffness, and the 2022 CBD trial showed no pain benefit.

Sleep

One of the most crippling aspects of having arthritis is the fact it can prevent you from sleeping. A lot of sufferers of traumatic arthropathy or other forms of arthritis such as RA and OA also have trouble getting to sleep because of the pain, and because it is hard to get comfortable. Some people say it helps them sleep, though NIH says that may come from less pain.

Nobody should tell you cannabis is a cure: it does not take arthritis away. Some people say it helps, but in trials side effects were more common on cannabinoids than on placebo.

If you’re weighing cannabis for arthritis in Florida, start with a qualified physician. Our medical marijuana doctors in Sarasota can evaluate whether your arthritis meets Florida’s test: a condition of the same kind or class as, or comparable to, one of the listed conditions other than a terminal condition or chronic nonmalignant pain. Keep your rheumatologist or primary doctor involved, since CBD can change how other medicines work and cannabis does not replace arthritis treatment.