ARTHRITIS
What is Arthritis ?
Arthritis(AR) is a inflammatory condition that can involve one or more joints and can affect people of any age, including children (juvenile arthritis). There are several forms of arthritis, but the most common are: osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis.
Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative alteration of the cartilage, which in the initial phase is asymptomatic because the pain appears only when the lesion affects the tissues surrounding the cartilage, being the latter devoid of innervation.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a pathology defined by an inflammation of the skin and joints and is of autoimmune origin. It mainly affects the symmetrically, but can involve many organs of the body, such as , lung and . Rheumatoid arthritis is two to three times more common in women than men and generally appears between the ages of 40 and 60.
Psoriatic arthritis, as its name suggests, affects about 30% of people with psoriasis, an inflammatory skin disease. This form of arthritis can affect any joint in the body and usually manifests with localized symptoms, such as , swelling and muscle stiffness .
Causes of Arthritis
The causes of arthritic pain depend on the form of arthritis; they can be traumatic, metabolic, infectious, autoimmune, and idiopathic in origin. However, potential triggers include:
- Injuries
- Abnormal metabolism
- Heredity
- Infections
- Immune System Dysfunction
- Stress
- Fatigue
- Abdominal pain
- Smoking
Nutrition certainly plays an important role in the management of arthritis, although it is not known that specific foods, food sensitivities, or food intolerances can cause the disease. Foods that increase inflammation, particularly foods of animal origin and diets high in refined sugar, can worsen symptoms..
Some risk factors have been associated with arthritis and these include:
- Age (the risk of developing most forms of arthritis increases with age);
- Gender (most types of arthritis are more common in women and 60% of all people with arthritis are women);
- Genetic factors (specific genes are associated with an increased risk of certain types of arthritis);
- Overweight and obesity (excess weight may contribute to both the onset and progression of knee osteoarthritis);
- Employment (certain jobs that involve repeated bending of the knee are associated with knee osteoarthritis).
Symptoms
Symptoms of arthritis vary widely depending on the type and may develop gradually or improvisedly. Because arthritis is very often a chronic disease, symptoms may come and go or persist over time. However, there are key signs that urge the patient to see a doctor:
- Pain: arthritis pain may or may not be constant, may affect one part or several parts of the body;
- Bloating: In some types of arthritis, the skin over the affected joint becomes red and swollen and feels warm to the touch;
- Swelling: This is a typical symptom that is more likely to occur in the morning when you wake up or after sitting for a long time. With some forms of AR, stiffness may occur after exercise or may be persistent;
- Hard to move a joint: moving a joint or getting up from a chair is difficult and/or painful.
Cure: how can CBD help?
Currently, there is no general cure for the different forms of the disease. Treatment for AR aims to control pain,minimize joint damage, and improve or maintain function and quality of life.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), for example, help relieve pain and inflammation but sare associated with some side effects, such as hematemesis (vomiting with blood), infarctions, and stroke. Paracetamol, on the other hand, used to lower fever and relieve arthritic pain, can trigger hepatic and renal problems. Steroids can reduce infection, but increase the risk of infection and cataracts, while anti-rheumatic drugs slow joint damage, but can cause serious infections.
Thanks to some studies, it has been proven that CBD plays a role in modulating the immune system, which means it can help in the treatment of autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.
In addition, the strong anti-inflammatory properties of CBD
Interaction and inhibition of certain receptors, make CBD a potential form of treatment for these conditions.
In 2006, a study was conducted in which doctors administered CBD oil to rheumatoid arthritis patients for 5 weeks. At the end of the study, experts noted a significant alleviation of pain and inflammation.
In 2013, a study was published in the journal Rheumatology, which had discovered the binding of CBD and THC to CB2 receptors. The study pointed out that by binding directly to the endocannabinoid system, cannabis affected the body’s self-repair system. CBD in particular was found to stimulate bone tissue regeneration and protect the skeletal system.
In a study conducted by Dr. Yankel Gabet and cited in the Journal of Bone Health, CBD was shown to promote advanced bone healing by stimulating and accelerating the development of collagen matrix, which provides the basis of new bone tissue. According to Dr. Gabet, treatment with cannabidiol allows bones to heal faster and even be more resistant to breakage.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the recommended daily dose for chronic pain is 3 to 30 mg of CBD, for at least 25 days. CBDA-rich raw hemp extracts are also recommended (1 to 6 daily doses). It is recommended that you consult your physician before proceeding with intake.