How CBD Can Be Beneficial for Treating Rheumatism

Rheumatism is also known as musculoskeletal disease. CBD can treat rheumatism by relieving pain and inflammation caused by rheumatism. Read on to learn more about rheumatism and how CBD treats rheumatism.

Rheumatism, or rheumatic disorders or diseases, includes diseases that affect the joints, bones, muscles, and ligaments. They are also referred to as musculoskeletal diseases. The symptoms of rheumatic disorders include joint pain and inflammation. CBD has been used to manage pain and inflammation for ages, and its popularity has grown with the passing of the US Farm Bill (2018). This legislation removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, where it was categorized alongside other harmful drugs such as cocaine and heroin. Therefore, manufacturers widely produced CBD products such as gummies, capsules, topicals, and tinctures. Topical products effectively relieve muscle and joint pain as they are absorbed into the skin and interact with the endocannabinoids that transmit anti-inflammatory impulses.

Understanding CBD

CBD, or cannabidiol, is a chemical component found in marijuana and hemp. It co-exists with THC alongside hundreds of other cannabinoids, such as cannabigerol (CBG) and cannabichromene (CBN). Marijuana and hemp are different, even though they are both cannabis plants. The presence of THC determines the difference between hemp and marijuana. THC is the chemical component that gives cannabis psychoactive properties. Marijuana has plenty of THC, which can be as much as 90%, while hemp has only 0.3% THC. Most nations allow the use of hemp for as long as the THC content remains below 0.3%. On the other hand, countries that prohibit marijuana do so because of the higher THC levels. Therefore, hemp-derived CBD is more common than marijuana-derived CBD and is popular for relieving pain and inflammation in the joints, nerves, and muscles.

Can CBD Be Beneficial for Treating Rheumatism?

When a rheumatic patient seeks medical intervention, the concern goes beyond the disease. The main symptoms of rheumatism are muscle and joint pains, which may cause sleeplessness and anxiety. Boehnke (2022) stated that CBD has the potential to treat the symptoms, even though its effectiveness has not been proven scientifically. Some of the rheumatic diseases are arthritis and fibromyalgia. Chayasirisobhon (2021)  highlighted that cannabis effectively alleviates rheumatic disorders and skin inflammation. Gruber et al. (2021) opined that CBD might also be a mood enhancer and reduce anxiety caused by rheumatism.

How Does CBD Work to Treat Rheumatism?

According to Di Marzo et al. (2015), CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system in the brain. The endocannabinoid system comprises neurotransmitters, receptors, and enzymes that are key in various body functions, such as emotional response and pain control. Therefore, CBD binds with endocannabinoid receptors, such as CB2 receptors located in the immune system. This interaction leads to the transmission of impulses that alleviate inflammation and pain in the muscles and joints. Therefore, the reduction of inflammation helps in inhibiting the progression of rheumatism.

Factors to Consider When Buying CBD to Treat Rheumatism

The Types of CBD

CBD and CBD products are grouped into three main groups known as spectrums. When buying CBD, the user needs to consider the type of CBD that they desire because the spectrums determine the effectiveness of CBD. The following are the three main types of CBD;

Full spectrum CBD

The full spectrum CBD is considered the most effective CBD spectrum. It has various chemical components in cannabis, including THC, terpenes, and flavonoids. The user enjoys the entourage effect, meaning that the other chemical compounds work synergically to enhance CBD's therapeutic effects. Additionally, THC adds to its potency due to THC's stronger therapeutic effects on the endocannabinoid system. However, the THC content is usually at 0.3% to prevent any psychoactive effects.

CBD Broad spectrum

The CBD broad spectrum has multiple cannabis compounds, but the difference between CBD full spectrum and CBD broad spectrum is that the latter has everything that CBD full spectrum has except THC. The user gets to enjoy the entourage effect but not as much as they would if they used the CBD full spectrum.

CBD Isolate

As the name symbolizes, CBD isolate has only one cannabis component, cannabidiol. It, therefore, does not have an entourage effect on the user and is mostly recommended for first-time users of CBD because it is milder than the other spectrums. 

Your Health Status

The CBD market is flooded. The downside to having many CBD products is that counterfeit products have harmful ingredients and additives. Before buying CBD, the user must consult a doctor for the following reasons;

• The doctor may check your health status for any underlying issues that may worsen with CBD use.
• The doctor will check if the medication you are using may cause an interaction if used with CBD.
• The doctor may also check the CBD product's ingredients and additives to confirm that they cannot harm the user.
• Sometimes knowing where to buy CBD may be a challenge to the user, and the doctor may recommend the best places.

Laboratory Testing by a Third-Party

A thorough independent third-party laboratory test guarantees the product's safety and authenticity. The fact that the manufacturer would allow the third party to conduct tests on the CBD product has hints of transparency.

The Certificate of Analysis (COA)

The COA is available on the manufacturer's website or at the user's request. It indicates the contents of the CBD product. If the manufacturer is reluctant to avail the COA, it may be best to avoid the product because it may have harmful ingredients or additives.

Where to Buy CBD

The availability of CBD depends on the legality of CBD in your state. If it is legal, you may purchase it without a doctor's prescription in brick-and-mortar stores, and pharmacies, sometimes without a doctor's prescription. You may also find it online. It is best to find out the legality of CBD in your jurisdiction because, in some jurisdictions, it may be illegal and draw harsh penalties.

The Side Effects of CBD

CBD is considered a harmless drug if used properly. It is worth noting that CBD is popular because it does not have psychoactive properties, and the user will not experience addiction or withdrawal symptoms from it. However, like any other drug, the user is likely to experience side effects if the CBD is used improperly, e.g., through overdosing. Kominek (2021) stated that some of the side effects that you may experience from CBD use are liver toxicity, diarrhea, dry mouth, and drowsiness.

Conclusion

CBD use has been around for decades but has gained more popularity recently since hemp legalization in the US influenced how other jurisdictions view CBD. Most people use CBD recreationally, medicinally, and nutritionally. It has been anecdotally proven that CBD can relieve pain and inflammation and treat insomnia. However, when buying CBD, the user must visit the doctor so that they may give them the green light. CBD may be harmless because it cannot make the user feel euphoric and hence cannot cause dependency. However, CBD, like any other drug, can cause side effects if used improperly. Using CBD improperly includes overdosing and mixing it with other drugs and alcohol.

References

Boehnke, K. F., Häuser, W., & Fitzcharles, M. A. (2022). Cannabidiol (CBD) in Rheumatic Diseases (Musculoskeletal Pain). Current Rheumatology Reports, 1-9.

Chayasirisobhon, S. (2021). Mechanisms of action and pharmacokinetics of cannabis. The Permanente Journal, 25.

Di Marzo, V., & Piscitelli, F. (2015). The endocannabinoid system and its modulation by phytocannabinoids. Neurotherapeutics, 12(4), 692-698.

Gruber, S. A., Smith, R. T., Dahlgren, M. K., Lambros, A. M., & Sagar, K. A. (2021). No pain, all gain? Interim analyses from a longitudinal, observational study examining the impact of medical cannabis treatment on chronic pain and related symptoms. Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology, 29(2), 147.

Kominek, C., & Brooks, A (2021) See, Be, Deceived… or Relieved? Evaluating CBD for Pain Management.