CBD for Joint Pain in Adults

Written By Darnell Burns

Joint pain is a prevalent malady amongst adult, especially as they get older. Though there are several medical interventions that are offered to cope with this type of pain – including drugs and surgery – these options are limited in their effectiveness, are associated with risks and side effects, and can be costly. 

Recent research has pointed to the potential for CBD to help overcome some of these weaknesses observed in conventional joint pain management strategies. While this area of research is still new, there is some evidence that products containing CBD may help to reduce pain and to manage chronic pain. Topical CBD products, for instance, have been shown to inhibit pain in people with osteoarthritis.

How might CBD achieve pain reduction in people suffering from arthritis and joint pain?

The endocannabinoid system is well-known for regulating inflammation and pain, and CBD acts on the receptors of this system – called cannabinoid receptors – which are located throughout the body. 

  • CBD may combat problematic inflammation

CBD is an antioxidant with beneficial anti-inflammatory properties,  and one way CBD is likely to alleviate joint pain is by  reducing inflammation. Indeed, inflammation is often a cause of joint pain and occurs when the immune system is overly active. Its ability to reduce inflammation, by halting certain immune responses, may enable CBD to protect nerves and thereby prevent pain. 

  • CBD may inhibit pain pathway signaling

Another way CBD appears capable of minimizing pain is by affecting the interaction between certain stimuli and pain receptors in the nervous system. Data suggest that this action of CBD changes people’s perception of pain such that the pain receptors are less sensitive , resulting in reduced joint pain. Joint pain has specifically been shown to be influenced by the interaction of  CB2 receptors and nearby TRPV1 channels. These types of observations not only support the potential value of CBD for joint pain but also help demonstrate how CBD may confer such benefits.

Interestingly, joint pain is the most common condition for which medical cannabis is requested. However, many people do not want to deal with the psychoactive features of cannabis that come from the substance’s THC. CBD, which is not psychoactive, may provide a unique opportunity for these people to achieve the pain benefits associated with cannabis without experiencing mind effects.

Takeaway

Research, including preclinical and clinical work, has started to show that CBD can prevent joint pain. However, more research is needed before we can understand exactly if and how CBD can relieve joint pain in adult patients. 

References

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  3. Philpott HT, O’Brien M, McDougall JJ. Attenuation of early phase inflammation by cannabidiol prevents pain and nerve damage in rat osteoarthritis. Pain. 2017;158(12):2442-2451. doi:10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001052

  4. Russo EB. Cannabinoids in the management of difficult to treat pain. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2008;4(1):245-259. doi:10.2147/tcrm.s1928

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  6. Bruni N, Della Pepa C, Oliaro-Bosso S, Pessione E, Gastaldi D, Dosio F. Cannabinoid Delivery Systems for Pain and Inflammation Treatment. Molecules. 2018;23(10). doi:10.3390/molecules23102478

  7. Malfait AM, Gallily R, Sumariwalla PF, et al. The nonpsychoactive cannabis constituent cannabidiol is an oral anti-arthritic therapeutic in murine collagen-induced arthritis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2000;97(17):9561-9566. doi:10.1073/pnas.160105897

  8. Schuelert N, McDougall JJ. The abnormal cannabidiol analogue O-1602 reduces nociception in a rat model of acute arthritis via the putative cannabinoid receptor GPR55. Neurosci Lett. 2011;500(1):72-76. doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2011.06.004

  9. Schuelert N, McDougall JJ. Cannabinoid-mediated antinociception is enhanced in rat osteoarthritic knees. Arthritis Rheum. 2008;58(1):145-153. doi:10.1002/art.23156

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Darnell Burns
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