Arthritis is a prevalent medical condition experienced by roughly 350 million people worldwide, making it one of the most common ailments in the world. The disease affects both genders, although women are more susceptible to developing it. Although arthritis can affect individuals of any age, older individuals are more commonly diagnosed with the ailment. It’s vital to know that the condition can lead to disability, with arthritis being the most common chronic disease in North America that results in a handicap.

Studies have shown that the cannabis plant can potentially help treat arthritis, with researchers in Australia recently releasing a study showing that CBD can significantly benefit patients suffering from the condition.

Sydney, Australia: Observational trial data published in the British Journal of Pain reveals that patients suffering from arthritis report decreased pain and improved health-related quality of life following the use of cannabis products containing significant percentages of CBD.

Researchers evaluated the effectiveness and safety of various plant-derived cannabis products in a group of chronic pain patients, with roughly a third of the individuals having arthritis. Under strict Australian laws, medical cannabis products can only be prescribed to patients who have shown resistance to standard prescription treatments.

The study highlights that patients have experienced significant improvement in pain intensity and pain impact scores after using CBD in products containing only CBD. The study’s authors posited that the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD could potentially be the source of these findings.“

Most patients who experienced side effects from CBD use highlighted dry mouth, drowsiness, and fatigue as the most frequent complaints.

Furthermore, the Journal of Cannabis Research published survey data showing that arthritis patients experience symptom improvements and decrease their usage of prescription medications following the use of CBD.

In a clinical trial published in the Journal of Hand Surgery, a topical formula containing hemp-derived CBD demonstrated a notable improvement in thumb and basal joint arthritis patients.

The study’s authors concluded that medicinal cannabis, with balanced and CBD-only products, shows potential in increasing pain intensity, pain interference, social functioning, and pain impact scores.

Overall, CBD therapy has demonstrated positive results in arthritis treatment and could prove instrumental in finding a solution to one of the world’s most common ailments.

This article first appeared on Internationalcbc.com and is syndicated here with special permission.