Joint pain and joint discomfort are the leading causes of declining health in the United States. It’s such a common challenge that over 54.5 million adults in the US deal with it. Of these 54.5 million adults, 23.7 million of them cannot perform their daily tasks because of their joint pain severity.
Anyone can develop joint pain, but the risks increase with age. Luckily, there are many treatments to help relieve discomfort from joint pain and soothe tension in the joints! CBD is a natural remedy that can ease joint pain and joint discomfort. While CBD dates back to ancient medicine, it has been increasing in popularity in recent decades due to its benefits for pain relief.
This article explores how CBD interacts with our bodies to soothe joint pain and joint discomfort and uses various CBD types to support overall wellness!
Joint Pain and Discomfort
Joint pain is a general term describing different kinds of joint discomfort, but over 100 types of joint pain. It is characterized by discomfort and swelling in the joints. Joint pain can also lead to stiffness and decreased range of motion.
Anyone can have joint pain. Even children can suffer from it. But certain factors increase the risk of developing joint pain.
Here are some of the risk factors associated with joint pain:
- Genetics: if you have a family history of joint pain or a certain type of joint pain runs in your family, you’re more likely to contract the same type. This only concerns your immediate family, so if your siblings or parents have the disorder, your DNA may be more susceptible to contracting it too.
- Age: the risk for developing joint pain also increases with age. The most common types of joint pain common in older adults are gout, osteojoint pain, and rheumatoid joint pain.
- Gender: Women are more susceptible to developing joint pain due to the hormone estrogen and how it fluctuates throughout life.
- Joint injuries: If you have a previous joint injury from playing sports, you may be more likely to develop joint pain as well.
- Obesity: Joint discomfort has various causes, but one cause is the amount of weight and stress we put on our joints during the day. Obesity increases the amount of weight and stress on bones and joints, which increases the risk of developing joint pain.
Rheumatoid joint pain
There are two main types of joint pain: rheumatoid joint pain and osteojoint pain. Rheumatoid joint pain occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the synovial membrane. This membrane lines the joints and protects them from friction, wear, and tear and rubbing uncomfortably against our bones.
When the immune system attacks the synovial membrane, which lines our joints, they are left defenseless against friction and can experience swelling, tension, and intense discomfort. After too much breakdown, the joint can even experience cartilage breakdown and loss of bone which increases pain and discomfort.
Osteojoint pain
Osteojoint pain is the second most common type of joint pain and is characterized by general wear and tear on joints during use. This form of joint pain worsens over time as we use our joints more. Similar to the synovial membrane, the cartilage of our joints acts as a cushion for the ends of our bones to protect them from rubbing against other bones.
Over time, however, the cartilage can break down, causing intense tension, discomfort with movement, and significant irritation around the joint. This can also lead to further deterioration of bones and tissues that attach our bones to our muscles.
What is CBD?
If you are dealing with joint pain, it’s essential to visit your general care physician to get an accurate diagnosis and discuss treatment options for managing joint pain and its symptoms. As modern medicine advances, CBD is rising to the top of the natural remedies for soothing joint tension and discomfort from joint pain. If you’re new to CBD and how it works, below is a brief guide!
CBD for Joint Pain
According to Doctors and CBD experts, cannabinoids play a vital role in inhibiting and promoting neurotransmitters to regulate tension in the body. In other words, by targeting brain chemicals and moderating tension, CBD works to alleviate discomfort from joint pain and promote relief.
The mechanics of how CBD works in the body are complex, but it’s important to understand these mechanics to understand the tension-relieving properties of CBD.
How Does CBD Work?
CBD targets two critical areas when it comes to pain. It targets the site of pain to alleviate and soothe, and it targets pain signals sent to the central nervous system. CBD works so effectively due to its support of our endocannabinoid system. The endocannabinoid system, CBD receptors, and enzymes in our bodies are responsible for using CBD and helping it work in the body.
The endocannabinoid system is naturally found in the body, even if you don’t use CBD. Our bodies produce natural endocannabinoids to regulate bodily processes such as sleep, metabolism, stress, pain, and more. When our bodies are out of homeostasis, these endocannabinoids bind to cannabinoid receptors, where enzymes break them down and allow them to help certain functions.
Tips for Choosing What CBD to Use
When considering which products to use to soothe joint pain, there are a few factors to consider and look out for. Below are some guidelines to help you choose the best CBD for you.
CBD Quality
When it comes to choosing CBD, quality is everything. It can be challenging to navigate labels and quality claims on CBD products, but here are some important labels to look for.
Lab testing is an important part of the hemp-making process. This testing ensures the hemp is pure, of high quality, and is suitable for use. Look for hemp products that come with a Certificate of Analysis, or COA, to provide accurate testing details.
Hemp products that are made overseas may be more inexpensive, but these products tend to lack the quality of hemp grown in the United States. Look for 100% organic hemp plants grown somewhere locally or in the United States for the best quality hemp.
Finding high-quality hemp products can be a challenge, but there are many tools and resources to help you find the best products for you. Below are some of the various ways to apply and use CBD for relief.
Types of CBD
CBD products come in many shapes and sizes. Some types of CBD you can ingest, and other types are for topical application such as lotions or creams. Each type may help soothe joint pain.
CBD Gummies
CBD gummies contain CBD extracted from the cannabis sativa plant. These are a popular form of using CBD as it tastes great and works fairly quickly! Simply chew CBD gummies, swallow, and let CBD work from the inside to promote relief from joint pain and discomfort.
CBD Oil or Tincture
Another popular form of ingesting CBD orally is with CBD tinctures and oil extracts. Tinctures are made with distilled alcohol and have a longer shelf life than CBD oil, but both are effective forms of pain relief. The body easily and quickly absorbs tincture drops. To use a tincture, place 1 ml under the tongue up to two times per day. This allows the tincture to absorb into your bloodstream quickly. CBD oil works similarly, but it does not contain distilled alcohol.
Topical CBD
Topical CBD comes in lotions, salves, roll-on applicators, and more. These products work from the outside to target the site of pain and soothe swelling and pain there. Topical CBD provides long-lasting relief that nourishes the skin and soothes irritation. Our Hemp extract relief salve contains eucalyptus and lavender essential oils for added therapeutic benefits. Simply massage a small amount of salve onto the affected area, reapply as needed, and experience the soothing relief of hemp.
Summary
Living with joint pain can not only be painful but can make it difficult to perform everyday tasks. Muscles and joints can become stiff and decrease the overall range of motion. Whether you have joint pain, know someone with joint pain, or have an increased risk of developing it, it’s important to know the basics of joint pain and what treatment and management options you have!
CBD has a variety of benefits. It is an affordable, convenient agent that may soothe joint pain and promote an increased range of motion in muscles and joints! Learn more about what CBD products are available for you
Sources:
Joint Pain Symptoms | Mayo Clinic.
The Endocannabinoid System, Our Universal Regulator | Journal of Young Investigators
CBD For Joint Pain | Jointpain.org
