Do you suffer from rheumatism and want to get rid of this terrible pain? You are hearing more and more positive stories about CBD. Can CBD oil help with or against rheumatism?
In the following blog article, we will delve deeper into the question: does CBD oil help with rheumatism? We will look at what CBD oil is, where it comes from, and how it can help you with your symptoms.
What is rheumatism?
Rheumatism occurs in multiple forms and can affect your life. Rheumatism is a collective term for more than one hundred different conditions. These conditions can affect your muscles, joints, and tendons.
If you have rheumatism, your body's immune system is disrupted, causing chronic inflammation. Rheumatism usually causes pain and stiffness in joints or muscles.
Rheumatism is recognizable by stiffness and pain in muscles and joints. This can make it harder to move and difficult to perform your daily activities. If you suffer from rheumatism, you may also feel lethargic and tired. Rheumatic symptoms tend to worsen or improve throughout the day.
About 2 million people in the Netherlands have a form of rheumatism (source). Rheumatism can occur at any age and is not only found in the elderly. Approximately 61% of people with rheumatism are younger than 61 years old.
Common forms of rheumatism include:
- Osteoarthritis
- Psoriatic arthritis
- Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (juvenile rheumatism)
- Sjögren's syndrome
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Ankylosing spondylitis (Bechterew's disease)
Much research is being done on rheumatism, but the exact cause is not known. It is thought that smoking and overweight may have an influence. In some forms of rheumatism, heredity plays a role. Rheumatism then occurs more often in families.
To determine if you have rheumatism, a blood test is often performed. If it is confirmed that you have rheumatism, you are often referred to a physiotherapist.
Painkillers such as paracetamol or anti-inflammatory painkillers like ibuprofen are often recommended. Are there other products you can take for rheumatism? And how can CBD help if you suffer from rheumatic complaints?
What is CBD?
CBD, which stands for cannabidiol, is a substance from the cannabis plant. CBD oil is often compared to cannabis oil but is not the same. Cannabis oil contains a large amount of THC, while CBD oil usually contains little or no THC.
The cannabis plants used to make CBD products are grown solely for producing CBD products. It is not possible to make cannabis oil or other cannabis products from them.
Besides CBD, the cannabis plant contains other cannabinoids and terpenes. Think of CBN, CBC, CBG, and many others. When CBD is made and not filtered, the CBD product contains all cannabinoids.
This is called Full Spectrum CBD. The CBD then also contains a small amount of THC, never more than 0.05%. Besides Full Spectrum CBD, there is also pure CBD, which consists of only CBD, and THC-free CBD.
These products contain no THC but do contain all other cannabinoids. In Full Spectrum CBD, the cannabinoids enhance each other's effects, creating the ‘entourage effect’.
How can CBD help with rheumatism?
Every body contains an endocannabinoid system. This natural system is often out of balance and can send incorrect pain signals. This system is out of balance because there are too few cannabinoids present to activate the receptors. The result is that you experience more pain than necessary.
The cannabis plant from which the CBD products of ProHemp are made contains all the important cannabinoids your body needs to regain balance. Your body naturally produces cannabinoids, but often not enough to keep the endocannabinoid system balanced.
By taking CBD oil, your body can recover, and you may experience fewer pain signals. Rheumatism often also causes inflammation in your muscles or joints. CBD oil can be anti-inflammatory. By using CBD oil, your rheumatic symptoms may decrease.
What CBD products are available to combat rheumatism?
If you want to use CBD for your rheumatic complaints, it is advisable to use a combination of CBD products. Depending on your complaint, you choose the right percentage. In the following example, we assume you have joint complaints that are bearable but more than mild.
In this case, you start with CBD oil 10%. You drop the CBD oil under your tongue. The oil is used internally. Additionally, you can use CBD massage oil to directly target your sensitive area.
If you have rheumatism in your fingers, you massage your fingers with the CBD massage oil. Leave the oil on for 10 minutes. The massage oil penetrates your skin directly to your muscles or joints.
Ordering CBD products
There are many providers selling CBD products. The quality can vary greatly. Some individuals make their own CBD oil. If you want to order CBD products, always check the provider. See if there are online reviews and if a test report is provided.
At ProHemp, you can order your CBD products online. Your order is shipped the same day and delivered the next working day. All products are tested in a laboratory and come with a test report.
If you have questions about CBD or about CBD in combination with rheumatism, you can always contact us personally. If you use medication and want to start using CBD, we advise you to first consult your general practitioner.