A brief summary of the condition, it’s causes,
common symptoms and treatment pathways
and how Medical Cannabis could help.
A brief summary of the condition, it’s causes,
common symptoms, treatment plans
and how Medical Cannabis can help.
Arthritis literally means ‘joint inflammation’. It can affect any joints but the main ones are hands, wrists, knees, hips and shoulders.
Arthritis causes pain and swelling of the joint, which in turn often causes reduced range of movement.
Arthritis can affect all ages, although mainly affects older people.
There are over 100 different types of Arthritis, but the main ones are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis.
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of Arthritis and is usually caused by wear and tear over time. It affects the protective tissue in the joints (cartilage), which erodes, leading to bone on bone friction and joint pain.
This is most common in weight-bearing joints such as knees and hips, but also commonly affects the small joints of the hands.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition (where the body mistakenly attacks healthy joint tissue), which in turn leads to joint inflammation and pain.
Psoriatic arthritis occurs in some people who have psoriasis, a skin condition causing red, scaly plaques. It involves joint inflammation mainly affecting the fingers, toes and spine.
There is no current cure for Arthritis, and treatments are based around improving pain and mobility, and preventing further joint damage.
Maintaining a healthy weight is important to alleviate pressure on bones and joints.
Gentle exercise, or more rigorous physiotherapy may be advised to strengthen surrounding muscles, and take the pressure off the affected joints.
Anti-inflammatory gels or oral medications may be advised, but these can have side effects such as stomach upset, so are often just prescribed in the short-term.
Opiate based pain killers (eg codeine / morphine) are also often used.
If these aren’t sufficient to relieve the pain, steroid injections into the affected joints may be considered.
Stronger medications called DMARDs are sometimes prescribed by specialists for pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis.
The two primary compounds in medical cannabis are the cannabinoids cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). These bind to CB1 and CB2 receptors in the body’s endocannabinoid system, and can help regulate pain, mood, appetite, and other functions.
THC is the psychoactive compound in medical cannabis and is effective in pain relief and muscle relaxation but can cause euphoria or altered mental states.
CBD is the non-psychoactive compound and often used for its anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety effects. CBD may be particularly beneficial for reducing inflammation-based pain, which is prevalent in Arthritis.
A combination of both THC / CBD can offer pain relief with minimized psychoactive effects, depending on the ratio.
Another benefit of medical cannabis is the relaxation and improved sleep effects it has, which are both affected with pain.
Chronic pain from Arthritis can lead to depression and anxiety. Cannabis, especially CBD, may help reduce anxiety and lift mood, improving overall quality of life for people dealing with persistent pain.
Similarly, many Arthritis patients struggle with sleep disturbances due to chronic pain. Medical cannabis, especially strains with higher THC content, may improve sleep quality, which in turn can aid pain management and overall wellness.
Suffering from a medical condition can be awful, the last thing you want to do is wait months for treatment.
Making sure you are seen and treated as soon as possible is one of our top priorities.
Start your journey to a better quality of life with CB1 Medical today.
Check if you're eligibleWe are proud of our care and the impact it has on the lives of our patients. We give you time
to talk about your pain and you will always be listened to with compassion and empathy.
4.8 overall rating on Google
May 2024
Where do I start?! I have to admit I was very nervous, considering I have tried numerous treatments for my fibromyalgia and EDS and had a medical prescription 3 pages long and really complex medical issues. I was in an awfully high level of pain, even with all that.
Every single staff member from reception, nurses, pharmacy and my lovely Dr Vanessa Hutchinson have been consistently friendly, professional, helpful and incredibly fast in progressing me from initial online enquiry to receiving my prescription (just under 2 weeks and we had the Easter 4 day break in-between!).
In this very short time, my pain levels have reduced significantly (as have my other medications!). I cannot recommend this clinic enough. Thanks CB1 MEDICAL 🙂
March 2024
Staff really nice, and keep in touch to monitor my progress and any questions I may have. I feel very comfortable talking about my situation as no judgement or negative feedback. I feel like my life, health and symptoms are being taken seriously but with care.
Follow up appointment over the telephone was relaxed, no rushing, he answered all the questions about my medication and progress without prejudice, sarcasm and was so easy and a breath of fresh air. I can say that if you are thinking of treatment and support like nowhere else then you will be in very caring and professional hands that really do make you feel that you are important and heard with respect and understanding. 5 stars are not enough.
October 2024
My life has been transformed since starting medical cannabis with CB1 Medical.
Dr Richard Pertwee was friendly and so knowledgeable. The relief I’ve experienced has been nothing short of miraculous. The quality of life I now have is something I never thought possible, started to smell the roses eg I’m incredibly grateful to you all.
Highly recommend it to anyone who is struggling or has ineffective medication.
April 2024
I know when you pay for an appointment, you expect a different service, but honestly, this is beyond what I expected. The appointments were scheduled quickly, and happened within days, mostly late evenings to fit around my work. The doctors listen and I didn’t feel like I was being judged as just a junkie after pain meds. That’s how I feel in an NHS appointment.
The meds were delivered quickly and I got to using them right away. In the last 11 days, I’ve used painkillers once, and only paracetamol. This is down from multiple painkillers multiple times every single day. And I sleep so much better as well.
