Is it right for you? Where do you start?

By Rebecca Gillett, MS OTR/L, Live Yes! With Arthritis co-host and arthritis patient

Finding treatments to help alleviate the chronic pain of arthritis can be challenging, at best. It can be overwhelming to find treatments and medications to alleviate pain that don’t cause other issues. When you have lived with chronic pain for years, you know there is not a one-size-fits-all fix for the various aches and pains you experience.

So perhaps you have considered turning to medical cannabis products containing CBD (cannabidiol) and/or THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the chemical that produces a “high”) to treat your arthritis symptoms. If you decide to go down that path, you will arrive at a buffet of products and treatments, depending on your state’s laws, that can be beyond confusing. Where and how do you start? What’s the best type of product to use for your particular needs?

完全披露:我从来没有吸入过，所以我不是这方面的权威。我确实住在科罗拉多州，所以产品很容易买到，似乎在我去的任何地方都会出现。在过去的几年里，我尝试了各种各样的CBD产品来帮助缓解颈部和背部疼痛，有些产品含有少量的THC，有些只含有CBD。我还尝试食用CBD，希望它有助于睡眠。我的个人经验是，一些外用CBD产品有助于减轻我的关节疼痛，但幅度很小。食物不适合我的消化系统，所以不适合我。

All of this, of course, after discussions with my rheumatologist. We talked about whether using CBD would be a good idea as a bridge between my infusion treatments or to address sleep issues. I am fortunate to have an amazing rheumatologist who is all about shared decision-making and open communication. The fact that I can have a conversation with her about alternative treatments is important, and I know not all patients have this experience with their doctors. You are the expert of your own body, so finding a doctor who is willing to listen to your thoughts and concerns is so important.

On this episode of theLive Yes! With Arthritis Podcast, “Medical Cannabis & Arthritis,” Kevin Boehnke, PhD, University of Michigan School of Medicine, again joins my co-host Julie and me to talk about medical cannabis – also known as medical marijuana – and why the science community has shifted from this nomenclature. He will discuss research on the use of medical cannabis for arthritis and provide some guiding principles for you if you’re considering trying it for your arthritis symptoms.Tune in today.

Be sure to check out the Arthritis Foundation’sCBD Guidance for Adults With Arthritisfor information, and use this as a starting point for a conversation with your doctor.