Activating Cannabinoid Receptors Reduced Inflammation & Pain in Osteoarthritis Sufferers

According to Stats Canada “Osteoarthritis affects more than 10% of Canadians aged 15 or older It can result in disability and the need for joint replacement surgery The strong association between osteoarthritis and advancing age means that as the population of Canada ages, it is important to understand the prevalence and impact of the condition and strategies that individuals use to manage their symptoms. The time between symptom onset and physician diagnosis is a period when people with osteoarthritis can make lifestyle changes to reduce pain, improve function and delay disability.”

Osteoarthritis causes joints to become stiff and swollen which can be extremely painful and even though there are medications available to treat the symptoms,  the myriad of negative side effects from the drugs leaves many patients wondering if the the treatment isn’t worse than suffering through the disease….

Luckily there is hope for those looking for an alternative treatment (without negative side effects), as the results of one study demonstrated that “treating osteoarthritis by increasing CB2 receptors with the use of JWH-133 injections reduced chemicals responsible for causing inflammation in osteoarthritis, reduced excitatory nerves in the spine that are stimulated by inflammation, and increased the overall amount of CB2 receptor “message” (MRNA) and protein in nerve cells of the spine. 

In laymans terms…  activating the cannabinoid receptors, that are ‘markedly’ reduced in osteoarthritis patients, reduced inflammation, which in turn reduced pain and allowed a better quality of life for osteoarthritis patients. Also there is some indication that by increasing levels of the CB2 receptor “message” might greatly reduce the severity and rate of progression of the disease.

Article Sources

Stats Canada

PLOS.org

Good Morning USA