Recent research has shown medicinal marijuana can be an effective alternative arthritis treatment. For example, in a 2005 article published in the Journal of Neuroimmunology, researchers J. Ludovic and Takashi Yamamura explained cannabinoids might be a consideration for patients for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, such as arthritis. Additionally, Ethan Russo, MD, senior medical adviser at the Cannabinoid Research Institute, explained the following in his 2005 “Arthritis and Medical Marijuana” brochure:
“Science has now revealed that the THC [tetrahydrocannabinol] element of cannabis is an effective pain-killing (analgesic) agent, and CBD (cannabidiol) has particularly immunomodulatory advantages as an antagonist of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, which supports benefits in the rheumatoid arthritis treatment.”
Medical marijuana is a natural alternative to traditional medicines used to treat arthritis, which also lacks the side effects found in conventional drugs. Increasingly, many patients who are afflicted with arthritis have instead opted to use medical marijuana to relieve their symptoms. These patients have experienced excellent results, including less pain, reduced use of other medications and improved movement, through their use of medical weed.
A 2009 study in the Journal of Opioid Management discovered 80 percent of medical cannabis users in an American pain clinic used cannabis to treat muscle and tissue pain.Marijuana is useful for joint pain and inflammation.