Medical Cannabis and Arthritis

Arthritis is a condition that causes swelling, pain and stiffness in one or more joints of the body. There are several different types of Arthritis, and it can occur in all ages, but some types of arthritis occur more commonly in older people.

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A Versus Arthritis UK report in 2023 estimated that 10 million people in the UK have Osteoarthritis and a further 450,000 people have Rheumatoid Arthritis. This page will discuss arthritis in adults only. Click here for information on arthritis in children.

There are two main types of arthritis – Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis, but there are some other less common types too.

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Osteoarthritis is the most common type and tends to occur in people from their 40’s onwards. Osteoarthritis affects the cartilage (a strong connective tissue that protects joints) by making it less smooth. This can make moving the joints more painful. As this cartilage becomes rougher, the joint can become swollen and bony spurs form (osteophytes). The joint can become more damaged and painful over time.

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Rheumatoid arthritis is less common and tends to occur between the ages of 30-50. Rheumatoid arthritis means that the body’s own immune system targets the joints causing inflammation. This inflammation can make the joint painful and difficult to move and can change the shape of the joint. Sometimes this causes the bones and cartilage to break down. Sometimes patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis have complications with other organs in the body.

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There are other more rare forms of arthritis such as Psoriatic Arthritis which refers to joint inflammation that can occur in people with psoriasis. Reactive arthritis can develop as a reaction to an infection in the intenstines or throat too, and some people may develop a secondary arthritis as a result of an injury to a joint. There are some other similar conditions too, such as Cervical Spondylosis.

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Arthritis must be diagnosed by a doctor and you should always seek medical opinion if you think you have symptoms.

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At the moment there is no cure for arthritis but treatments such as medicines, exercise, physiotherapy and surgery can help to manage symptoms. There are some really good support networks for patients with arthritis in the UK.

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Whilst research into medical cannabis and arthritis is limited, there has been an increase in the number of patients looking to medical cannabis when some of the interventions above have not been successful in managing their condition. It is important that this is done via specialist clinicians and only on prescription with the right care in place. 

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If you would like to discuss medical cannabis and arthritis you can contact us here or self refer here.