Imagine a life without daily chronic pain, with every step free of discomfort. For those with arthritis, this feels like a far-off dream. Each morning, stiffness and swelling slow us down. But there’s hope in medical cannabis…
Medical cannabis has been legal in the UK since 20181. Getting it on the NHS is hard for people in England because of strict rules2. It’s mainly available for epilepsy, chemo sickness, and muscle issues from multiple sclerosis2. So, can you get it for arthritis in the UK? It’s not simple. There is growing proof it can help with pain, but it’s not officially recommended for arthritis yet2.
Over 10 million in the UK deal with arthritis3. Some have tried CBD products, seeking a bit of relief. But, these are not the same as medical cannabis, which is carefully controlled for safety and effectiveness. It’s crucial to know that CBD and hemp oils, as food supplements, aren’t as promising as medical cannabis2.
Key Takeaways
- Medical cannabis was legalised in the UK in 2018 but getting a prescription is tough1.
- Only a few patients with special conditions can get medical cannabis2.
- More than 10 million people in the UK cope with arthritis and similar issues3.
- There’s some evidence that supports the use of medical cannabis for pain, but it’s not widespread2.
- Using medical cannabis for arthritis in the UK is promising yet faces tough regulations2.
Understanding Arthritis and Its Impact
Arthritis is the name for many joint diseases. It causes joint swelling, pain, and less movement. There are over 100 types. Each one can make life hard and limit how we move1.
What is Arthritis?
Arthritis makes joints inflamed. This can result in swelling, pain, and stiffness. These issues slow down our daily activities and life quality4.
Common Types of Arthritis
Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are quite common. Osteoarthritis happens as joints wear out over time. It can be very painful when moving1. Rheumatoid arthritis is when our immune system attacks joints. This causes swelling and damage1. Psoriatic arthritis, linked with psoriasis, also leads to swollen joints and can greatly affect how well we can move1.
Symptoms and Causes
The causes of arthritis are many. They include genes and how our body reacts to itself. Age, being male or female, being overweight, injuries, and repetitive movements can increase our chances of getting arthritis1. The symptoms are often swelling, pain, and stiffness. These can make moving our joints hard1.
Looking into different ways to manage arthritis is key. The use of medical cannabis is a promising option. This is because it can help with pain and reduce swelling, as shown by research15.
Medical Cannabis: An Overview
Medical cannabis uses cannabis but for health reasons. It has been legal in the UK since 2018. Its use for health goes way back over the centuries. Medical cannabis is different from what people buy on the streets. It is under tight rules. This makes it safe and helpful2.
What is Medical Cannabis?
It’s about using the parts of the cannabis plant to help our health. These parts, like THC and CBD, work with a system in our body. This system helps control how we think and deal with pain. Doctors use medical cannabis for health issues when other treatments don’t work well2.
How Does Medical Cannabis Work?
Our body has a system that manages things like pain and appetite. Medical cannabis helps this system work better. THC and CBD from the plant can help with pain and make us hurt less. For example, there’s a mouth spray called Sativex that helps people with MS. It can cut down on muscle stiffness. Also, there’s Epidyolex, a CBD liquid. Doctors give it to kids with very rare types of epilepsy2.
Forms of Medical Cannabis
There are many ways to take medical cannabis. There’s Sativex, a spray for the mouth. Nabilone comes in capsules and helps with sickness from chemotherapy. And there’s a pure liquid, Epidyolex, for epilepsy2. A 2017 review suggests using both THC and CBD can be better than just THC for pain. This has proved key in managing long-term pain. In the UK, these safe forms help with conditions like chronic pain, making life better for many5. But getting this kind of treatment in the UK is not easy. Only certain patients can get it2.
The Legality of Medical Cannabis in the UK
In 2018, the UK made a big change in its medical cannabis laws1. This allowed certain cannabis medicines to be used for serious health issues. But, getting these medicines is still very limited because of strict rules2.
Legal Changes Since 2018
After 2018, people with severe epilepsy, cancer’s nausea, or multiple sclerosis were given a chance to use these medicines1. Getting a medical cannabis prescription from the NHS, however, is quite rare. It shows how tough the UK’s stand on cannabis remains2.
Current Regulations and Restrictions
Now, medical cannabis is mostly for those with very rare and severe issues2. For example, epileptic patients might get Epidyolex, while those with MS could use Nabiximols (Sativex). And a specialist doctor from the NHS has to be the one giving these prescriptions. This happens only when standard treatments don’t work2.
Testing THC products very well is a must to keep the public safe2. Also, buying these products online without a doctor’s note is both illegal and risky. This shows how the UK is serious about its cannabis control laws2.
Conditions Eligible for Medical Cannabis Prescription
In the UK, only a few medical issues allow for a medical cannabis prescription. This approach ensures that those in serious need benefit. It’s all about focusing on severe and very specific health conditions.
What Conditions Qualify?
Medical cannabis is currently available for a few health problems. This includes types of epilepsy that are hard to treat in kids and adults, the sickness from chemotherapy, and muscle tightness from MS in adults2. The limited list shows we need more tests. We need to see how well it works and how safe it is for more uses, like arthritis and long-lasting pain2.
Commonly Prescribed Cannabis-Based Medicines
In the UK, doctors often give out medicines like Epidyolex, Nabilone, and Sativex. Epidyolex, which is CBD-based, helps with rare types of epilepsy like Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet syndromes2. Nabilone, a man-made cannabis, helps with typical symptoms from chemotherapy in grown-ups2. Sativex is another medicine used for muscle tightness in MS2. These medicines show that the use of medical cannabis in the UK is well managed and specific. Though there’s talk about it being helpful for arthritis, it’s still mainly in clinical trials2.
Can I get medical cannabis for arthritis in the UK?
Many UK patients look for cannabis to ease their arthritis pain. However, getting a medical cannabis prescription for arthritis is not straightforward. Right now, arthritis doesn’t directly make someone eligible for a prescription2. Generally, medical cannabis is given for severe epilepsy and multiple sclerosis (MS). To get it, you might need to join a clinical trial or have a specialist assessment1.
Eligibility Criteria
Now, if you’re asking, “can I get medical cannabis for my arthritis in the UK”, there’s hope. Arthritis isn’t on the standard list, but there are ways. Clinical trials and other research offer chances for those with chronic pain. They might get access to cannabis treatments.
Steps to Obtain a Prescription
Getting a medical cannabis prescription means first, seeing a specialist. They check if normal treatments haven’t worked for you2. Then, they might consider medical cannabis1. You’ll need to show it can help and provide relevant documents, including ID. This is key to using medical cannabis legally.
Role of Specialists in the Process
Specialists play a big part in this system. They do detailed assessments to see if medical cannabis is right for you2. These doctors make sure the treatment is truly needed. Their job is to make sure that before prescribing cannabis, all other options have been tried. This approach keeps the use of medical cannabis safe and tailored to specific needs1.
To sum up, seeking medical cannabis for arthritis in the UK is quite strict. It heavily depends on expert advice and following tough legal rules. This is all to protect the health of patients and the public.
Benefits of Medical Cannabis for Arthritis
Medical cannabis is showing great promise in treating arthritis. It’s especially good for reducing pain and inflammation. In the UK, more than 10 million people face arthritis and its effects on joints3. The cannabis plant has over 100 cannabinoids, like THC and CBD, which are key in medicine1. These substances work with the body’s CB1 and CB2 receptors. They help with pain and control swelling by modulating inflammation1.
Pain Relief
Studies and patient experiences suggest that medical cannabis lessens chronic pain. This is crucial for those with severe arthritis discomfort. THC, a major component, is good at managing nerve pain and reducing swelling for arthritis sufferers1. Those using CBD have reported better sleep and physical activity. This helps reduce pain and improves general health3.
Inflammation Reduction
Arthritis often leads to swelling, and medical cannabis seems to be able to help here. The anti-swelling effects of CBD and other cannabinoids can reduce pain and stiffness. This can greatly improve movement and comfort. In fact, surveys show 79% of the Arthritis Foundation’s respondents found CBD helpful3.
Improved Quality of Life
By easing pain and swelling, medical cannabis could lead to a better life for arthritis patients. People report better movement and relief from anxiety and depression after using CBD3. These improvements are a big deal in the ongoing search for new ways to treat chronic pain and swelling.
Challenges and Considerations
In the UK, using medical cannabis poses several challenges. It’s vital to understand its side effects, especially those related to THC. Knowing how it might interact with other drugs is key.
Potential Side Effects
Using medical cannabis might lead to side effects like loss of appetite, feeling dizzy, or mood swings. There could even be hallucinations. For those in the UK looking into legal options, these effects are important to consider.
It’s advised to keep an eye on things, especially if the treatment includes CBD. This is because CBD can affect liver enzymes. That’s why having medical supervision is crucial.
Psychoactive Properties of THC
THC, a main compound in cannabis, has psychoactive effects. It could lead to issues like psychosis and dependence. Balancing THC and CBD is important in creating effective medical cannabis treatments.
Research shows that mixes of THC and CBD are best for pain relief, for example in arthritis5.
Interactions with Other Medications
Using cannabis alongside other medicines needs close monitoring in the UK3. This is to avoid any negative effects on your current treatments. Given the wide range of cannabinoids in cannabis, affecting the body’s systems, medical supervision is crucial5.
Evidence Supporting Cannabis Use in Arthritis Treatment
More and more, science and people’s own stories show that medical cannabis can help with arthritis symptoms. Research shows that substances in cannabis, like CBD and THC, help fight inflammation and reduce pain. This is why they look good for treating arthritis types such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. For example, Sativex, a medicine from cannabis, helped lessen pain in people in a New Zealand study. This shows how useful it can be for arthritis pain3. Also, in Denmark, people with rheumatoid arthritis felt less pain and their life quality got better in around 6-9 months of using CBD3.
People with very painful arthritis can get better with medical cannabis. Sativex is often praised for easing muscle tightness when other drugs failed2. The Arthritis Foundation found that 79% of those they asked had used CBD or planned to for handling arthritis3. A US study added that almost a third of current CBD users use it for arthritis pain3.
Yet, it’s important to know that more solid studies are still needed. While things like Sativex seem to work, many experts say we need more research. This is to fully understand how medical cannabis affects arthritis in the long run3. So, even though there’s hope for using medical cannabis in arthritis, we need more information. This is crucial for its role in easing chronic pain and reducing inflammation, especially within the UK’s laws.
FAQ
Can I get medical cannabis for arthritis in the UK?
What is Arthritis?
Common Types of Arthritis
Symptoms and Causes
What is Medical Cannabis?
How Does Medical Cannabis Work?
Forms of Medical Cannabis
Legal Changes Since 2018
Current Regulations and Restrictions
What Conditions Qualify?
Commonly Prescribed Cannabis-Based Medicines
Eligibility Criteria
Steps to Obtain a Prescription
Role of Specialists in the Process
Pain Relief
Inflammation Reduction
Improved Quality of Life
Potential Side Effects
Psychoactive Properties of THC
Interactions with Other Medications
Evidence Supporting Cannabis Use in Arthritis Treatment
Source Links
- https://myaccessclinics.co.uk/2022/03/medical-cannabis-for-arthritis/
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/medical-cannabis/
- https://cannabisaccessclinics.co.uk/arthritis-and-medical-cannabis/
- https://www.arthritis.org/health-wellness/healthy-living/managing-pain/pain-relief-solutions/cbd-for-arthritis-pain
- https://lyphe.com/cannabis-and-arthritis/