Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
When one thinks of arthritis, one usually thinks of joint pain and debilitation. While pain is a well-known and ubiquitous symptom of arthritis that accelerates the rate of debilitation, there is new research leading to new hope for those suffering from this disease. Before we speak more about this new research, let’s first discuss arthritis and clarify the disease and its progression.
Arthritis can be broadly defined as “inflammation of one or more joints.” According to the Arthritis Foundation, there are between 100 to 200 different kinds of arthritic conditions that can be split into various groups and categories based on the pathophysiology causing the issue. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) breaks arthritis into five types: Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Gout, Fibromyalgia, and Childhood Arthritis. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the two most common of these five types.
Osteoarthritis (OA) – The number one most common form of arthritis is caused by joint degeneration due to chronic “wear and tear.” OA most frequently occurs in the hands, hips, and knees and results in pain, stiffness, and swelling.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) – The pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis differs from osteoarthritis. It is caused by an autoimmune and inflammatory disorder that attacks healthy cells in joint tissue. Common joints include the hands, wrists, and knees, but RA can also affect other organs like the lungs, heart, and eyes. With RA, the lining of the joints is damaged by inflammation that commonly leads to chronic pain, instability, and deformity.
New Research Findings
Those suffering from OA or RA are finding new hope with cannabis and cannabinoid-related products and therapies. In a 2021 article published in Arthritis Care and Research, there has been a significant increase in cannabis use among adults with arthritic ailments from 6.3% in 2014 to 18.4% in 2019, respectively. However, 74% of users in 2014 reported cannabis was effective for the relief of arthritis symptoms compared to only 62% of users in 2019.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for arthritis; however, it can be managed and treated. While management aims to improve quality of life by reducing pain and delaying or even preventing disability, treatment options can range from medications and physical therapy to surgery.
Thanks to the boom in states that have passed legislation legalizing medical marijuana, patients looking to avoid the highly addictive and dangerous pharmaceuticals that have devastated the country can. The opioid pandemic that began raging through the country, needlessly taking hundreds of thousands of innocent lives, hit Florida particularly hard. This hardship led to advocating and pushing toward opioid-sparing pain treatment options. Because of this overwhelming desire, Florida patients can now find new, safe, and legal treatment options for those suffering from chronic nonmalignant pain caused by conditions such as arthritis.
State Statistics
According to the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), in 2020, Florida had a 24% prevalence of arthritis in adults aged 18 and older. Additionally, of people aged 65 years and older, 49.6% reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis. Florida’s higher concentration of senior adults places Florida higher on the arthritic ladder than most states. This cohort has led to an increased number of medical marijuana patients looking for relief from symptoms related to arthritic conditions.
National Statistics
In a 2017 statement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “about one in four US adults (23.7%), or about 58.5 million people aged 18 and older have doctor-diagnosed arthritis”. Furthermore, out of those 58.5 million adults, roughly 23.7 million (43.5%) “have limitations in their usual activities due to their arthritis” (CDC, 2017). Because arthritis prevalence increases with age, “arthritis is projected to increase as the population grows and ages and will affect nearly 78 million Americans aged 18 years and older by 2040”.
Contrary to the CDC’s estimates, in 2019, the Arthritis Foundation claimed that there might be 300,000 children and an additional 32.5 million American adults with “reported symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of arthritis.” This insight led them to make an adjusted statement indicating “there are potentially more than 91 million adults in the US living with arthritis” (The Arthritis Foundation, 2019).
May is Arthritis Awareness Month
Because arthritis is one of the most widespread health conditions in the US, the CDC, the Arthritis Foundation, and other partners observe the month of May as Arthritis Awareness Month. In light of Arthritis Awareness Month, throughout May, the healthcare professionals at Compassionate Healthcare of Florida will be offering all new patients, patient transfers, patient renewals, and anti-inflammatory CBD products, a limited-time 20% discount. Just mention “Arthritis Awareness Month” or “Health and Wellness Magazine” and find out how they may facilitate same-day medical marijuana cards on-site!
For more information on arthritis and medical marijuana, please visit www.flmmjhealth.com or dial (239)-310-6412.
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