Rheumatoid Arthritis: Can Cannabis Treatments Already Show Positive Results?

By Jacqueline Passos

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease caused by inflammation that affects the joints. It occurs when healthy cells in our body are attacked by the immune system, resulting in extreme inflammation characterized by swelling and followed by pain that arises in some parts of the body.

Usually, the most affected areas are the joints, such as knees and wrists. When a part of the body is affected, its lining becomes inflamed, and the joint tissue becomes damaged. This damage can cause complications, such as chronic pain and, when untreated, deformities. 

According to the Brazilian Society of Rheumatology, the causes of the disease are still unknown, and it affects women twice as much as men. It usually begins between 30 and 40 years old, and its incidence increases with age.

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Symptoms

The most common symptoms of RA are: pain, swelling, increased temperature in the joints, firm lumps of tissue under the skin - called rheumatoid nodules, swollen and tender joints, fatigue, joint stiffness, loss of appetite - and even weight loss in some cases - and fever. 

Treatment

Treatment varies according to the stage of the disease, its activity, and severity, becoming more aggressive as the disease becomes more aggressive. The basis of treatment is anti-inflammatories followed by corticosteroids for acute phases and disease-modifying drugs, most of them immunosuppressants. In some cases, there is an indication for surgical treatment, as well as physiotherapy and occupational therapy, which can help the patient continue to perform daily activities. 

How can cannabis help?

Unfortunately, there is still no known cure for RA, so all treatment focuses on improving the patient's quality of life. Therefore, cannabis has been catching the attention of rheumatologists and patients diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, due to its anti-inflammatory properties, aid in pain reduction - including chronic pain - and improvement in quality of life.

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We already know that cannabis has several active compounds that can benefit those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Although there is a lack of large-scale studies on the subject, there are smaller but promising studies already available. One of them is from 2006 and uses Sativex - sold in Brazil as Mevatyl - a spray medication used for spasticity. Researchers reported an improvement in pain and sleep of the patients, with only mild side effects.

In 2016, another study examined the use of CBD gel - one of the thousands of cannabis compounds - in animals with joint pain and inflammation. Researchers found that the gel was effective in reducing both symptoms, with no side effects observed. In 2021, another study analyzed the impact of medical cannabis on 319 people with rheumatoid arthritis and other diseases. Questionnaires were used to determine how cannabis use affected sleep quality and pain levels, and researchers concluded that cannabis was indeed beneficial for patients.

Even the scarcity of conclusive studies on cannabis treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis has not prevented people worldwide from choosing to medicate with cannabis. In fact, the plant offers many treatment possibilities, especially for treating the pain of rheumatoid arthritis. Both THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the plant's psychoactive compound, and CBD (cannabidiol) have healing properties for inflammation and pain, and there are already several studies highlighting these benefits.

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Treatment can be done with oral medications - capsules and oils - as well as with topical products - creams, lotions, and ointments - that can be applied to the affected areas. These can be formulated with other ingredients, such as camphor and menthol, to enhance analgesic properties.

With so many cannabis treatment options available, there is no longer a reason for rheumatoid arthritis patients to remain in the dark or be hostages to allopathic medications that can often be dangerous and cause side effects.

Finally, it is worth noting that to start any treatment with cannabis-based products or medications, whether orally or topically, medical supervision is necessary, prescription by a qualified healthcare professional, and authorization from Anvisa. To access a prescribing professional near you, visit our list of prescribers: https://www.sechat.com.br/lista-de-medicos/.