Lots of people come into the shop and ask us about CBD and arthritis, often for a parent or partner rather than themselves. We’d rather give you a straight answer than a sales pitch, so here it is.
Is CBD a treatment for arthritis?
No. CBD isn’t a licensed medicine for arthritis in the UK. What shops like ours sell are food supplements and cosmetics, and nobody selling them is allowed to say they treat, relieve or cure arthritis or joint pain. There’s ongoing research into cannabinoids, but it hasn’t shown that over-the-counter CBD works as a treatment.
What the NHS side says
NICE, which advises the NHS, doesn’t recommend CBD for chronic pain in adults outside clinical research. If you have arthritis, your GP, physio or rheumatology team should be your first stop. They can go through the treatments that do have solid evidence behind them.
On any medication? Check first
CBD can interact with some medicines, including ones that people with arthritis often take, such as blood thinners. If you take anything regularly, have a word with your GP or pharmacist before you try CBD.
If you still want to give it a go
Buy lab-tested products from someone who can tell you exactly what’s in them. Keep within the FSA’s advice of no more than 10mg of CBD a day for healthy adults, start low, and keep track of how much you’re having.
As for which kind, it’s personal. Some customers like a CBD balm or cream as part of a massage or skincare routine. Others prefer oil or gummies.
If you’d like to talk it through, come and see us at the shop in Camden. We’ll be honest about what CBD can and can’t do.
General information, not medical advice. CBD is sold as a food supplement or cosmetic, not a medicine, and our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
