Have you ever wondered about the benefits of using CBD oil to treat the symptoms of your loved one’s arthritis or even memory loss?
Join The Kensington Senior Living for a free, educational webinar “The Benefits of Low-Dose CBD for Our Aging Population: A Case Series,” on Wednesday, Jan. 25 from 6-7:00 pm EST.
Make sure to RSVP to save your spot for this interactive, informational event.
Our panel of experts includes:
- Dr. Steven Schmitz, a board-certified physician with nearly two decades of pharmaceutical industry experience—including extensive drug, dietary supplement, and clinical development experience
- Sue Feldmeth, RN, founder of MC Wellness Consulting LLC, a medical consulting firm dedicated to educating and guiding individuals on the safe use of medical Cannabis and CBD
- Jesse Karagianes VP, Science, Regulation & Education at CV Sciences™
- The Kensington’s own Leandra Sims, Connections Memory Care Manager at The Kensington Sierra Madre
This online event will share the results of scientific studies performed at our own Kensington community and will highlight CBD oil’s impact on treating rheumatoid arthritis pain, dementia, insomnia, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and more.
What is cannabidiol oil (CBD)?
Cannabidiol is a naturally occurring compound found in hemp and cannabis plants that has been hailed as the next natural anti-inflammatory remedy. It’s shown incredible promise as a non-habit-forming treatment for chronic joint pain.
Unlike marijuana oil, which contains the intoxicating drug tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD oil doesn’t contain any THC and has no psychoactive effects.
Instead, people use CBD for its calming and anti-inflammatory properties as an alternative to harsher NSAIDs and other pain-blocking medicines.
In 2018, CBD usage became federally legal, and since then research has been underway on its effectiveness in treating several ailments, including chronic pain, rheumatoid arthritis, depression, and insomnia.
How is rheumatoid arthritis (RA) different from osteoarthritis (OA)?
Arthritis is a general term that describes symptoms of joint pain and joint disease, usually brought on or worsened by inflammation in the body.
The two most common forms of arthritis are rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA).
Osteoarthritis (OA)
The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis, also known as “wear and tear” arthritis, because it affects the most heavily used joints, such as the hands, neck, lower back, and hips.
It’s also known as “degenerative arthritis” and is exacerbated by inflammation in the joints caused by a variety of proteins that get activated to cause stiffness, swelling, and pain.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
A rare form of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis isn’t caused by wear and tear, but by an auto-immune disease that attacks its own cells by mistake.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is considered an autoimmune and inflammatory disease and results in stiffness, swelling, and loss of mobility in the joints, which are affected by this auto-immune disease.
How CBD helps relieve arthritis pain in seniors
One of the key steps in relieving arthritis pain is removing inflammation in the body.
Typically, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used to combat arthritis pain. However, their overuse can cause liver damage, heart damage, kidney problems, stomach ulcers, and potentially internal bleeding.
CBD has been shown to give the similar pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects similar to NSAIDs, but without the harder side effects of typical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
CBD is a natural anti-inflammatory drug that reduces inflammation by activating the body’s cannabinoid receptors, which reduces the symptoms of inflammation and pain throughout the body.
Health benefits of CBD for rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
Aging seniors have turned to the healing effects of CBD since it’s been legalized in 2018, although its use has been used prior through medical marijuana licenses and CBD oils and tinctures before then.
Seniors who suffer from chronic pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis use CBD oil in a variety of ways to alleviate their RA pain.
A few of the benefits of using CBD for RA pain include:
- Reduced pain
- Reduced inflammation
- Reduced muscle spasms
- Improved sleep
- Can prevent or reduce symptoms caused by dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
Common ways of applying and using CBD for arthritis pain
CBD oil, like other medicinal drugs, gain their effects once they enter the bloodstream.
To use CBD oil to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pain, there are five main ways of application.
Sublingual drops
CBD oil and tinctures, which are alcohol-based extracts of CBD, can be administered by dropping the oil underneath the tongue and holding it there for several seconds before swallowing.
Edible oil
In addition to sublingual drops, seniors can also eat or swallow CBD capsules or add CBD oil to their beverages or food prior to consuming.
Topical application
CBD creams for arthritis pain including CBD balms, and salves have become increasingly popular options at pharmacies and physical rehabilitation clinics.
The CBD balm can be applied topically to the source of inflammation, for example, applying a CBD cream for knee pain, hand pain, and back pain.
Transdermal patches
These patches stick to the skin and slowly release CBD oil into the skin, where it gets absorbed and enters the bloodstream. They are typically worn on arms, similarly to nicotine patches.
Inhalation
CBD oil is packaged into specialized vape cartridges that vaporize the CBD oil to turn it into cool vapor for easy inhalation, which is the fastest way of activating CBD in the body.
Other benefits of CBD for seniors
CBD oil is known for causing deep relaxation in addition to its pain-relieving qualities.
When seniors use CBD for rheumatoid arthritis, they often find other added benefits, which can include the following.
Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease agitation
CBD oil can manage challenging behavior symptoms in people with dementia or Alzheimer’s, working to reduce agitation and aggression.
Some studies have shown that CBD oil can be used to reverse the effects of dementia, although more research is necessary to prove these claims definitely.
Insomnia
Because CBD can treat rheumatoid arthritis pain, many seniors find they get a more restful and relaxing night’s sleep caused by their increased comfort and reduced pain levels.
Anxiety
CBD oil is also being thoroughly researched as a healthier alternative to traditional anti-anxiety medications, such as Xanax, which can cause serious dependency issues and side effects.
Depression
Because CBD can foster a sense of calmness and reduce pain, it’s also used to treat depression, because of the CBD’s ability to interact with brain receptors responsible for mood regulation.
Chronic pain
Not only is arthritis pain reduced by CBD oil but all forms of pain are reduced through CBD oil and CBD cream.
Seniors use CBD oil to alleviate chronic pain caused: by
- Diseases
- Infections
- Old injuries
- Fibromalygia pain
- Nerve pain and neuropathy pain
- Chemotherapy nausea
Contact for The Kensington Reston — a leader in memory care support
The Kensington Reston is an assisted living and memory care community located in Reston, Virginia.
Our community specializes in providing memory care support for residents experiencing memory loss caused by dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
In addition to our assisted living quarters, we also have two distinct memory care neighborhoods that offer a full spectrum of care for residents throughout the earlier stages to the advanced stages of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
The Kensington Redondo Beach features on-site physical rehabilitation, all-day dining, life enrichment classes, events, and a caring support staff of licensed nurses who work 24/7.
Our Promise is to love and care for your family as we do our own.
Do you have a loved one dealing with memory loss?
Contact us today to learn more about how The Kensington Reston can improve their well-being.