Research Paper Project (conclusion)

A day in the life of a person with arthritis is not easy. According to a website called healthline, A day in the life of someone who has RA, pain and swollen joints is not the only things people with arthritis have to deal with. Arthritis has a serious impact not only on a person's’ physical state of being, but, mental as well. It affects a person's ability to work and takes over their life completely. The author, Gina Mara, explains what her average day looks like. In the morning around eight am she goes to the gym. She decides what workout she want to do depending on how severe her pain level is and how depressed or not depressed she feels. Around five p.m she struggles to hold feed the dogs because something so simple as scooping food is too painful for her because of her arthritis. At nine she sits down and plans for the next day to get done everything that she was unable to finish the prior day. In the middle of the night she finds herself playing “twister” because she is in pain and feels uncomfortable throughout the night. She experiences aching back, pool of sweat, and a damaged neck. Gina does not need to experience pain every day of her life. Gina needs medication other than highly addictive ones that are prescribed to patients to relieve joint pain. According to the Arthritis foundation, addictive medications such as, Vicodin, Lorcet, and Lortab are prescribed to arthritis patients. These medications are considered so addictive that the US Drug Enforcement Administration(DEA) is moving these medication to schedule II category versus schedule III.

Research Question     Arthritis is a broad term that can be defined as a painful inflammation and stiffness of the joints and is not limited to just one disease; there are various types of this condition. For the purpose of this paper, the research gathered was focused on rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis was first introduced in the 1850’s and is “characterized by persistent synovitis, systemic inflammation, and autoantibodies” (Scott et. al, 2010). Synovitis is the inflammation of the synovial membrane, which is responsible for the lining of joints, and autoantibodies are proteins that are produced against an individual’s tissues, cells, and proteins.     It is known that fifty percent of “the risk for development of rheumatoid arthritis is attributable to genetic factors” occurring in “5-50 cases per 100,000 new cases annually” (Scott et. al, 2010). This occurs more frequently in women and elderly people and is most prevalent in northern Europe and North America (Scott et. al, 2010). Other risk factors that contribute to the development of rheumatoid arthritis are age, sex, smoking, early life exposures, and obesity (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2018). From these risk factors, the behaviors that are eligible for modification are smoking and obesity, which correlate with the prevention of rheumatoid arthritis. Prevention for rheumatoid arthritis include, but are not limited to, “decreasing the number of people who smoke within the population” and modifying individuals’ diets (Scott et. al, 2010). The effects of rheumatoid arthritis include “joint damage, disability, decreased quality of life, and cardiovascular and other comorbidities” (Scott et. al, 2010). The symptoms and side effects associated with rheumatoid arthritis are pain, tenderness, and swelling in more than one joint; weight loss; fever; and fatigue (CDC, 2018). To treat these symptoms, research has shown that analgesics and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) have been proven successful in treatment (Scott et. al, 2010). Analgesics include methadone and morphine and are known for reducing the level of pain. DMARDs include methotrexate, sulfasalazine, and leflunomide and “reduce joint swelling and pain, decrease acute-phase markers, limit progressive joint damage, and improve function” (Scott et. al, 2010).     After conducting further research, it was found that cannabidiol oil (CBD oil), or hemp oil, can also be effective in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The cannabidiol oil is “one of at least 113 cannabinoids identified in cannabis; it accounts for up to 40% of the plant’s extract” (Outside source, year). CBD oil is used to “relieve pain associated with chronic conditions,” meaning it “helps reduce pain and inflammation caused by arthritis of all types” (Outside source, year). According to a neuropathic review conducted by Sachs, McGlade, and Yurgelun-Todd, “there is a growing body of evidence suggesting the therapeutic potential of cannabis” (Sachs et. al, 2015). It is reported that “certain cannabinoids, like CBD, have been well-studied and are well tolerated and safe in humans, even at high doses and chronically” (Sachs et. al, 2015). It was also stated that CBD has been medically recommended for arthritis (Sachs et. al, 2015).      While CBD oil does derive from the cannabis sativa plant, it deviates from the common belief of the effects and benefits it can have on an individual. Unlike tetrahydrocannabinols (THCs), CBD does not create a psychoactive effect and it assists in “reduction of psychotic symptoms, relief from convulsions and nausea, decreased anxiety, and decreased inflammation” which make it a strong candidate for increased medicinal use (CBD Oil Review, 2018). THC is responsible for production of the feeling associated with being “high” and is known to alter the senses of sight, smell, and hearing making it a controversial substance do be used for medicinal purposes.

Research questions

CBD - cannabidiol is one of at least 113 cannabinoids identified in cannabis. It accounts for up to 40% of plant’s extract.

1. Is CBD oil used for rheumatoid arthritis? Yes,  people use CBD oil to relieve pain associated with chronic conditions.helps reduce pain and inflammation caused by  arthritis of all types like Rheumatoid arthritis. (KC, Jacky)

2. What is CBD oil? also called hemp oil, is an oil made from an extract from (KC, Jacky)

3. Difference between CBD and THC (KC)

4. Is CBD oil safe and efficient? (KC)

5. Misconception of CBD oil

6. side effects of steroids

7. How much CBD oil should I take?

8. What prevents arthritis?

9. What is arthritis?

10. What is Rheumatoid arthritis?

11. Who is affected by arthritis? What age group?

12. Treatments for rheumatoid arthritis available

Methodology

1. https://www.healthline.com/health/rheumatoid-arthritis/day-in-the-life-of-ra

Googled a day in the life of someone with arthritis and clicked on link with A day in the life of someone who has RA, it was published on 2017 current article, with an author named gina mara , website certified by Health On the net foundation

        In my research finding the part, I have come across many articles which are is discussing the usage of the CBD among many Americans. Many of the articles are agreeing to each other on the CBD usage.

        My article deal with the research studies about the ways CBD is used by the patients who have the problems of arthritis. CBD is one of the interesting products in the field of medicine since it used to treat several illnesses which are affecting population across the United States.

          For the instance, the CBD has the advantage over any other drug since it can be taken by the patient in different ways. This makes it be highly demanded because one has the option of choosing the best ways of taking the CBD. It can be taken through the skin where it is employed on the body like a lotions’ this make methods makes it easy for the CBD to diffuse in the body in a more effective way. This solves the problems of some patients who vomit when they take the drug through the month.

           To add on that the CBD is taken through vapor where the patient takes it through the nose. Many people like it in the vapor form since they will enjoy the manner of taking the CBD. The patient using this method get instant effects of the drug since it gets to the body system faster. Another method is where the patient inserts it under the tongue then it will be absorbed in the body through the digestive system. Through this method, it will be broken down to get into the body in the right amount.

  In general, the amount of the CBD to be taken by the patient depending on the level of the sickness. It is one of the drug s where the patient can take it to treat much different illness. When the sickness is so server the amount to be taken may differ because each us is different from one another. Some may require small amount while others may need the high amount of CBD to treat the illness.

           There is the various illness which is treated by taking the CBD in the different amount. For instance, the CBD is used to treat the sleeping disorder. The victim is supposed to take CBD amounting to 200 to 300 mg each day. The preferred method of taking CBD for this amount is through the month. For the cancer patient, CBD is used to boost the appetite of taking food through mouth t for a period of six months. It is also utilized to treat the movement’s problems and the chronic pain in the body.

         With the legalization of using the CBD in United States, the medical institutions are including it in their curriculum so that many people learn how to use it effectively. CBD products are in different forms such liquid, vapor among others. It one of the drugs which give the consumers an option of choosing the concentration of the CBD they want to take. In a situation where the level of symptoms are increasing to show the patient need to increase the concentration of the CBD. This makes it for the consumers to access the progress of their illness.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a chronic progressive disease that results in inflamed joints which can cause deformities and immobility in the wrists, fingers, ankles, and feet. The common treatments for this disease are medicines such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), steroids, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologic agents. These drugs may relieve pain but, steroids, for example, may still cause dangerous long term side effects such as diabetes, osteoporosis, hypertension, glaucoma, and high blood pressure. These treatments are not the safest option to treat rheumatoid arthritis compared to the use of cannabidiol (CBD oil). There are many misconceptions of CBD oil such as containing psychoactive components. The psychoactive components that are confound between THC and CBD is the “high” that people feel. Although CBD and THC have the same chemical formula, the differently arranged atoms show a significant difference in psychoactive effects because CBD lacks dangerous cognitive effects. CBD has been used for many medical treatments in hopes to relieve pain and lessen the amount and impact of depressive/anxious symptoms. In study funded by GW Pharmaceuticals, cannabis-based medicine (CBM) was evaluated to potentially alleviate the pain of rheumatoid arthritis. The cannabis-based medicine is called Sativex which consists of the plant extracts which gives a balanced amount of THC and CBD. The study consisted of CBM (Sativex) with placebo in a randomized, double-blind, parallel group study in 58 patients (31 on CBM and 27 on placebo) over 5 weeks of treatment. The specific qualities tested to measure effectiveness were, “...pain on movement, pain at rest, morning stiffness and sleep quality measured by a numerical rating scale, the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) and the DAS28 measure of disease activity.” (cite from abstract). For the CBM, pain on movement, pain at rest and quality of sleep showed significant improvements in comparison to the placebo group. This is one of the first controlled studies to be conducted on cannabis-based medicine effects on rheumatoid arthritis. A remarkable pain relief effect was seen as well as disease activity were lowered following the CBM treatment. Although the contrasts are minor, the results still show that after the Sativex treatment that in the controlled group, there are still improvements in pain which can prove some type of clinical relevance and the need to further study this topic.

Most tests were performed on animals, rather than on humans which is a barrier.

Links

References

Guy G.W., W. B. (2004). The Medicinal Uses of Cannabis and Cannabinoids. TJ International; . Cornwall, UK: .

P:, R. (1998). Cannabis as medicine: time for the phoenix to arise? . Br. Med. J. .

P:, R. (2001). Therapeutic aspects of cannabis and cannabinoids. . Br. J. Psychiatry .