Arthritis Patients Who Used Cannabinoids Reported Less Pain, Stiffness, and Fatigue

About 16.95% of RA and 11.63% of PsA patients reported cannabinoid use, primarily inhaled for RA and topical/liquid for PsA. Post-cannabis use, pain scores decreased significantly (mean difference 2.267, p<0.001), with improvements in stiffness, fatigue, and swelling. Side effects were minimal, and 80-86% of patients were willing to discuss cannabinoid treatment with their physician.

Cross-sectional survey of 290 patients with RA or PsA visiting a rheumatology outpatient clinic (October 2019 to March 2020), using a voluntary Qualtrics survey on cannabinoid use, forms, sources, side effects, and perceived efficacy.

This is one of few studies documenting real-world cannabinoid use patterns and patient-reported outcomes specifically in inflammatory arthritis. The willingness of over 80% of patients to discuss cannabis with their doctor signals a need for evidence-based guidance.

With conventional arthritis treatments often incompletely controlling pain, many patients turn to cannabis. This study captures that reality and the gap between patient interest and clinical evidence.

Survey design with self-reported outcomes. No control group. Cannot rule out placebo effect. Pre-pandemic recruitment (2019-2020). Small number of cannabinoid users. Selection bias (voluntary survey).