For the last five to seven years, I’ve had some issues with arthritis in my hands.
I first started noticing pain in my fingers when I’d open a jar or spend too long typing on the computer.
Since my job is entirely handled from a keyboard, I need to keep my hands strong and healthy. I did some research into home remedies and gave them a try. I drank dark red cherry juice and ate yellow raisins that have been soaked overnight in gin and found some relief from symptoms. However, about a year ago, my fingers suddenly swelled up so badly that I was forced to cut my rings off. I had trouble making a fist. I struggled to style my hair, pull weeds out of the garden or hold a hand weight when exercising. Working from the computer was painful. I am unwilling to take pharmaceuticals. I’ve read up on the long-term side-effects and am unwilling to damage my health to combat arthritis. My research online led me to trying cannabis. CBD has shown great promise in alleviating pain and inflammation. Living in Chicago, I have a dispensary right around the corner from my apartment. Stepping inside the dispensary for the first time was a bit overwhelming. I was expecting a tiny shop with some bags of weed and a few gummies. The venue is huge, bright, modern and spacious. The array of products is incredible. I had my choice of dried flower, pre-rolls, extracts, concentrates, tinctures, vapes, edibles and so much more. The budtender recommended topicals that can be applied directly to my joints for fast-acting relief. I combined the cannabis-infused ointment with a full-spectrum CBD vape. Cannabis has provided me with an effective and safe remedy for my arthritis.