Last updated: October 2026
Is CBD good for arthritis and joint pain? On the evidence checked in October 2026, it isn’t proven. Three placebo-controlled trials of CBD by mouth for knee and hand arthritis found it worked no better than a dummy treatment. Skin-applied CBD has one small positive thumb trial. CBD isn’t a treatment for arthritis, and the NHS doesn’t recommend it.
Below: the trials, hands, knees and hips, which format, over 60s, medicines and red flags.
Does CBD help arthritis? The trials
| Trial | Dose | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Hand osteoarthritis and psoriatic arthritis, Denmark, 2022 (129 people, 12 weeks) | 20 to 30mg a day by mouth | No difference from placebo in pain |
| Knee osteoarthritis, Austria, 2023 (86 people, 8 weeks) | 600mg a day by mouth, alongside paracetamol | No difference from placebo; more side effects with CBD |
| Knee osteoarthritis, Brazil, 2025 (CBD-rich cannabis oil, 60 days) | 45mg a day by mouth | Both groups improved similarly; no difference from placebo |
| Thumb arthritis, USA, 2022 (18 people, 2 weeks per cream) | CBD in shea butter on the skin | Better scores than shea butter alone; tiny and short |
| Hand osteoarthritis, Australia, 2024 (15 people, no placebo group) | 4% CBD gel on the skin | Pain scores fell, then drifted back after stopping |
Every placebo-controlled trial of CBD by mouth for arthritis has been negative. Skin-applied CBD has one tiny positive trial and one uncontrolled study: not enough to say it works.
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View productIs CBD good for joint pain?
Joint pain has many causes, from osteoarthritis to gout or old injuries. No good trial has shown CBD eases it, and UK rules don’t allow any brand to claim it does. A 2022 US survey found 83% of arthritis users felt their pain improved, but surveys can’t rule out the placebo effect, and in trials placebo groups often improve a lot too. See our joint pain guide and what the CBD pain trials show.
CBD for arthritis in hands, knees and hips
Hands and fingers
Most CBD research is on hands, and none of it is proof. If you use a balm, massage a small amount gently into the knuckles and thumb base, then wash your hands. The NHS says anti-inflammatory gels can be particularly effective for hand and knee osteoarthritis, so ask a pharmacist. Numbness or tingling suggests something else, such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
Knees
Both knee trials found CBD by mouth no better than placebo, even at 600mg a day. Strengthening exercise and weight loss have the best evidence. See our knee pain guide.
Hips
We found no trials of CBD for hip arthritis on PubMed (October 2026). See our hip pain guide.
Osteoarthritis vs rheumatoid arthritis
| Osteoarthritis | Rheumatoid arthritis | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Wear and repair changes in the joint | An autoimmune condition causing joint inflammation |
| Morning stiffness | Usually wears off within 30 minutes | Usually lasts longer than 30 minutes |
| CBD trials | Three trials by mouth, all negative | No good CBD-only trials |
| Key point | Exercise and strength work are central | Needs specialist treatment early to protect joints; never replace it with CBD |
CBD balm vs oil vs capsules for arthritis
None is proven for arthritis. Choose by how you like to use it, and what’s easy with stiff fingers.
| Format | How you use it | Good to know | Evopure option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balm | Massaged into the skin | Very little reaches the bloodstream; a cosmetic | CBD Balm |
| Oil drops | Under the tongue or with food | About 4 drops of a 500mg oil gives 10mg | Relief CBD Oil (with turmeric and black pepper extract) |
| Capsules | One a day with water | No dropper to squeeze; 10mg or 25mg | Broad Spectrum CBD Capsules |
iIf you take any regular medicines, check with your GP or pharmacist first. More: CBD balm guide, CBD balm vs Tiger Balm and CBD oil vs capsules.
CBD for arthritis if you’re over 60
No trial has looked at older adults on their own. If you’d like to try CBD:
- Check your medicines. If you take any regular medicines, check with your GP or pharmacist first (which medicines to check).
- Start low. The FSA advises healthy adults to have no more than 10mg a day: one 10mg capsule or about 4 drops of a 500mg oil. See the CBD dosage chart.
- Watch for drowsiness or an upset stomach, especially if you’re unsteady on your feet (CBD side effects).
Safety with arthritis medicines
- Methotrexate and leflunomide can affect the liver, and high-dose CBD can raise liver enzymes. Speak to your rheumatology team before taking CBD by mouth. See CBD and the liver.
- Blood thinners and other medicines: CBD can change how some are processed. See CBD and medication.
- Don’t stop prescribed treatment or painkillers without medical advice.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: we don’t recommend our products during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
The FSA’s 10mg a day figure is precautionary advice rather than a legal limit, set while longer-term safety research continues. At Evopure we think it is a very cautious figure, and many adults use more. If you go above it, increase slowly, and check with your GP or pharmacist first if you take any medication.
When to see a GP
See a GP if your joints are stiff for more than 30 minutes after waking, pain affects your sleep or daily life, or it’s worse, keeps coming back or hasn’t improved after 2 weeks.
Get an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111 if a painful joint is swollen and hot, or you feel unwell with a high temperature or shivers.
Go to A&E or call 999 after a fall or injury if the pain is very bad, you can’t put weight on the joint, it looks out of place, or it feels numb.
What helps arthritis
For osteoarthritis, NICE and the NHS recommend:
- Exercise, especially muscle strengthening and general activity, often with a physiotherapist.
- Weight loss if overweight, which reduces load on knees and hips.
- Anti-inflammatory gels for knee and hand osteoarthritis, then other painkillers or capsaicin cream if needed.
- Support: information, pacing, and walking aids or footwear where helpful.
Related guides
- Choosing a product: best CBD oil for pain UK.
- An honest look at turmeric benefits and side effects, and CBD with turmeric.
- Magnesium for muscle pain: limited evidence.
- What the GAIT trial found about glucosamine, and supplements for joint pain and stiffness.
- Our full guide to arthritis, including what NICE recommends for each type.
- Urate crystals rather than wear: our gout guide and CBD oil for gout, including the colchicine warning.
- Pain shooting down one leg: CBD for sciatica.
- Another long-term pain condition: CBD and fibromyalgia.
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If you’re in your 60s or 70s, our guide to CBD oil for older adults covers medicines, dose and the easiest format.
Sources 8
- Vela J et al. Cannabidiol treatment in hand osteoarthritis and psoriatic arthritis: a randomized trial. Pain, 2022.
- Pramhas S et al. Oral cannabidiol as add-on to paracetamol for painful chronic osteoarthritis of the knee. Lancet Reg Health Eur, 2023.
- Mojoli A et al. Effects and safety of a CBD-rich Cannabis sativa oil in knee osteoarthritis (CANOA). Front Pharmacol, 2025.
- Heineman JT et al. Topical cannabidiol for thumb basal joint arthritis. J Hand Surg Am, 2022.
- Bawa Z et al. Transdermal cannabidiol for hand osteoarthritis. Sci Rep, 2024.
- Frane N et al. Cannabidiol as a treatment for arthritis and joint pain. J Cannabis Res, 2022.
- NICE. Osteoarthritis in over 16s (NG226).
- NHS. Joint pain; osteoarthritis treatment; rheumatoid arthritis symptoms; medical cannabis.
