Constant arthritis pain can make even the simplest tasks, like climbing stairs, difficult. At Leva, we may consider cannabis-based medicinal products in selected cases where conventional treatments have not provided adequate relief or were not tolerated. As the first CQC-registered online pain clinic, we provide safe, specialist-led assessments of arthritis. It is based on how cannabis-based medicines are being explored for their potential role in modulating pain signalling and supporting symptom management in some patients, including hands, knees, etc., via the endocannabinoid system, supporting better overall function. The Department for International Trade, the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme, and the Royal College of Physicians recognise us for our work, which we have delivered to a number of patients, dealing with this chronic musculoskeletal condition. If appropriate, our clinicians can discuss whether further specialist assessment may be suitable for you!
How You Tackle Arthritis Pain
We aim to move beyond consistent pain and towards stability and improved function in our arthritis pain relief process. Here's how our treatment helps:
Better Meds
The first step is reviewing your current medication plan, identifying what is not working, and reducing reliance on treatments that may be causing more harm than relief, guided by the NHS's approach to long-term arthritis management.
Better Mind
With the help of our expert team, “we explore evidence-informed approaches to pain management, including whether cannabis-based medicinal products may be appropriate in selected cases.
Better Life
When symptoms are better handled, the sleep and overall body positivity increase, and you will be able to engage more fully in everyday activities.
Our 3-In-1 Approach To Arthritis Pain Relief
1-1 Specialist Support
Being a recognised arthritis pain medical cannabis clinic in the UK, we provide you with one-to-one support delivered safely by experienced clinicians. The team collaborates with your GP to offer fast access, virtual appointments, and truly joined-up care.
Tools for Lasting Change
We support our patients with science-led pain education, tracking tools, and self-management techniques aligned with NICE principles to support lasting results.
Cannabis-Based Medication
After a thorough individual assessment, cannabis-based medicinal products may be considered following an individual specialist assessment.
We review the whole process, monitor with care, and adjust through our app, with treatment delivered via a discreet prescribing and dispensing process.
Current NICE guidance does not recommend routine use of cannabis-based medicinal products for chronic pain, and these medicines are only considered on an individual basis following specialist assessment
What Causes Arthritis Pain?
Cartilage Breakdown and Joint Degeneration: In osteoarthritis, the gradual erosion of protective cartilage causes bones to rub directly against one another, which triggers pain and localised inflammation in affected joints.
Chronic Synovial Inflammation: If you are dealing with rheumatoid and other inflammatory arthritis types, the immune system mistakenly attacks the synovial lining of joints. NICE guidance on rheumatoid arthritis (NG100) recognises this as a primary driver of joint pain, swelling, and progressive structural damage.
Overuse and Physical Strain: When you perform repetitive movements, heavy lifting, or activities such as prolonged walking or stair climbing, they accelerate wear on joint surfaces. This triggers inflammation and pain episodes in already-vulnerable joints. This kind of strain-driven pain often extends beyond the joints into the spine, which is why some patients seek broader specialist pain management support for multiple overlapping symptoms.
Stress and Fatigue: Dealing with emotional stress? It also elevates inflammatory markers and increases muscle tension around the joints. In inflammatory arthritis, psychological stress is also known to trigger immune dysregulation, worsening symptom severity, and flare frequency.
Infections and Immune Triggers: When your body fights off a viral or bacterial infection, it can sometimes trigger an overactive immune response that sets off an arthritis pain flare-up.
Key Symptoms of Arthritis
Joint Pain and Stiffness: Many patients who go to joint pain medical cannabis clinics in the UK report that the very first symptom is sharp pain in one or more joints, which gets worse in the morning or after prolonged inactivity, limiting their ability to move freely.
Swelling and Tenderness around Joints: You can also see palpable swelling around affected joints, accompanied by warmth and sensitivity to touch, indicating active inflammation in the surrounding tissue.
Constant Fatigue and Low Energy: Particularly common in inflammatory arthritis, deep physical fatigue, which is not like normal tiredness, is often linked to the body's ongoing immune response and disrupted sleep patterns.
How Cannabis-Based Medicines Are Being Studied in Chronic Pain Care ?
Modulation via the endocannabinoid system: Cannabinoids interact with CB1 and CB2 receptors distributed throughout the nervous system and peripheral tissues. This interaction is being studied for its potential role in pain signalling pathways involved in chronic pain conditions.
Better Sleep and Restorative Rest: Medicines, particularly those with a CBD component, may support improved sleep quality, as cannabis interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system, helping regulate sleep-wake cycles and calm the nervous system. Some patients report improvements in sleep quality during monitored treatment.
Supporting Cartilage Protection in Osteoarthritis: In osteoarthritis, cartilage gradually breaks down as enzymes attack joint tissue. Research from Sheffield Hallam University using human chondrocytes from NHS knee replacement patients found that cannabinoids reduced the expression of the enzymes directly responsible for cartilage degradation. This potentially offers a degree of protection for the joint structure.
Learn whether a specialist assessment may be appropriate for your arthritis pain management needs.
Results
Data analysed by Imperial College London and Drug Science concluded...
50% reduction in anxiety and depression †
97% of patients reported no side effects †
94% of patients reported pain severity improvement †
59% stopped opioid usage †
Leva or medical cannabis clinic?
NB in both instances, medication costs excluded.
Frequently Asked Questions
†
Data from proprietary sources, including collaboration with researchers from Imperial College and participation in research with Drug Science, indicate significant findings. BP (Pain Severity): 94% of patients reported an improvement in the severity of their pain. The percentage of chronic pain patients who reported any use of opioids decreased from 441 (55.1%) to 177 (22.1%), showing that over half (59.9%) of those previously using opioids had completely stopped. Additionally, more than 50% of patients with indications of major depression at initial assessment showed significant improvement after three months of treatment with medical cannabis and an online pain management program.