An often overlooked part of the body is a tissue known as cartilage. It is found in many areas of the body and without it moving would be unbearably painful and difficult. Medical News Today described cartilage and its function as:

“Cartilage has several functions in the human body:

• Reduces friction and acts as a cushion between joints and helps support our weight when we run, bend, and stretch.
• Holds bones together, for instance, the bones of the ribcage.
• Some body parts are made almost entirely of cartilage, for example, the external parts of our ears.
• In children, the ends of the long bones are made of cartilage, which eventually turns into bone.

Unlike other types of tissue, cartilage does not have a blood supply. Because of this, damaged cartilage takes much longer to heal, compared with other tissues that are supplied by blood.”

Actually, there are three types of cartilage:

• Elastic cartilage (yellow cartilage) – the most springy and supple type of cartilage. Elastic cartilage makes up the outside of the ears and some of the nose.
• Fibrocartilage – the toughest type of cartilage, able to withstand heavy weights. It is found between the discs and vertebrae of the spine and between the bones of the hip and pelvis.
• Hyaline cartilage – springy, tough, and elastic. It is found between the ribs, around the windpipe, and between the joints (articular cartilage).

“Elastic cartilage, fibrocartilage, and hyaline cartilage can all be damaged. For example, a slipped disk is a type of fibrocartilage damage, while a hard impact on the ear can cause elastic cartilage damage.”

There are numerous ways to damage the cartilage. It can happen through disease, medications, certain physical activities and injuries. My oldest daughter was given an anti-cancer drug for nearly 6 months and it ended up eating away much of the cartilage in her knees and ankles, making walking painful. Due to my rodeo days of saddle bronc and bull riding, I partially tore the ACL and MCL in both knees several times, but never had them surgically repaired.

When I was in basic training in the Air Force, my knees swelled up and I was sent to the base hospital. Over the next week and half, several doctors examined my knees. They took x-rays and did other tests and finally a doctor, who was a colonel, told me that the cartilage in my knees looked like grapefruit pulp. Due to my rodeo injuries, my knees have hurt 24/7 since I was 17 and I’m now 67 and don’t remember what it’s like to not be in constant pain.

Age is also one of the greatest enemies to the cartilage in our knees, which wear down and are often affected by arthritis. Standard treatments include pain and anti-inflammatory medications and even surgery. In many cases, joint pain (knees, ankles, hips, fingers, wrists, elbows and shoulders) are constant and seem to never go away or be totally relieved by standard methods of treatment.

Over the past few years, a growing number of seniors have been turning to an alternative way to treat their endless joint pain. They are turning to marijuana and marijuana products. As more states legalize marijuana for medicinal and/or recreational use, many seniors are turning to pot to ese their pain.

While marijuana and marijuana products can offer relief of the constant joint pain, one has to understand that there are a growing number of harmful side effects of marijuana use that are being discovered. Before picking pot for your pain, take time to research what these harmful side effects are.