The marijuana plant is known to have therapeutic effects, some may include the management and relief of pain…
Like any medicine, research and clinical trials are needed to show the efficacy of plant-based treatments like medicinal cannabis. Despite the increasing prevalence and acceptance of medical cannabis use amongst the general public, the evidence required by physicians to use cannabis as a treatment is generally lacking. Research on the health effects of cannabis and cannabinoids has been limited worldwide, leaving patients, health care professionals, and policymakers without the evidence they need to make sound decisions regarding the use of cannabis and cannabinoids.
Case studies report that many of the symptoms and complications of Pain can be alleviated by medical cannabis use.
CASE STUDY: PubMed.gov USA
STUDY TYPE: An experimental randomised study on the analgesic effects of pharmaceutical-grade cannabis in chronic pain patients with fibromyalgia
ENROLMENT: 20 chronic pain patients with fibromyalgia were tested with 4 different cannabis varieties with exact knowledge on their cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content.
DATE: 2019
ABSTRACT: After a single vapour inhalation, THC and CBD plasma concentrations, pressure and electrical pain thresholds, spontaneous pain scores, and drug high were measured for 3 hours.
RESULTS: This experimental trial shows the complex behaviours of inhaled cannabinoids in chronic pain patients with just small analgesic responses after a single inhalation. Further studies are needed to determine long-term treatment effects on spontaneous pain scores, THC-CBD interaction, and the role of psychotropic symptoms on pain relief.
CASE STUDY: PubMed.gov USA
STUDY TYPE: A randomised, placebo-controlled, graded-dose trial of opioid-treated cancer patients with poorly-controlled chronic pain
ENROLMENT: 177 participants
DATE: 2012
ABSTRACT: An oral cannabinoid formulation is undergoing investigation as add-on therapy for patients with advanced cancer who have pain that responds poorly to opioid therapy.
RESULTS: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, graded-dose study demonstrated efficacy and safety at low and medium doses.
CASE STUDY: PubMed.gov USA
STUDY TYPE: Multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study of efficacy, safety, and tolerability of THC:CBD extract and THC extract in patients with intractable cancer-related pain.
ENROLMENT: 177 participants
DATE: 2010
ABSTRACT: This study compared the efficacy of a tetrahydrocannabinol:cannabidiol (THC:CBD) extract, a non-opioid analgesic endocannabinoid system modulator, and a THC extract, with placebo, in relieving pain in patients with advanced cancer. Patients who experienced inadequate analgesia despite chronic opioid dosing, entered a two-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial. Patients were randomised to THC:CBD extract (60 people), THC extract (58 people), placebo (59 people).
SUMMARY: The primary analysis of change from baseline in mean pain Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) score was statistically significantly in favour of THC:CBD compared with placebo, whereas the THC group showed a non-significant change. Twice as many patients taking THC:CBD showed a reduction of more than 30% from baseline pain NRS score when compared with placebo. No significant group differences were found in the NRS sleep quality or nausea scores or the pain control assessment. Most drug-related adverse events were mild/moderate in severity. This study shows that THC: CBD extract is efficacious for relief of pain in patients with advanced cancer pain not fully relieved by strong opioids.
All medical cannabis can do for Chronic Pain patients is to give them some hope and light at the end of the tunnel.
Patients around the world have found that a cannabis plant based solution has helped to increase the quality of life for them.
