Pain

Overview

Medical cannabis has been proven to provide pain relief for chronic pain conditions, improving the quality of life for people living in pain and support them to manage their symptoms. 

Patients may be prescribed painkillers but find that they are ineffective in treating their pain

These drugs can be incredibly strong painkillers, with far-reaching side effects. Sometimes, even these cannot help patients to manage pain, leading them to explore other avenues. 

For example, medical cannabis can be used to modulate pain through the use of phytocannabinoids, which are a class of lipophilic molecules that interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). The endocannabinoid system is a network which interacts with the body’s central nervous and peripheral nervous system. In short, this means that phytocannabinoids hold incredible pharmacological potential.

One example of this in action can be seen in this study from 2019 in the United States, ‘Medical Cannabis: Effects on O-pioid and B- Requirements for Pain Control’ where the authors, M. O’Connell, M. Sandgren, L. Frantzen, E. Bower, and B. Erickson, found evidence shows that patients suffering from chronic pain exhibited a significant reduction in pain symptoms when treated with medical cannabis. 

On top of that, opioids are often a common choice for helping with chronic pain. Medical cannabis is already being put forward by experts as an alternative medication to opioids, reducing the risk of developing a dependency and other unwanted side-effects. This study, written by Philippe Lucas and titled ‘Cannabis as an adjunct to or substitute for o-piates in the treatment of chronic pain’, states that cannabis can help lead to a greater cumulative relief of pain. That means fewer opiates are used and reduces the impact of the associated side-effects.

Pain is a debilitating symptom that can be linked to any number of complex conditions, causes, or other symptoms. Living with certain pain conditions is a common reality for many people in the UK, with over eight million people stating they live with chronic pain. 

For persistent pain conditions, medical cannabis can be a source of relief. Many people are not just uncomfortable as a result of their pain, it can make it difficult to complete various everyday tasks that other people might find simple. Treatment with medical cannabis helps to manage and minimise symptoms of pain and drastically improve the quality of life for these patients.