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It’s estimated that half of adults in the UK are affected by chronic pain. Whether caused by lower back pain or conditions like arthritis or fibromyalgia, chronic pain can be debilitating and significantly impact quality of life.
Because of its varying causes, chronic pain can be difficult to treat. And recent research has confirmed that many conventional treatment options, such as opioid medication, are relatively ineffective for long-term chronic pain. As a result, more and more people are considering alternative treatments, including turning to medical cannabis clinics – where the effects have been found to be promising.
With this in mind, we’ve partnered with private medical cannabis clinic, Releaf, to look closer at what medical cannabis is and the treatment options it provides for chronic pain.
Releaf is the UK’s only all-in-one medical cannabis clinic offering patients access to high-quality, UK-grown medical cannabis treatments that aren’t available anywhere else. Releaf’s passionate clinical team treats chronic pain patients on a world-first platform that allows them to get prescriptions delivered to their home.
Releaf matches patients with doctors who specialise in their condition, to find a plan that suits their condition and lifestyle.
What is medical cannabis?
According to the NHS, medical cannabis is a broad term for any sort of cannabis-based medicine that’s used to relieve symptoms of a health condition.
Medical cannabis has been legal in the UK since 2018 and can only be prescribed by medical professionals. However, its medicinal uses can be traced back as far as 2700 BC.
Unlike recreational cannabis, medical cannabis treatments are prescribed by a doctor in specific doses, with a specific method of administration. High-quality medical cannabis is also free from harmful contaminants, and grown and cultivated under strict regulations.
Cannabis plants produce over 110 phytocannabinoids (active plant compounds found in cannabis). Two of these, cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), are the main compounds being studied for medicinal purposes. However, there are some clear differences between them.
CBD oil is now sold by pharmacies and large wellness brands like Holland and Barrett and is generally considered safe to use. This is because, unlike other cannabinoids (including THC), CBD isn’t ‘psychoactive’. This means that the receptors in the body it attaches to don’t cause the same euphoric ‘high’ as THC-containing cannabis or impact a person’s ability to function.
Meanwhile, because THC is considered psychoactive, the UK has several rules and regulations around its use. This includes the fact that, unless medically prescribed for certain health conditions, CBD oil must contain no more than 0.2% THC.
Medical cannabis treatments come in various forms, including oils, edibles, and topical creams – and each will suit different needs. At present Releaf prescribes both medical cannabis flower and oil to their patients, you can read more about the different types of medical cannabis treatments on Releaf’s website.
Note: It’s important to note that many cannabis-based products are available to buy online, but their quality and content is unknown. For this reason, it’s important to avoid these and only buy CBD from reputable sellers and use medical cannabis prescribed by a health professional.
How do medical cannabis treatments work?
CBD and THC have different effects on the body, but, generally speaking, phytocannabinoids work by interacting with our endocannabinoid system (ECS).
The ECS is a complex signaling system that helps to regulate various bodily processes – including mood, digestion, sleep, appetite, pain perception, and inflammatory response.
The ECS has receptors in the immune system, central nervous system, peripheral nervous system, and the hematologic systems (made up of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets). It’s made up of the following three main components…
- Endocannabinoids – a type of cannabinoid produced by the body that regulate several bodily functions including sleep, mood, pain, and appetite.
- Receptors – which endocannabinoids (cannabinoids produced by the body) and phytocannabinoids (cannabinoids produced by the cannabis plant) have the ability to bind to
- Metabolic enzymes – these help to break down endocannabinoids and phytocannabinoids once they’ve served their function
Simply put, when you inhale or ingest cannabis, phytocannabinoids attach to receptors in your ECS and modify various bodily processes. Studies show that, as a result of this interaction, THC and CBD have the potential to improve pain, inflammation, and anxiety.
What are the potential benefits of medical cannabis treatments for chronic pain?
Chronic pain – defined as pain experienced for at least three months – is currently the number one condition treated at medical cannabis clinics. There are various health conditions that can cause chronic pain, including arthritis, migraines, back pain, fibromyalgia, and ulcerative colitis.
Many people with chronic pain are prescribed opioids, which are powerful pain-reducing medications such as codeine, oxycodone, and morphine. However, despite opioid prescriptions more than doubling in the UK between 1998 and 2018, research has found little evidence that they’re beneficial for relieving long-term, chronic pain.
Opioids also carry a high risk of addiction and dependence, and research shows that side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, and constipation, are very common.
In light of this, alternative treatment methods, such as medical cannabis, have become increasingly popular. According to Releaf, 30,000 private patients currently receive cannabis-based medicines each year and 68% of UK adults have said they’d consider it as a treatment option.
Dr David Tang, Medical Director at Releaf, says, “Many conditions that lead to chronic pain often respond poorly to conventional pharmaceutical medications. Chronic pain comes with a variety of associated symptoms, such as poor sleep, fatigue, brain fog, and reduced appetite – all of which treatment with medical cannabis can improve.”
Although research is limited and more robust studies are needed to validate the experiences of the thousands of patients experiencing positive effects, we will outline some of the basic studies, such as this research, that suggests people using medical cannabis for chronic pain could experience a 30-50% reduction in pain, compared to those who take a placebo.
Take this study, for example, where roughly 90% of participants said, via self-reporting, that medical cannabis was very or extremely helpful in treating conditions like anxiety, chronic pain, insomnia, and depression. Of those in the study who’d been taking opioids before being prescribed medical cannabis, 79% were able to stop or reduce their use of them.
We’ll take a closer look at the effects of medical cannabis treatments on some health conditions linked with chronic pain below.
Note: It’s important to note that while initial findings into medical cannabis are promising, further research is needed before any concrete claims are made about its effectiveness.
Medical cannabis treatments for arthritis
Arthritis is a common condition that causes pain and inflammation in the joints. There are various types of arthritis, but some of the main types include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout.
There’s currently no cure for arthritis, but some research suggests that medical cannabis treatments may have the potential to relieve pain, inflammation, and anxiety in patients.
In this study, which recommends a follow-up clinical trial for stronger results, cannabidiol (CBD) helped to reduce pain and inflammation, and improved physical mobility and sleep quality in people with arthritis. Most study participants also reduced or stopped their use of other medications entirely after taking CBD.
Other research found that CBD gel significantly reduced joint swelling and pain-related behaviours in rats with arthritis. Plus, this study found that CBD may help to reduce pro-inflammatory immune responses and decrease endogenous pain (pain that has no obvious external cause) – both of which are common in arthritis patients.
As a result of improvements in pain, anxiety, and inflammation, it’s possible that medical cannabis may also improve sleep quality, which is something many people with arthritis struggle with.
Medical cannabis treatments for back pain
Back pain is complex and can be difficult to diagnose because it can originate in the nerves, bones, muscles, or ligaments.
Some of the most common causes of back pain include sciatica (causes sharp, shooting pain down one or both legs); spinal stenosis (a narrowing of the spinal canal); and degenerative disc disease (where cushions between the vertebrae in the spine deteriorate).
These conditions are often treated with physical therapy, painkillers, and anti-inflammatories. Further research is needed into the effects of medical cannabis for treating back pain specifically, but some limited early studies have shown promising results, with many calling for additional robust studies.
For example, in this study, when people with chronic pain were treated with medical cannabis, they reported reduced pain, better sleep, and overall quality of life. Another research paper also noted medical cannabis as a potentially effective treatment for back pain.
Other studies have found that medical cannabis may help to reduce muscle spasms in the back, as well as pain intensity.
Medical cannabis treatments for fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes pain throughout the body, along with symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, muscle aches, and digestive issues.
According to Releaf, medical cannabis treatments may help to reduce inflammation and discomfort related to fibromyalgia. It also notes that specific types of medical cannabis treatments may be particularly effective for alleviating fibromyalgia pain.
This study is one example of this – and found medical cannabis particularly helpful for those who felt standard medication hadn’t worked.
Other research has linked medical cannabis treatment with better pain management, mood regulation, cognitive function, and motivation in people with fibromyalgia.
Medical cannabis treatments and migraines
Migraines are a common neurological condition that causes severe headaches, fatigue, and sensitivity to light or sound. More than six million people in the UK suffer from migraines, and there are over 190,000 migraine attacks per day.
Research has found that medical cannabis shows great promise in reducing nausea, migraine intensity, and migraine frequency. The study also noted that medical cannabis was 51% more effective in reducing migraines than non-cannabis products.
In another study of adults with migraines who took medical cannabis, migraine frequency decreased from nearly 11 headaches per month to less than five.
Are there any downsides to medical cannabis treatments?
Just like all forms of treatment, whether natural or pharmaceutical, there are important safety considerations to be aware of when it comes to medical cannabis treatments and while initial studies on medical cannabis show promise, they may not meet the rigorous standards of UK regulatory bodies, so the studies mentioned should be considered preliminary and not conclusive.
Most importantly, it’s essential to always seek the advice of a doctor who’s registered to prescribe medical cannabis before trying any cannabis-based medicines.
While many cannabis-based products are available to buy online, their quality and content is unknown – meaning they could be potentially illegal and/or dangerous. Similarly, not all cultivars and medical cannabis products may be suitable for certain conditions. So, it’s important to always speak to an experienced medical cannabis practitioner who’ll be able to determine the correct treatment plan for your circumstances.
The side effects of medical cannabis are typically less severe than many pharmaceutical options, but they’re still important to consider. According to Releaf, the side effects of medical cannabis can include…
- Dry mouth
- Red eyes
- Dizziness
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
- Low blood pressure
- Racing heartbeat
- Altered mental state
Medical cannabis treatments are generally considered safe. However, Releaf advises that medical cannabis should be taken in moderation and only under the guidance of a doctor or health professional, as there’s evidence that long-term use may lead to cognitive decline in some people.
Am I eligible for medical cannabis?
According to Releaf, 51% of UK adults may be eligible for medical cannabis treatments. So, if you’re currently suffering with chronic pain and have found alternative medications to be ineffective, it’s worth checking your eligibility.
You don’t need a severe health condition to qualify for Releaf’s services; your eligibility will be based on your symptoms and medical history. However, you must have tried at least two conventional doctor-prescribed treatments for your condition first.
If you’re eligible, you can place your order directly on Releaf. You can select to subscribe to Releaf or ‘pay-as-you-go’. Subscribers get several benefits including a free medical cannabis treatment starter kit (for those prescribed cannabis flower) and a medical card which proves your legal right to carry and consume medical cannabis.
Releaf provides ongoing care for their customers; with access to a patient support team; at least four clinician appointments a year; and regular check-in appointments to ensure your prescription continues to meet your needs.
You can read more about the process of checking eligibility, assessing a clinician, and managing your Releaf subscription on the Releaf website.
Final thoughts…
Chronic pain can be debilitating and difficult to live with. And since conventional treatment options have been found to be relatively ineffective, many people are on the lookout for a solution.
So far, research into medical cannabis as a treatment option for chronic pain is promising, and according to Releaf, more people may be eligible than they thought.
To find out more about Releaf and their services, you can head over to their website.
Do you have any experience of medical cannabis that you’d like to share? We’d be interested to hear from you in the comments below.