Can Medical Cannabis Ease the Global Pain Pandemic?

Pain is a global pandemic.

The leading cause of disability worldwide, and the most common reason people seek medical help, pain conditions go from head (migraines) to toe (arthritis).

Not only that, chronic pain (that is, pain that endures for 3+ months) affects roughly 1 in 3 people on Earth. Treatment options do exist, yet the most commonly prescribed (opioids) come with a chilling set of risks – like high tolerance, dependency, or even death. 

But a better way forward may be possible. 

In 2017, a review of around 10,000 studies concluded there is “substantial evidence” to support cannabis for chronic pain. Pair this with the fact medical cannabis was legalised in the UK in 2018, and there is newfound hope among healthcare experts and patients.

Let’s explore the science of cannabis pain relief, the conditions it could treat, and the many potential benefits for people living with pain.

Medical Cannabis for Pain: How It Works

First though – what is pain? Seems obvious, yet there are three distinct types:

• Somatic pain: What most people think when they think about pain. When you suffer an injury, receptors in your body send a distress signal to the brain, and the affected body part duly hurts.

• Visceral pain: This is when tissues or organs in the abdomen are stretched or affected due to an injury or disease. Unlike somatic pain, signals come from a specific type of receptor found in your gut, which sparks a feeling of abdominal pressure. Sometimes, visceral pain can feel like it’s coming from a different part of the body than is actually hurt.

• Neuropathic pain: When your nerves themselves suffer an injury. Often feels like burning, even when touched lightly. While painkillers are the go-to answer in other cases, neuropathic pain is more often treated by anti-depressant and anti-seizure drugs, or even surgery.

So, how does medical cannabis change all this?

Put very simply, it works by harnessing cannabinoids (compounds found in the cannabis plant) to bind to pain receptors and nerve cells, then slow down the pain response. This, in turn, eases discomfort.

The potential benefits of cannabis (also known as marijuana) for pain are clear. Anyone who has experienced an injury – even a short-term one, let alone chronic – will know what impact this has on day-to-day living, and quality of life. 

Likewise, the aforementioned risk of opioid-based treatments – such as gradually higher doses (as tolerance builds), the genuine risk of addiction and, when these two factors combine, the threat of accidental overdose. 

Any treatment that lowers (or, ideally, removes) these risks has to be taken very seriously.

Best Cannabis Strains for Pain

More than 60 cannabinoids and 400 separate compounds make up a cannabis plant, and the two active ingredients – THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol) – have quite different effects.

That said, while THC can cause a mind-based ‘high’ (due to its psychoactive nature) and CBD is thought to be more effective on the body, the blanket rule of ‘CBD for pain relief’ is not 100% true.

In reality, both can play a lead role on certain health conditions. THC for pain management is valid in its own right, whereas CBD and THC can sometimes be greater together, due to a phenomenon known as the entourage effect.

Cannabis Pain Treatment: Specific Conditions

If you have a chronic pain condition, you may qualify for a medical cannabis prescription – provided it comes from a licenced medical cannabis clinic, like Alternaleaf.

Health issues that medical cannabis has been shown to ease symptoms of include:

Cannabis for inflammatory pain

As a medical term, ‘inflammation’ is almost as far-reaching as ‘pain’ itself. Thankfully, various studies support the claim that medical cannabis is an effective anti-inflammatory. 

For instance, easing symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and multiple sclerosis (MS) alike.

Cannabis for arthritis pain

There is evidence to suggest CBD can bring wide-ranging symptom relief to arthritis patients. 

In a 2022 study, CBD duly had the most pronounced impact on pain, although participants also reported improved sleep and physical function.

Such findings are backed up by more studies, whereas other data implies a mix of THC and CBD may also prove effective.

Cannabis for neuropathic pain

Despite being the leading condition that affects the nervous system, chronic nerve pain is notoriously hard to treat. 

While it noted further studies are needed, a 2015 meta-analysis gave encouraging signs that medical cannabis may provide short-term neuropathic pain relief.

Cannabis for fibromyalgia

Research is ongoing to establish a reliable link between medical cannabis and fibromyalgia treatment, although the data that exists so far is promising.

For instance, a 2019 paper concluded medical cannabis “appears to be a safe and effective alternative for the treatment of fibromyalgia symptoms.”

More recently, a 2022 study was also optimistic, but was clear more research is needed.

Cannabis for back pain

Chronic lower back pain affects 25% of the population. As such, robust evidence that medical cannabis can help treat it could prove transformative long-term.

In a 2022 systematic review, researchers found “a quantifiable advantage of cannabis therapy for alleviating back pain” – mostly in high-THC, low-CBD medication.

Cannabis for cancer-related pain

There is reliable clinical data to suggest medical cannabis can ease chronic pain in cancer patients. 

In a historic study, high dose THC tablets gave patients significant pain relief. While it’s important to note the strength of dose (15-20mg) did cause sedation, this was balanced against the participants’ acute pain.

Cannabis for migraines

Often hailed anecdotally as a ‘cure’, studies are underway to prove the extent to which medical cannabis may help treat migraines. 

To that end, new research (so new it’s not yet peer reviewed) found that a mix of THC and CBD is especially effective – versus THC-dominant, CBD-dominant, and a placebo – at easing migraine pain.

Even better, benefits endured for 48 hours, with no negative side effects.

Risks and Side Effects

Every medication comes with potential risks, and medical cannabis is no different.

Side effects are rare, however, and may vary depending on THC and CBD content, as well as delivery method (e.g. oil, vaporiser, edible). Likewise, personal factors such as your past use, physiology and health condition could also play a role.

Don’t worry, your doctor will explain all this in detail, ahead of prescribing any medication.

Summary

• Chronic pain affects 1 in 3 people worldwide, and is the lead cause of disability. Thankfully, there is compelling evidence that cannabis can help treat various pain-related conditions.

• Medical cannabis may represent a safer alternative to certain opioid-based medications, where symptom relief is effective, but risks are serious – even deadly.

• Despite stereotypes that imply CBD alone (and not THC) can treat chronic pain, both strains offer specific therapeutic benefits, and sometimes work better in combination.

• Growing evidence suggests medical cannabis can help treat things like nerve pain, arthritis, inflammation, migraines, fibromyalgia and more. 

• Side effects of medical cannabis are rare, but possible. It’s vital you talk these through with your doctor, and also weigh any potential downsides against symptom relief.

For more information, or to find out if medical cannabis may help your condition, get in touch with Alternaleaf today.