With the wealth of studies that have been conducted regarding cannabis for pain relief, people living with chronic, neuropathic, and arthritic pain may have a legitimate alternative option for managing their pain.

Studies have suggested that cannabis based medicine may hold similar pain relief potential to traditional over-the-counter medications like analgesics.

It could provide a treatment for neuropathic pain, may be useful in the management of difficult to treat pain, and could offer relief for people living with conditions that cause joint pain and inflammation. 

Cannabis based medicine for chronic neuropathic pain relief 

Neuropathic pain is thought to be caused by damage or dysfunction to the central nervous system, and patients experiencing it have a longstanding relationship with cannabis. 

Whilst the exact cause remains a subject of debate, some early research suggests there may be a correlation between neuropathic pain and having an endocannabinoid deficiency

Research suggests that cannabis may hold great potential in the treatment of acute and chronic neuropathic pain stemming from a number of disorders. 

This could provide a much needed alternative to opioid based pain treatment. The UK currently give 12,500 daily opioid doses per million inhabitants which is a 35% increase over 10 years contributing to an 87% increase in opioid related overdoses. 

Compared to opioids, cannabis has a far better safety profile as a medication. No one has ever been known to die from a cannabis overdose. Dependency to cannabis is possible, but rare with far lower frequency and with lesser severity than opioid addiction. Smaller doses of opioids can also be used with cannabis as another way to reduce the risk of opioid addiction.

Studies regarding debilitating pain that occurs in between 50-70% of those who suffer from multiple sclerosis (MS) indicate that cannabidiol could be an effective treatment for this pain, which is thought to be similar to neuropathic pain. 

Another study established that over a two year period, cannabidiol was successfully used to manage the neuropathic pain experienced by people with MS without any evidence of tolerance and without serious adverse events.

Studies have even been conducted regarding the management of neuropathic pain related to chemotherapy, with researchers finding that cannabis could be a promising treatment in pain prevention for patients specifically using paclitaxel, the common chemotherapy drug. 

These findings are especially useful for people who are being treated for breast or ovarian cancer, as the drug may cause nerve damage, which can lead to pain and numbness.

Cannabis based medicine for arthritic pain and inflammation 

Another well-researched area is the relationship between cannabis oil and pain stemming from arthritis, which affects those suffering from both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. 

Pain related to conditions like rheumatoid arthritis have been classified as being “difficult to treat”. Despite this label, studies suggest that cannabis oil could potentially be effective in the treatment of joint pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis, with subjects reporting that they also experienced improvements in morning pain, both on movement and at rest. 

Additionally, CBD use has been observed to improve the sleep quality of people suffering from painful conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis (MS), and neuropathic pain. 
Other research points towards CBD oil having therapeutic effects on inflammatory pain, further suggesting its usefulness for those living with arthritis and other disorders that cause inflammation.

Interactions with other drugs 

Always check with a medical professional before taking a CBPM if you are already taking other medication. 

Sourcing high quality over the counter CBD products

Purchasing from credible suppliers of CBD products within the UK ensures that not only will it not contain illegal levels of THC content, but also that it’s manufactured using only the most trusted ingredients.