Cannabinoids can be an alternative to other forms of neuropathic pain treatment, or complement them, enabling a reduction in the dose of strong painkillers. According to data collected during a retrospective study, cannabis containing CBD and THC relieved pain and improved sleep quality in male and female patients with chronic neuropathic pain. According to the study authors, cannabis also has the advantage of acting quickly and causing fewer side effects than conventional medications.

Cannabis with THC relieves neuropathic pain: new study

A retrospective study conducted by researchers at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf examined the effects of cannabis treatment on people with chronic neuropathic pain. The aim was to assess the therapeutic benefits of medical cannabis treatment as an alternative treatment option with few side effects.

The results were published in the journal Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids are based on the assessment of 99 German patients, male and female, aged 20 to 81. Each of these individuals experienced additional symptoms related to neuropathic pain, particularly sleep problems.

People taking part in the study inhaled a medical herbs with THC content between 12-22%, at a daily dose of 0.15 to 1g. The researchers collected data on pain intensity and sleep disturbances, assessed the patients' general condition, and assessed their tolerance of high-dose cannabinoid therapy. Participants were followed for six months.

At the beginning of treatment, the average pain level among study participants was 7.5 on a 10-point scale, with 96% people rating their pain level at over 6. During the first 6 weeks of cannabis therapy, the average level pain among patients and the patient rate dropped to 3.75.

At the first follow-up visit, 90% patients reported an improvement in their overall condition. By the study's peak, this figure had increased to 99% (97 of 99 individuals). No serious side effects were reported during the study, and 91% reported that the therapy was well-tolerated. Subjects also noted improved sleep quality. Pain relief, which occurred in the first weeks of therapy, persisted throughout the study.

No serious adverse effects were reported during the six-month study (these may include psychosis, rapid heartbeat, breathing problems, or deficits in vital functions such as sleep and sexuality). Participants reported only minor side effects, such as dry mouth (5.4%), fatigue (4.8%) and increased appetite (2.7%).

Neuropathic pain: where does it come from, what are the conventional treatments?

Neuropathic pain is caused by damage or disease to the somatosensory nervous system. It is usually chronic and persistent, often refractory to pharmacological analgesic treatment.

It can occur spontaneously or be triggered by various stimuli (mechanical, thermal, chemical). It is described by those experiencing it as burning, stinging, throbbing, stabbing, stabbing, electric shock-like, or squeezing.

Neuropathic pain can be continuous with flare-ups or intermittent. Its location isn't necessarily related to the nerve damage; the pain can "radiate" to other parts of the body.

Sleep disorders are one of the main ailments coexisting with severe pain and an important parameter of effectiveness treatment neuropathic pain. Effectiveness treatment is assessed also taking into account the condition patients' mental health, their subjective quality of life and general health.

The causes of damage to the nervous system that causes neuropathic pain include:

diabetes,
shingles,
cancers and their invasive treatment,
metabolic and endocrine diseases,
kidney failure,
autoimmune diseases,
rheumatic diseases and arthritis,
alcohol abuse,
viral and bacterial infections,
toxic effects of drugs,
exposure to environmental or industrial toxins.

Importantly, not every damage to the nervous system results in neuropathic pain. At this stage of knowledge, it is not precisely known what factors influence the development of pain in some individuals following nerve damage. The development of neuropathic pain is a multifactorial process, triggered by the involvement of neurobiological (including genetic), demographic, psychological, and social mechanisms.

Pharmacological treatment of neuropathic pain includes many types of medications with different mechanism of action, including medications such as antidepressants, antiepileptics, local and general anesthetics, which support the functioning of the nervous system and its regeneration. Interventional methods for treating neuropathic pain are also available, such as nerve blocks, thermolesion, and physiotherapy.

Cannabis treatment for neuropathic pain is becoming increasingly popular.