Chronic neuropathic pain poses a persistent challenge, and medical cannabis is emerging as a beacon of hope in the treatment landscape. However, the scarcity of robust, disease-specific data has left a critical gap in understanding the true potential of medical cannabis for this condition. However, recent retrospective study shows how to bridge this gap. It has shed light on the impact of medical cannabis on 99 cases of chronic neuropathic pain.
Checking medical cannabis effects
So first, how did the researchers conduct the study? It was an observational study, where the research focused on patients grappling with chronic neuropathic pain. The treatment approach involved inhaling medical cannabis. The medications were distinguished by tetrahydrocannabinol content ranging from 12-22%.
Patients received a daily dose of 0.15-1 g. Later the got the follow-ups at regular intervals of 4-6 weeks. These follow-ups aimed to assess several key parameters, including pain severity, sleep quality, general improvement, side effects, and therapy tolerance.
The evaluation employed interviews and statistical analyses, employing the non-parametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test to compare follow-up data with baseline information.
Pain treatment: research results
The findings of this study underscore the potential of medical cannabis in the realm of chronic neuropathic pain. Over the span of six weeks, a significant reduction in median pain scores was observed—from 7.5 to 4.0. Equally noteworthy was the decline in the percentage of patients experiencing severe pain, dropping from 96% to 16%. Furthermore, the study revealed substantial improvements in sleep quality, as indicated by a noteworthy decrease in median sleep disturbance scores—from 8.0 to 2.0. Impressively, these positive outcomes were not fleeting, remaining sustained for up to six months.
The safety profile of medical cannabis in this context is particularly reassuring. No severe adverse events were reported during the study period, and the incidence of mild side effects was relatively low. Participants reported mild side effects such as dryness in mucous tissue (5.4%), fatigue (4.8%), and increased appetite (2.7%). Most notably, a striking 91% of participants reported therapy tolerance during interviews, indicating a positive reception to the medical cannabis treatment approach.
Medical cannabis as a safe treatment
In conclusion, the results of this retrospective study paint a compelling picture of medical cannabis as a safe and highly effective intervention for chronic neuropathic pain. The sustained positive effects, minimal side effects, and high therapy tolerance reported by participants position medical cannabis as a promising avenue for those grappling with the challenges of chronic neuropathic pain.