Small Harvard Study Shows 'Real World' Medical Cannabis Treatment May Help With Chronic Pain
Cannabis treatment can significantly help with chronic pain, according to a new study conducted by Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital in Boston.
Thirty-seven patients enrolled in the study with various chronic pain conditions such as neuropathy, joint pain and arthritis, reports Pain News Network. The group was observed for six months while taking cannabis products.
Patients had either never used cannabis, or sustained from using it for a minimum of one year prior to the research.
The study revealed that those who used medical cannabis daily for six months experienced notable advancements in their overall health status: less pain and anxiety, better sleep and mood.
What’s more, patient usage of opioids dropped by 13% and 23% on average after three and six months of medical cannabis treatment, respectively.
The drop in opioid usage wasn't enough to be marked as fundamental, the report said.
“This naturalistic study of medical cannabis (MC) patients with chronic pain provides preliminary evidence that ‘real world’ MC treatment may be a viable alternative or adjunctive treatment for a least some individuals with chronic pain,” wrote lead author Staci Gruber, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.
“As results also revealed that individual cannabinoids appear to exert unique effects on pain and comorbid symptoms, more research is needed to potentially optimize cannabinoid-based treatments for pain.”
TCH For Pain Relief, CBD For Mood Enhancement
The study found that higher THC consumption was connected to pain relief, while CBD intake was related to mood improvement.
