From the Project CBD Archives:

Cannabis Treatment for Aches & Pains

Adapted from “Medical Marijuana: Dr. Kogan’s Evidence-Based Guide to the Health Benefits of Cannabis and CBD by Dr. Mikhail Kogan and Joan Liebmann-Smith, PhD.

Cannabis Therapy for Headaches

New studies explore the analgesic effects of cannabis in migraine sufferers and the potential roles of THC, terpenes, and inflammation.



From the Project CBD Patient Survey:

See the full survey here.

2,202 survey respondents reported taking CBD for pain
65% Female | 33% Male | 2% Prefer not to say

The vast majority of participants taking CBD for pain stated that they turned to CBD because they had pain most, if not all, the time (87%). Many had identified multiple sources of pain, the most significant being inflammation. Almost 10% of participants with pain indicated in the comments field that they had arthritis and/or fibromyalgia. Other health issues were common among those with pain, in particular, sleep problems (51%), mood issues (typically anxiety and/or depression) (51%), hormonal conditions (15%), PTSD (14%), and gastrointestinal disease (12%).

Frequency of Pain:
Sources of Pain:
sources-of-pain
Changes in Pain Scores:

Participants were asked to rate their pain with and without CBD on a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 represented “a little pain” and 10 represented “the worst pain imaginable.” They were also asked about changes in the frequency, duration, and intensity of their pain. Participants reported meaningful improvement against all pain measures. Just under 90% of participants reported some improvements in the frequency and duration of their pain, with 60% reporting that CBD made these aspects “much better.”

changes-in-pain-score
Changes in Frequency, Duration & Intensity of Pain:

Most significant though was CBD’s impact on the intensity of pain. Almost 70% of participants reported that their pain intensity was “much better” with CBD; an additional 23% reported it was “a little better.” Without CBD, the average pain score was 6.85. With CBD, the average pain score was 2.76, representing an average decrease in intensity of 60%.

frequency-duration-intensity

In light of the well-known dangers of opiates, this suggests that CBD has significant potential as a non- toxic, non-addictive, alternative pain remedy.



Scientific Research on CBD, Cannabis & Pain: