Understanding the Evidence for Medical Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Chronic Pain
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47611/jsr.v10i2.1226Keywords:
Chronic pain, Medical cannabinoids, Opioids, Pain management, Treatment, THC, CBD, Analgesic drugsAbstract
This paper is an examination of the existing literature on the use of medical cannabinoids for the treatment of adults with chronic pain (CP). The use of medical cannabinoids in the treatment of CP has been a controversial topic due to societal associations with the recreational use of cannabis and the lack of information as to their analgesic effects. This paper analyzes trends in how medical cannabinoids perform as an analgesic treatment for adults with CP, especially in comparison to opioids. Additionally, this paper explores any secondary effects participants may experience as a result of treatment with medical cannabinoids. It will be shown that, while medical cannabinoids have the potential to reduce pain in those suffering from CP, there are numerous factors that must be considered before they become an acceptable treatment option. In addition, there is evidence that the analgesic effects of medical cannabinoids may be primarily due to their intoxicating effect rather than their interaction with neural pain pathways. This review of existing literature acts to guide future research on the use of medical cannabinoids for the treatment of CP.
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