One-hundred percent (100%) of people with migraine headache, fibromyalgia or irritable bowel syndrome who use medical marijuana for a minimum of 30 days report a reduction in pain and discomfort, a 6-month study^[2] conducted by Care By Design found.

People included in the survey suffer from a range of different conditions, and some suffer from multiple conditions, including:

• Psychiatric disorders (24%)
  • Anxiety, PTSD, depression, autism, addiction
• Inflammatory conditions (19%)
  • Arthritis, rheumatism, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome
• Pain (14%)
  • Neuropathic pain, headaches, migraines, fibromyalgia
• Central nervous system disorders (12%)
  • Multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
• Cancer-related symptoms (12%)

Cannabis and Well-Being

“A majority of patients (88.2%) reported that cannabis therapy improved their overall sense of wellbeing,” the study found. “Patients with fibromyalgia, headaches and migraines, PTSD and anxiety reported the greatest improvement in general wellbeing (as compared to other patient groups).”

Cannabis and Pain

“A majority of all patients (72.6%) reported a decrease in pain or discomfort. All patients (100%) with headaches and migraines, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and spinal cord injury reported a decrease in pain or discomfort. Less than 1% of patients reported an increase in pain or discomfort after CBD-rich cannabis therapy. (All patients reporting an increase in pain reported using CBD for ALS.)”

Cannabis and Mood

“A majority of all patients (64.2%) reported an improvement in mood.  All patients (100%) with PTSD and spinal cord injuries reported an improvement in mood. Some patients with sleep problems (8%) and cancer (3%) reported a worsening of mood. While a majority of patients taking CBD-rich cannabis for “general wellbeing” rather than for a specific medical condition reported improved mood (66.7%), this group was also the most likely to report a worsening of mood (16.7%).”

Cannabis and Energy Levels

Half of all patients (50.4%) reported no change in energy level. The patients most likely to report increased energy levels were those with inflammation (64.0%), fibromyalgia (57.1%), and PTSD (55.6%).  Patients with headaches or migraines were the most likely to report reduced energy levels (37.5%).

The survey was conducted by Care by Design, which sells CBD cannabis sprays, oils and vape cartridges, so the survey has some weaknesses.  A high percentage of survey participants (42%) reported that they did not know the ratio of CBD-to-THC they were taking.

“This report represents preliminary data based on less than one thousand patients. It is not meant to provide patients with guidance on dosing or medical treatment. Rather, it is meant to suggest possible areas for additional research.”

By The National Pain Report

References

1. ^{^} The National Pain Report (nationalpainreport.com)
2. ^{^} study (blog.sfgate.com)