A study on the use of cannabis edibles and impacts on chronic pain delivers some interesting findings in relation to lower back conditions.
The study was part of a broader investigation examining the effects of cannabinoids in edible form (such as gummies) on pain relief, inflammation, and cognitive dysfunction in chronic pain patients who choose to use marijuana to try and help manage their symptoms.
The inclusion criteria was quite stringent. For example, not using cannabis more than weekly in the past 6 months, and not for lower back pain. It even excluded those who use nicotine products or were experiencing any other acute illness.
In the study, 249 participants were tracked over 2 weeks of ad libitum (“as desired”) use and assessed for effects on pain, mood and intoxication. Participants selected an edible cannabis product and were grouped by THC, CBD, or THC + CBD. There were 96 in the CBD-dominant group, 117 for THC + CBD group, and 36 assigned the THC-dominant group.
Among the findings:
- A significant correlation between higher THC dose and short-term pain relief.
- THC was associated with higher levels of subjective cannabis drug effects (e.g. intoxication), whether or not CBD was also present in the product.
- Acute CBD dose was primarily associated with short-term tension relief, but there were no associations between CBD dose and acute pain.
- Higher THC doses were associated with increases in tension.
With regard to “tension”, subscales from the Profile of Mood States (POMS) were used to measure acute positive and negative mood effects; which also included elation. The tension subscale consisted of four items – nervous, anxious, unable to relax, and shaky/jittery. The elation subscale included joyful, euphoric, elated, and cheerful.
In conclusion, the researchers stated:
“These findings support the short-term analgesic effects of THC and anxiolytic effects of CBD and further suggest that orally-administered THC and CBD should continue to be evaluated for the potential to provide both acute and extended relief from chronic low back pain.”
“Anxiolytic” refers to a drug’s anti-anxiety effects.
The full study report has been published in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology.
