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Smoking pot may help relieve MS pain
Smoking pot may help relieve MS pain
- Some patients said they felt too high smoking marijuana to relieve their spasticity
CBC News
Posted: May 14, 2012 11:59 AM ET
Smoking marijuana may help relieve the muscle tightness and pain of multiple sclerosis, a small U.S. study suggests.
Many people with MS often suffer from spasticity, an uncomfortable and disabling condition in which the muscles become tight and difficult to control. Spasticity can be controlled with medications but the symptoms may continue or the anti-spasticity drugs may carry adverse effects such as drowsiness, sedation, and muscle weakness.
Most trials testing medical marijuana have focused on oral forms.
Now a randomized trial has put smoked cannabis to the test against placebo for 30 people with MS whose spasticity resisted treatment.
"Using an objective measure, we saw a beneficial effect of inhaled cannabis on spasticity among patients receiving insufficient relief from traditional treatment," Dr. Jody Corey-Bloom, of the department of neuroscience at University of California, San Diego and her co-authors concluded in Monday's issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
"Smoked cannabis was superior to placebo in symptom and pain reduction in participants with treatment-resistant spasticity."
In the study, the average age of participants was 50 and 63 per cent were female. More than half of the participants needed walking aids and 20 per cent used wheelchairs.
An examiner who did not know which treatment the subjects received assessed the intensity of muscle tone for all participants.
Test lower doses of marijuana
Those smoking marijuana experienced an almost one-third decrease on a scale of spasticity of 2.74 points from a baseline score of 9.3 compared with those smoking a placebo.
Although the marijuana was "generally well-tolerated," smoking it was accompanied by acute cognitive effects such as "feeling too high."
The participants were asked to refrain from smoking marijuana in the month before screening and the three-day testing period. They all had toxicological tests to check.
After 11 days, participants crossed over into the other treatment group so those who'd smoked a placebo then smoked cannabis.
The medical marijuana used in the study contained 4 per cent delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, which the researchers said resembled the strength of cigarettes most commonly available in the community at the time of the study.
Two participants withdrew from treatment because they felt uncomfortably "high," two had dizziness and one had fatigue. Another had pain unrelated to the study and another withdrew saying the schedule was too demanding.
The researchers called for more study to see if different doses could help spasticity with less cognitive impact.
The study was funded by the University of California, Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2012/05/14/marijuana-multiple-sclerosis-spasticity.html
- Some patients said they felt too high smoking marijuana to relieve their spasticity
CBC News
Posted: May 14, 2012 11:59 AM ET
Smoking marijuana may help relieve the muscle tightness and pain of multiple sclerosis, a small U.S. study suggests.
Many people with MS often suffer from spasticity, an uncomfortable and disabling condition in which the muscles become tight and difficult to control. Spasticity can be controlled with medications but the symptoms may continue or the anti-spasticity drugs may carry adverse effects such as drowsiness, sedation, and muscle weakness.
Most trials testing medical marijuana have focused on oral forms.
Now a randomized trial has put smoked cannabis to the test against placebo for 30 people with MS whose spasticity resisted treatment.
"Using an objective measure, we saw a beneficial effect of inhaled cannabis on spasticity among patients receiving insufficient relief from traditional treatment," Dr. Jody Corey-Bloom, of the department of neuroscience at University of California, San Diego and her co-authors concluded in Monday's issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
"Smoked cannabis was superior to placebo in symptom and pain reduction in participants with treatment-resistant spasticity."
In the study, the average age of participants was 50 and 63 per cent were female. More than half of the participants needed walking aids and 20 per cent used wheelchairs.
An examiner who did not know which treatment the subjects received assessed the intensity of muscle tone for all participants.
Test lower doses of marijuana
Those smoking marijuana experienced an almost one-third decrease on a scale of spasticity of 2.74 points from a baseline score of 9.3 compared with those smoking a placebo.
Although the marijuana was "generally well-tolerated," smoking it was accompanied by acute cognitive effects such as "feeling too high."
The participants were asked to refrain from smoking marijuana in the month before screening and the three-day testing period. They all had toxicological tests to check.
After 11 days, participants crossed over into the other treatment group so those who'd smoked a placebo then smoked cannabis.
The medical marijuana used in the study contained 4 per cent delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, which the researchers said resembled the strength of cigarettes most commonly available in the community at the time of the study.
Two participants withdrew from treatment because they felt uncomfortably "high," two had dizziness and one had fatigue. Another had pain unrelated to the study and another withdrew saying the schedule was too demanding.
The researchers called for more study to see if different doses could help spasticity with less cognitive impact.
The study was funded by the University of California, Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2012/05/14/marijuana-multiple-sclerosis-spasticity.html
Tammy - there is a pill form currently on the market; it's called Cesamet (nabilone) and was originally developed to help chemo patients to deal with nausea and increase their appetite. I was on it last year at a high dose; found that while it helped with my neuropathic pain (not spasticity) but it made me too stoned so I went off it. My neurologist has me on a much lower dose to give it another shot. So far, no pain relief, not stoned, but hungry! Not sure it's right for me but I'll give it a fair trial first.
Medical marijuana has been available in Canada for many years. I haven't gone that route yet but I may. A close friend who is HIV+ uses it and it provides him with much relief. He uses a vaporizer rather than smoking it which I've never tried.
And I quite like the smell! Reminds me of being young. :) Funny how different smells can elicit such strong reactions and memories, both + and -.
Medical marijuana has been available in Canada for many years. I haven't gone that route yet but I may. A close friend who is HIV+ uses it and it provides him with much relief. He uses a vaporizer rather than smoking it which I've never tried.
And I quite like the smell! Reminds me of being young. :) Funny how different smells can elicit such strong reactions and memories, both + and -.
puff pufff give!!! You know I believe there are many things that the green stuff can do for you health wise!!
This will be a very good thing for some people. I went to an event last month, and they said that an oral medication based on marijuana was being developed in Europe, but that it was unlikely to come to the U.S.
I'm not sure I'd like it anyway... One of my paternal aunts smoked marijuana daily. Even the memory of the smell makes me queasy. I guess I'd need more info on how it works, and what the side effects are. Even then, I'd personally only use a pill form. I've just got too many negative childhood issues associated with it.
On the other hand- my husband got a bit excited at the thought that perhaps I could bring some home legally! ;o)
Tammy
I'm not sure I'd like it anyway... One of my paternal aunts smoked marijuana daily. Even the memory of the smell makes me queasy. I guess I'd need more info on how it works, and what the side effects are. Even then, I'd personally only use a pill form. I've just got too many negative childhood issues associated with it.
On the other hand- my husband got a bit excited at the thought that perhaps I could bring some home legally! ;o)
Tammy
This is something I never even thought about, but anything that decreases spasticity and pain sounds very intriguing!
That would depend on how often one used marijuana and the strength of the dose. Obviously the risk increases the more one uses.
For many the pain relief is worth it.
For many the pain relief is worth it.
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