Seniors with lower back and leg pain from spinal stenosis find relief with CBD, says new medical study

Elderly patients find relief from using CBD to treat leg and back pain, says new study

Spinal stenosis is a condition that occurs when the space within the spine is too small. This puts pressure on the nerves in the spine and spinal cord, causing pain in the neck and lower back.

Spinal stenosis usually affects men and women over the age of 50. However, younger individuals born with a narrow spinal canal are also at risk of the condition, as are those suffering from other spinal conditions such as scoliosis or injuries. Degenerative changes in the spine, such as those associated with arthritis, are the most common reasons people suffer from spinal stenosis. In mild cases, people have no symptoms, while others experience pain, numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness.

Treatment for spinal stenosis depends on the severity of the symptoms. Doctors typically prescribe NSAIDs and painkillers, although these pharmaceutical drugs can have dangerous side effects and can be addictive — and the addictions are life-threatening. Antidepressants, opioids, and anti-seizure medications may also be recommended. In severe cases, the use of physical therapy along with medication can improve symptoms.

However, there is a need for natural medications to relieve the symptoms of spinal canal stenosis. Cannabis can help.

A new study, conducted by researchers at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, analyzed the effects of hemp-based CBD gelcaps on 48 patients with a median age of 75, all of whom had spinal stenosis. The researchers reported that these patients, who all experienced lower back and leg pain, reported improvements after taking 15 mg of CBD from hemp twice a day.

They added that during the testing period there was a 2-point reduction on an 11-point scale. Patients’ quality of sleep, appetite, and overall quality of life were improved—and they experienced no side effects from using CBD.

“This open-label, prospective, observational study found that treatment with hemp-derived CBD gelcaps was associated with significant improvements in pain scores and multiple quality of life measures,” the researchers concluded. “CBD gel capsules have not been associated with any side effects. The use of CBD to relieve spinal stenosis pain is supported by the evidence in this study,” they wrote.

older studies

There are several other studies showing the effectiveness of cannabis for treating and improving symptoms of spinal cord disorders.

In a 2019 study, also by researchers at Thomas Jefferson University, they looked at patients suffering from spinal cord injury (SCI) who had also used cannabis. In a national sample, 42% of respondents reported being either current or former cannabis users. 63 percent of them said marijuana offered “great relief,” particularly for treating spasticity and pain. Meanwhile, 30% said it provided limited relief and just 6% said they felt no relief.

Most respondents also said that using marijuana was more beneficial in treating spinal cord injuries compared to prescription drugs. “Our results support the notion that MC (medical cannabis) may play an important role – either as an adjuvant therapy or as a monotherapy – in the management of a range of common symptoms experienced by individuals with SCI. There is certainly a need for accelerated clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of MC in chronic SCI, and there is no justification for the continued classification of cannabis as a Schedule 1 drug, a designation indicating that it has no accepted medical use ‘ the authors wrote.

A 2021 study conducted by researchers at the University of Sao Paolo sought to assess how CBD affected the motor functions of animal subjects – rats – that had cryogenically induced spinal cord injuries. The rats were given either CBD or a placebo by injections before, after and daily for 6 days after surgery.

The researchers concluded that treating the rats with CBD resulted in better motor skills after a week. “Cannabidiol improved motor function recovery and reduced the extent of injury, suggesting that it may be useful in the treatment of spinal cord lesions,” the researchers concluded.

Medical researchers have discovered several ways cannabis helps people with spinal cord injuries. For example, in a University of Manitoba study, synthetic cannabis called nabilone was given to people suffering from muscle spasms, which is a symptom of people with spinal cord injuries and other conditions. The researchers found that 90% of people given nabilone reported an improvement in symptoms.

CBD can also help relieve nerve pain associated with spinal injuries. Investigators of one study concluded, “We report that systemic and intrathecal (spinal injection) administration of cannabidiol (CBD), a key non-psychoactive constituent of marijuana, and its modified derivatives significantly suppress chronic inflammatory and neuropathic pain.”

It can also help relieve insomnia, bladder problems, and quality of life for patients.

Conclusion

More and more researchers and scientists are studying the effects of cannabis and CBD on spinal stenosis as well as other types of spinal disorders. The growing body of evidence we have to date shows that consuming marijuana products, whether orally or topically, is beneficial in treating a variety of symptoms associated with spinal disorders and injuries.

If you or a loved one have spinal cord disorders and are interested in exploring the use of cannabis products, be sure to speak to your doctor and let them know in advance of any existing medications you are taking.

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