In recent studies, medical marijuana has appeared to be effective in helping with the pain associated with Sickle Cell Disease.
According to a fairly new clinical trial’s results, co-led by University of California, Irvine (UCI) researcher Kalpna Gupta and Dr. Donald Abrams of UC San Francisco, cannabis could have wide-reaching effects. Opioids are currently the primary treatment to ease the chronic and acute pain suffered by those afflicted with sickle cell disease. Because of the increasing opioid epidemic, many doctors are looking to explore other options when it comes to pain management.
What is Sickle Cell Disease?
Sickle Cell Disease, or SCD, is a common inherited blood disorder that effects the shape of the red blood cells which carry oxygen throughout the body. In sickle cell anemia, some red blood cells are shaped like sickles or crescent moons. These sickle cells also become rigid and sticky, which can slow or block blood flow.
An estimated 70,000 to 100,000 Americans are effected by this disease. There is no cure for sickle cell disease except for a bone marrow or sickle cell transplant.
Medical Marijuana and Sickle Cell Disease
“These trial results show that vaporized cannabis appears to be generally safe,” researcher Kalpna Gupt, a professor of medicine on the faculty of University of California Irvine’s Center for the Study of Cannabis.
The trials also suggest that sickle cell patients may be able to mitigate their pain with cannabis. It also suggests that cannabis might help society address the public health crisis related to opioids. Researchers evaluated the participants’ pain levels throughout the treatment period and found that the effectiveness of cannabis, which contained equal parts THC and CBD, appeared to increase over time.
The study period lasted five days. In that five-day period, the participants reported that pain interfered less and less with their activities. These activities included walking and sleeping. There was also a significant drop in how much pain affected their mood. While there are more tests and research that needs to be done, medical marijuana seems to show signs that help decrease chronic pain.
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