A study of 2,000 adults has found eight in 10 people with regular pain issues such as back pain, arthritis, and fibromyalgia are struggling with day-to-day living.
The study, produced by medical cannabis provider Curaleaf Clinic found that 40 per cent of people living with regular pain issues can’t remember the last full night’s sleep they had. The same percentage reported they couldn’t comfortably exercise, 30 per cent struggle with household chores, while 27 per cent even have trouble getting up and down stairs.
Even getting dressed proves to be a near-impossible task for 15 per cent, while 19 per cent can’t tackle DIY jobs.
However, 37 per cent of all adults polled have struggled to get appointments from their GP and a quarter (23 per cent) of all patients waiting to see a pain specialist have been waiting longer than 6 months. One in 20 have felt so desperate that they resorted to illicitly-sourced substances to help manage pain.
Of the 46 per cent who are regularly prescribed medicine to help manage their pain or physical condition, 45 per cent say it hasn’t helped, and 6 per cent say it has worsened despite being prescribed medication.
Over two-fifths (43 per cent) of individuals said they had taken more medication than recommended, to manage their pain in the past 12 months. Almost a fifth (16 per cent) report they have to resort to this often or very often, while 13 per cent have taken medication that was prescribed to someone else.
The study also found 56 per cent of adults in pain say they are still searching for a treatment that truly works, with 16 per cent reporting that they’ve had to reduce their working hours due to their health condition, and 15 per cent saying they’ve had to stop working altogether.
The research was commissioned by Curaleaf Clinic as part of its ‘Painful Conversations’ campaign, which aims to empower patients to take back control of their health and explore alternative therapies when other treatments have failed.
Following the poll, Dr. Emeka Okorocha, said: “It’s disheartening to see some people resorting to extreme measures in an attempt to alleviate their suffering, sometimes with minimal relief. When conventional treatments don’t work, it’s possible to explore alternative therapies, but to do so with the input from trained medical professionals. Embracing non-traditional approaches can offer some hope for those in desperate need, where conventional methods might have fallen short.”
Dr Simon Erridge, Director of Research at Curaleaf Clinic added: “Being in constant pain is something that millions have to deal with, and unless it’s part of your life, it’s hard to imagine what a toll it takes not only physically, but mentally as well. As a doctor, I have heard this from patients first-hand, but ultimately there are limited options available for patients with chronic pain. This is one of the key reasons why I have spent the past 5 years dedicated to researching the effects of medical cannabis on pain, in the hope that we may be able to offer more options to people suffering with chronic pain in the future.”
Jenn Sharp was diagnosed with osteoarthritis, multiple sclerosis, and functional neurological disorder – which has caused her to endure excruciating physical and mental pain over the years.
She had been prescribed numerous over-the-counter opioids and painkillers – but none of the medications proved to be effective and, in many instances, led to her developing stomach issues to the point that she was forced to stop taking them.
For many years, Jenn was stuck in a cycle of recurring visits to her doctors to continue being prescribed medication and opioids that proved ineffective.
To avoid NHS waiting lists Jenn was forced to take out private health insurance and see private doctors which ended up costing her a substantial amount of money. In 2022, Jenn began using medical cannabis in an attempt to alleviate the physical symptoms of her osteoarthritis.
She said: “While I still live with the physical pain of my conditions, I’ve found a significant difference between when I use medical cannabis compared to when I don’t with the pain diminishing significantly.
“It has become an important part of my strategy to cope with pain, working together with my existing medication.
“Without medical cannabis I still find walking very painful, but when I am able to use it, I am able to get some relief.”
These results follow on from on a study commissioned by Curaleaf Clinic in September 2022, which showed that 1 in 10 patients with chronic pain are turning to cannabis in an attempt to treat their chronic pain a part of the estimated 1.8 million people turning to self-procured cannabis to self-treat their health conditions.
