Patients who are living with hypermobility disorders report significant improvements in pain management, sleep quality, and anxiety levels after using cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs), according to new research published in the journal ACR Open Rheumatology.
Researchers from Imperial College London and the Curaleaf Clinic analysed data from the UK Medical Cannabis Registry, examining outcomes for 161 patients with hypermobility spectrum disorder (HSD) or hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS).
Both HSD and hEDS are characterised by joint hypermobility and instability that can lead to chronic pain. These conditions are estimated to affect around 3% of the UK population, with women more commonly affected than men.
Participants reported marked improvements in pain management, sleep quality, and anxiety levels following treatment with prescribed cannabis flower or oil.
Researchers analysed patients’ self-reported outcomes at the beginning of treatment and at one-, three-, six-, and eighteen-month intervals. The findings showed consistent improvements across all measured parameters, with pain, sleep, and anxiety showing the most notable positive changes.
While no life-threatening adverse effects were recorded during the study, 30% of participants reported mild side effects, primarily headaches and lethargy.
“An association was identified between patients with HSD/hEDS with chronic pain and improvements in pain-specific and general health-related quality of life following the commencement of CBMPs. CBMPs were also well tolerated at 18 months,” the study authors said.
These results align with a growing body of patient testimonials about the effectiveness of cannabis in managing symptoms such as nerve pain, sleep difficulties, and general quality of life issues associated with hypermobility disorders.
However, the researchers acknowledge limitations in the study design, noting that an observational study without a control group cannot prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship between CBMPs and the outcomes. “These findings must be interpreted within the context of the limitations of study design but add further weight to calls for randomised controlled trials,” the study noted.
