Cannabis is one the most loved plants. The most widely used drugsAll over the globe. There are only a few countries in which cannabis can be legally used recreationally. However, there are many countries that have legalized cannabis. For medical reasons.
How to reduce painThis is the number one reason people use medical cannabis. A US survey found that 80% of respondents said they use medical cannabis. 17 percent of respondentsAnyone who reported that they had used cannabis within the last year was prescribed medical cannabis.
When it comes to self-medication, the numbers are even higher – with estimates that Between 17-30%Adults in Australia, Europe and North America report using it to manage pain.
While cannabis and cannabis-derived products such as CBD may be used widely to reduce pain, its effectiveness in this regard is still unknown. This is the conclusion of our recent systematic review. meta-analysisAttempted to uncover.
Our study was published by the Journal of the American Medical AssociationThis suggests that cannabis is No better for relieving painIt is more effective than a placebo
Our study looked at the results from random controlled trials where cannabis was used to treat pain. Studies that measured the intensity of pain before and after treatment were included. We reviewed 20 studies that involved nearly 1,500 individuals.
The studies we included looked at a variety of different pain conditions (such as neuropathic pain, which is caused by damage to the nerves, and multiple sclerosis) and types of cannabis products – including THC, CBD and synthetic cannabis (such as nabilone). These treatments could be administered in many ways including pills, sprays, oils, and smoked.
The majority (62 percent) of the participants were females and ranged in age from 33 to 62. Most of the studies were conducted in the US, UK or Canada – though we also included studies from Brazil, Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Israel, the Czech Republic and Spain.
Our meta-analysis found that patients felt pain less after receiving a placebo. This was in contrast to the person who received cannabis. Each individual experienced a moderate or large effect. Our research also found no difference in pain relief between cannabis and placebo.
This confirms the Results of a meta-analysis for 2021. This meta-analysis from 2021 found that placebo responses were higher in high-quality studies with better blinding methods (where participants and researchers are not aware of who is being given the active substance),
This could indicate that some placebo-controlled trials of cannabis failed to ensure proper blinding. This may have resulted in an overestimation regarding the effectiveness of medical marijuana.
The study revealed that many participants could distinguish between active and placebo cannabis, even though they have the same smell, taste, appearance, and taste. Participants who are aware they are getting or not receiving cannabinoids are more likely than others to give biased assessments of the effectiveness of the intervention. Participants cannot know what they are receiving to ensure that researchers can observe the real effect of cannabis.
Media coverage
We also looked at how the media covered the studies to determine if it was related to the therapeutic effects participants reported. This was because of research that has shown that information on the internet and media coverage can be effective in promoting health. These factors can have an impact on the expectationsThe amount of treatment a person receives.
Altmetric was used to measure media presence. This is a method that evaluates mentions of a study on blogs and social media. Academic impact was determined by the number and quality of citations made by other researchers. There were 136 news articles in media and blogs.
The coverage on cannabis’ effectiveness in treating pain was classified as either positive, neutral or negative. A majority of news reports reported that cannabis was effective in relieving pain. This means that cannabis is often covered positively in media, regardless of the results of any study.
Many examples exist that show the connection between Expectations for treatment and placebo responses. A person may believe that they can get relief from pain by using a particular product or treatment. This could lead to a change in their behavior. You end up perceiving incoming pain signals – making them think their pain is less severe. The placebo effect works even when evidence is not presented. Contrary to our initial expectations.
The high placebo response we observed in our study cannot be attributed to media coverage. But given placebos were shown to be just as good as cannabis for managing pain, our results show just how important it is to think about the placebo effect and how it can be influenced by external factors – such as media coverage.
We need to be more rigorous when it comes to cannabinoids treatments that are often the focus of media attention. Clinical trials.
Filip GedinPostdoctoral Researcher, Pain Research Karolinska Institutet.
This article was republished by The ConversationUnder a Creative Commons License Please read the Original article.
