Peripheral neuropathy – how cannabis medicines can help

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Integro Clinics explores how cannabis medicines could help patients living with peripheral neuropathy.

Peripheral neuropathy develops when nerves in the body’s extremities, such as the hands, feet and arms, are damaged. The symptoms depend on which nerves are affected and can be extremely painful and unpleasant for the patient. 

In the UK it’s estimated almost one in 10 people aged 55 or over are affected by peripheral neuropathy, making it a remarkably common condition.  Yet strangely it is not a term that many people could tell you what it was, if you asked them.

At chronic pain clinics, doctors are increasingly seeing that cannabis-based medicines, that facilitate the re-balancing of the human body’s endocannabinoid system, can prove very effective in easing the pain of this condition. 

The peripheral nervous system is the network of nerves that lie outside the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord). It includes different types of nerves with their own specific functions, including:

• Sensory nerves – responsible for transmitting sensations, such as pain and touch
• Motor nerves – responsible for controlling muscles
• Autonomic nerves – responsible for regulating automatic functions of the body, such as blood pressure and bladder function

The main symptoms of peripheral neuropathy are especially prevalent in the feet and can include: numbness and tingling in the feet or hands, burning, stabbing or shooting pain in affected areas, loss of balance and co-ordination, muscle weakness. These symptoms are usually constant but may come and go depending on the individual patient.

Often symptoms creep up on a patient starting with tingling or loss of sensation in the feet, loss of balance or weakness, a cut or ulcer on your foot that’s not getting better. It’s also recommended that people at highest risk of peripheral neuropathy, such as people with diabetes, have regular check-ups.

A GP will ask about your symptoms and may arrange some tests to help identify the underlying cause. You may be referred to hospital to see a neurologist, a specialist in health problems affecting the nervous system.

Generally, the sooner peripheral neuropathy is diagnosed, the better the chance of limiting the damage and preventing further complications.

What is the cause of peripheral neuropathy?  

In the UK diabetes (both type 1 and type 2) is the most common cause of peripheral neuropathy. Over time, the high blood sugar levels associated with diabetes can damage the nerves. This type of nerve damage is known as diabetic polyneuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy can also have a wide range of other causes.

For example, it can be caused by: physical injury to the nerves, a viral infection, such as shingles or a side effect of certain medicines, drinking too much alcohol or abusing drugs.

Treatment for peripheral neuropathy depends on the symptoms and underlying cause. Not all of the underlying causes of neuropathy can be treated. For example, if you have diabetes, it may help to gain better control of your blood sugar level, stop smoking and cut down on alcohol.

Nerve pain may be treated with prescribed medicines called neuropathic pain agents. However traditional painkillers often do not work and can have unpleasant side effects over time, such as addiction and brain fog. If you have other symptoms associated with peripheral neuropathy, these may need to be treated individually. For example, treatment for muscle weakness may involve physiotherapy and walking aids. 

It is becoming apparent that the new forms of cannabis medicine available on prescription at clinics such as Integro can be incredibly helpful in the treatment of peripheral neuropathy.

Sophie Hayes RN specialist nurse at Integro Clinics said: “Cannabis medicines can be useful in the management of neuropathy. THC is an effective neuropathic pain killer.

“We support many chronic pain patients who experience neuropathy as a key symptom of their condition and often find that when their pain is better controlled, their sleep also improves with cannabis medicines, which they can vape or take in the form of oil. This can significantly improve quality of life.”

The patient’s perspective

Integro patient Christine Waller, 43, who found herself in agonising pain with her condition explained: “Medical cannabis really helps me with my peripheral neuropathy. The pain can be excruciating and debilitating, especially during the colder months. I can now watch my daughter play football at the weekends without having to keep a hot water bottle in my hands and toe warmers on my feet. I still need to wear gloves outside, but the pain is dramatically reduced, meaning I don’t have to take codeine for the pain and soak my hands and feet in hot water to stop the pain.”

The long-term outlook for peripheral neuropathy varies, depending on the underlying cause and which nerves have been damaged. Some cases may improve with time if the underlying cause is treated, whereas in some people the damage may be permanent or may get gradually worse with time.

If the underlying cause of peripheral neuropathy is not treated, you may be at risk of developing potentially serious complications, such as a foot ulcer that becomes infected. This can lead to gangrene if untreated, and in severe cases may mean the foot has to be amputated.

Peripheral neuropathy may affect the nerves controlling the automatic functions of the heart and circulation system (cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy). You may need treatment to increase your blood pressure or, in rare cases, a pacemaker.

This is a complicated condition that may affect only 1 nerve (mononeuropathy), several nerves (mononeuritis multiplex) or even all the nerves in the body (polyneuropathy). Polyneuropathy is the most common type and starts by affecting the longest nerves first, so symptoms typically begin in the feet. Over time it gradually starts to affect shorter nerves, so feels as if it’s spreading upwards, and later affects the hands.

If you, or anyone you know, is suffering from this condition and traditional medicines have not given you the relief you need, there is help available. One of our nurses or doctors at Integro Clinics would be delighted to discuss your personal symptoms and case history. Please contact us at Integro Clinics.

Integro Clinics Ltd always recommends remaining under the care and treatment of your GP and specialist for your condition while using cannabis-based medicines, and the Integro clinical team would always prefer to work in collaboration with them.

If you would like further information, or to make an appointment for a medical consultation, please contact us at Integro Clinics:  

www.integroclinics.com

 Contact@integroclinics.com

Twitter: @clinicsintegro

• Study: Novel CBD strain shows promising effects on pain
• How cannabis could help chemo-induced neuropathy – study
• New study to examine if cannabis can be used for diabetic nerve pain
• MPs call for government to “stop dragging their feet” on medical cannabis
• “It got me back on my feet”: The story behind Cumbria’s first CBD company