CBD Oil May Improve Anxiety and Depression Related to Chronic Pain

LAS VEGAS — Patients with chronic pain may perceive improvements in pain, sleep, anxiety, and depression with the use of hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) oil, according to a study presented at PAINWeek 2019, held September 3-7 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

A total of 648 patients using CBD oil containing <0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol were included in the study. A standard 11-point Likert scale was used to assess the perceived benefits of the CBD product on chronic pain and associated conditions (ie, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and overall function), with 0 indicating no change and 10 indicating complete resolution.

Study participants reported using CBD oil for a mean duration of 122±8 days. The mean improvements were 4.81 to 6.48 for pain, 5.56 to 6.15 for insomnia, 5.36 to 5.94 for anxiety, 5.08 to 5.93 for depression, and 5.06 to 5.50 for overall function. A 4-time daily dosing of CBD oil was associated with statistically significant improvements in pain and related conditions compared with once-, twice-, or 3-times-daily dosing of the product.

Study limitations include its retrospective nature, the lack of a placebo control, and the reliance on self-reports for assessment of outcomes.

“Physicians and other healthcare professionals can use these data to help lower the opioid morphine equivalent dose, decrease the use of prescription sleep aids, and decrease the use of benzodiazepines for anxiety,” lead study author Daniel C. Roth, DO, told Clinical Pain Advisor. “Overall, CBD may be a clinically useful tool in combating the opioid epidemic, as it relates to controlled substances involved in accidental and illicit overdose deaths.”

Reference

Roth D, Ailinani H, Straub T, Henriksen B, Alonzo R. Cannabidiol: a retrospective review of patient outcomes for pain, sleep, anxiety, depression and function. Presented at: PAINWeek 2019, September 3-7, 2019; Las Vegas, NV. Poster 15.

This article originally appeared on Clinical Pain Advisor