Medical Cannabis | Medical Conditions Treated With Cannabis

Conditions

Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is defined as pain lasting longer than 3 months, giving otherwise adequate time for healing.

Chronic pain can have a significant impact on patient wellbeing and mental health.

1 in 4 UK adults suffer with a chronic pain syndrome.

Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome

Chronic regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a painful long-lasting condition where the body has an exaggerated response to injury.

People may experience pain in response to sensations which normally would not be painful in addition to skin sensitivity and skin changes.

CRPS affects 1 in 4,000 people every year.

Neuropathic Pain

Neuropathic pain is caused by damage or dysfunction in one or more nerves, causing pain signals to be sent to the brain.

Around 7 in 100 people in the UK have chronic neuropathic pain.

Musculoskeletal Pain

Musculoskeletal pain (pain affecting the joints, bones or muscles) lasting more than 3 months is referred to as chronic musculoskeletal pain.

Chronic musculoskeletal pain is not just a physical problem but can also have significant impact on wellbeing and mental health. This can vary between patients but in some individuals can lead to complete loss of independence. Almost half of those with chronic pain also suffer with depression.

It is a common problem affecting up to 30% of UK adults at any time.

Ehlers Danlos Syndromes

Ehlers Danlos syndromes (EDS) are a group of conditions that cause an abnormality with connective tissues which make them more flexible. The most noticeable and commons symptoms are flexibility of the skin and joints (hypermobility).

EDS is thought to affect 1 in 200-500 people, however most are mild or even undiagnosed.

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes widespread pain that is felt in the muscles and tissues such as tendons and ligaments.

About 1 in 25 people will develop fibromyalgia during their life.

Chemotherapy Induced Nausea and Vomiting

Chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is a distressing symptom for cancer patients.

CINV is experienced by up to 75% of all cancer patients.

Cancer-Related Appetite Loss

Appetite loss (anorexia) is common for patients with cancer. Changes in appetite may be secondary to the cancer itself or side effects of treatment.

Almost all cancer patients will experience some form of change in appetite.

Cancer-Related Pain

A common worry amongst patients diagnosed with cancer is that they will develop pain at some point during their treatment.

Chronic pain affects around 30-50% of patients during their treatment.

Chronic pain is not just a physical problem but can also have significant impact on wellbeing and mental health.

Epilepsy – Adult/Child

Epilepsy is condition characterised by recurrent, unprovoked seizures.

1 in 100 people have epilepsy in the UK.

Anxiety

Anxiety disorders include generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), phobias, and panic disorder.

About 1 in 20 people in the UK suffer with an anxiety disorder at any specific time.

Insomnia

Insomnia is a sleep disorder where people have poor sleep. This may manifest as difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep, early wakening, or sleep that leaves you feeling unrefreshed.

1 in 3 adults may be affected by insomnia.

Appetite Disorders

Appetite disorders, also referred to eating disorders, are a broad range of conditions categorized by eating, exercise and body weight or shape becoming an unhealthy preoccupation of someone’s life.

Eating disorders can affect a wide range of the population, regardless of age, gender or ethnic background.

Depression

Depression is defined by having a persistently low mood and/or loss of pleasure in normal activities for at least two weeks.

Each year, 5 in 100 adults experience a period of depression.

Migraine

Migraines are moderate or severe headaches that are accompanied by other features such as nausea, and sensitivity to lights, noises, and movement.

6 million people in the UK suffer from migraine.

Cluster Headache

Cluster headache is a condition where severe attacks of pain affect one side of the head or face, often around the eye. These occur repetitively over a defined period of time before stopping.

Cluster headache affects 1 in 1,000 individuals over their lifetimes.

Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease is a condition that affects the nerves in the brain that help in co-ordinating muscle movements.

1 in 350 UK adults is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease is an autoimmune condition causing patches of inflammation in the gut wall, affecting any part of the gut.

145 in 100,000 adults in the UK are affected by Crohn’s disease.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic condition affecting the gut that can cause a wide range of different symptoms. It can often be difficult to diagnose as there are no scans or other tests which prove its existence. This is because the problem is with how the bowel works and there is otherwise nothing else wrong with the bowel.

It is thought to affect 20% of people at some point in their lives.

Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is an autoimmune condition causing continuous segments of inflammation in the gut wall, affecting the colon and rectum only.

2 in 1,000 adults in the UK are affected by ulcerative colitis.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterised by having recurrent distressing memories or flashbacks of a traumatic event(s).

3 in 100 people may develop PTSD during their life.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune condition, causing patches of inflammation in the brain and/or spinal cord.

MS affects around 1 in 600 people in the UK.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a condition where people develop anxiety-producing thoughts (obsessions), which they may attempt to relieve by performing an action (compulsions).

OCD affects 1 in 100 people in the UK.

Palliative Care

Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial, and spiritual.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a problem with behaviour which causes a range of symptoms including inattentiveness (problems with concentrating), hyperactivity (being too active) and impulsiveness (difficulty staying focused). ADHD is estimated to affect 5% of individuals worldwide. It is often diagnosed in childhood, but in some cases is not recognised until adulthood.

Autistic Spectrum Disorder

Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that has a broad range of effects including impaired social interaction and communication, but also causing repetitive behaviours.
People with ASD may also be affected by different responses to sensory inputs of sound and light. A proportion of patients with this condition may also have intellectual impairments. Impairments in each of these areas may range from mild to severe.

Tourette’s Syndrome – Adults

Tourette’s syndrome is a condition that is characterised by repetitive involuntary movements and/or sounds called tics. These tics serve no purpose and are typically difficult to suppress. Tics can be common during childhood, but people with Tourette’s syndrome have multiple tics that persist for more than one year. Up to 1% of individuals may experience Tourette’s syndrome in their lifetime. It is more common in males and symptoms typically start around 6 years old.

Agoraphobia

Agoraphobia is an intense fear of public places where you perceive that escape might be difficult. This tends to have a significant effect on quality of life by leading to avoidance of most public places and in severe cases may cause some individuals to be house bound. Agoraphobia can occur alone or concurrently with panic disorder or any other mental health illness.

Rare or Challenging Skin Conditions

In the UK, 60% of people are currently affected by a skin condition or have been in the past. 13 million GP attendances every year are thought to be for skin conditions, with over 2 million consultations taking place with a dermatologist (skin specialist).

These conditions and their treatment can vary according to the underlying condition affecting an individual. However, the impact of skin conditions on individuals is clear as up to 70% say that it affects their mental well-being.

Low Back Pain and Sciatica

In the UK, up to 60% of the population will expect to have low back pain at some point in their life. Around 20% of the population will consult with their GP to seek a solution for their lower back pain. Low back pain is defined as pain in the region between the bottom of the ribs and top of the legs.

Sciatica describes symptoms of pain, tingling, numbness, and occasionally weakness arising from impingement of nerve roots as they emerge from the spinal canal. This is normally felt from the buttocks and radiating to behind the knee. It is thought that between 5-10% of patients with non-specific low back pain also have sciatica.

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a condition defined by the growth of tissue similar to that of the lining of the womb (endometrium) outside of the womb itself. This tissue is typically found in or around pelvic structures such as the bladder, ovaries, colon and rectum.

It is estimated that around 10% of women between the age of 25-40 are affected by endometriosis, however the true prevalence is not known as some women may be asymptomatic. On average it takes 7.5 years from onset of symptoms to get a diagnosis of endometriosis.