title: Cannabinoids for pain management.
abstract: Cannabinoids have been used for thousands of years to provide relief from suffering, but only recently have they been critically evaluated in clinical trials. This review provides an in-depth examination of the evidence supporting cannabinoids in various pain states, along with an overview of potential adverse effects. In summary, there is strong evidence for a moderate analgesic effect in peripheral neuropathic and central pain conditions, and conflicting evidence for their use in nociceptive pain. For spasticity, most controlled studies demonstrate significant improvement. Adverse effects are not uncommon with cannabinoids, though most are not serious and self-limiting. In view of the limited effect size and low but not inconsequential risk of serious adverse events, cannabinoids should be employed as analgesics only when safer and more effective medication trials have failed, or as part of a multimodal treatment regimen.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thaler
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Steven P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D009128:Muscle Spasticity / Q000188:drug therapy; D009619:Nociceptors; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D002186:Cannabinoids