A brief summary of the condition, it’s causes,
common symptoms and treatment pathways
and how Medical Cannabis could help.
A brief summary of the condition, it’s causes,
common symptoms, treatment plans
and how Medical Cannabis can help.
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic pain condition that typically affects an arm or a leg. This often comes on after an injury or surgery. It’s characterized by severe pain that is disproportionate to the initial injury, along with other symptoms such as swelling, changes in skin colour and temperature, and can also affect hair and nail growth.
The disproportionate pain is the prominent symptom, as this is what has the biggest impact on quality of life.
Even the skin over the affected limb can be so sensitive to touch, that the slightest contact can cause intense pain.
Whilst pain is the most prominent feature, other symptoms can occur, such as tremors and muscle spasms, sensations such as extreme heat or cold to the skin, difficulty moving the affected limb.
CRPS is not very common, but this could be because not much is known about it, so it may well be undiagnosed in a lot of people.
The exact cause of CRPS isn’t fully understood, but it may involve a malfunction in the peripheral and central nervous systems.
Because of the complex nature of the symptoms, it’s unlikely the condition has a single, simple cause.
The condition usually seems to develop within a month of an injury such as a broken bone, sprain, burn or cut.
CRPS has also been known to occur after surgery to a limb or after part of a limb has been immobilised (for example, in a plaster cast).
There is no known cure for CRPS, but a combination of physical, medical and psychological approaches can help manage the symptoms.
It’s estimated around 85% of people with CRPS slowly experience a reduction in their pain and some of their symptoms in the first 2 years.
Pain killers include anti-inflammatories and neuropathic pain killers (such as pregabalin or gabapentin) and often anti-depressants can help.
Corticosteroids are also sometimes prescribed to reduce inflammation.
Psychological support is also important to manage the mental toll surrounding a chronic condition like CRPS.
The cannabinoids in medical cannabis, particularly tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) bind to the CB1 and CB2 receptors in the body’s endocannabinoid system and can reduce the perception of pain.
These cannabinoids can reduce hypersensitivity to stimuli, which is common in the different nerve pains involved with CRPS.
THC is the psychoactive compound in medical cannabis, associated with a “high” and binds to cannabinoid receptors in the brain and nervous system. It has shown to be effective in both pain relief and muscle relaxation.
CBD, which doesn’t produce a “high” like THC, has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties, which can help in conditions where inflammation contributes to pain and nerve damage.
Many people with CRPS struggle with sleep disturbances. Medical cannabis, especially strains with higher THC content, may improve sleep quality, which in turn can aid pain management and overall wellness.
Suffering from a medical condition can be awful, the last thing you want to do is wait months for treatment.
Making sure you are seen and treated as soon as possible is one of our top priorities.
Start your journey to a better quality of life with CB1 Medical today.
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4.8 overall rating on Google
May 2024
Where do I start?! I have to admit I was very nervous, considering I have tried numerous treatments for my fibromyalgia and EDS and had a medical prescription 3 pages long and really complex medical issues. I was in an awfully high level of pain, even with all that.
Every single staff member from reception, nurses, pharmacy and my lovely Dr Vanessa Hutchinson have been consistently friendly, professional, helpful and incredibly fast in progressing me from initial online enquiry to receiving my prescription (just under 2 weeks and we had the Easter 4 day break in-between!).
In this very short time, my pain levels have reduced significantly (as have my other medications!). I cannot recommend this clinic enough. Thanks CB1 MEDICAL 🙂
March 2024
Staff really nice, and keep in touch to monitor my progress and any questions I may have. I feel very comfortable talking about my situation as no judgement or negative feedback. I feel like my life, health and symptoms are being taken seriously but with care.
Follow up appointment over the telephone was relaxed, no rushing, he answered all the questions about my medication and progress without prejudice, sarcasm and was so easy and a breath of fresh air. I can say that if you are thinking of treatment and support like nowhere else then you will be in very caring and professional hands that really do make you feel that you are important and heard with respect and understanding. 5 stars are not enough.
October 2024
My life has been transformed since starting medical cannabis with CB1 Medical.
Dr Richard Pertwee was friendly and so knowledgeable. The relief I’ve experienced has been nothing short of miraculous. The quality of life I now have is something I never thought possible, started to smell the roses eg I’m incredibly grateful to you all.
Highly recommend it to anyone who is struggling or has ineffective medication.
April 2024
I know when you pay for an appointment, you expect a different service, but honestly, this is beyond what I expected. The appointments were scheduled quickly, and happened within days, mostly late evenings to fit around my work. The doctors listen and I didn’t feel like I was being judged as just a junkie after pain meds. That’s how I feel in an NHS appointment.
The meds were delivered quickly and I got to using them right away. In the last 11 days, I’ve used painkillers once, and only paracetamol. This is down from multiple painkillers multiple times every single day. And I sleep so much better as well.
