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.
Sciatica is a pain in the Sciatic nerve, which travels from your lower back, through your buttock and down your leg and foot. You have a Sciatic nerve on each side of your body, and either one or both can be affected when people refer to ‘Sciatica’. The pain can be stabbing, burning, shooting or more of a numbness.
Sciatica is quite prevalent across the UK and is thought to affect 3-5% of people at some point in their lives. It is more common as people get older, and are prone to herniated (slipped) discs in the spine.
Direct trauma to the lower back, hips, or legs can also lead to Sciatica, as can injury from heavy lifting, twisting awkwardly, or prolonged sitting eg in a sedentary job.
Some chronic illnesses that affect the nerves, such as diabetes, can put people at higher risk of developing Sciatica.
As with other types of back or nerve pain, the main treatments for Sciatica revolve around improving pain and mobility, and preventing further nerve damage.
Gentle exercise, or more rigorous physiotherapy may be advised to strengthen surrounding muscles, and take the pressure off the Sciatic nerve.
Anti-inflammatory gels or oral medications may be advised, but these can have side effects such as stomach upset, so are often just prescribed in the short-term. Opiate based pain killers (eg codeine / morphine) are also often used.
If muscle spasms are severe, you may be prescribed a short course of benzodiazepines (eg diazepam) to enable you to mobilise better.
Medical cannabis can be effective in treating Sciatica, particularly when traditional painkillers have been ineffective or poorly tolerated.
The cannabinoids tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) interact with the endocannabinoid system, altering how pain is perceived.
THC binds to cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) in the brain and nervous system, reducing pain signals to and from the brain.
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 nerve damage.
Medical cannabis can help relax muscles, which can be beneficial for managing muscle spasms often associated with Sciatica.
People suffering from Sciatica often struggle with sleep disturbances due to chronic pain. 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.
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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.
