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Muscle Spasms

Medical cannabis for muscle spasms
In recent years, cannabis-based medicines have become a viable option for many patients living with these conditions. Some evidence indicates that, among other benefits, cannabis-based medicines may be useful in managing muscle spasms.

So, is medical cannabis a muscle relaxant? Let’s take a closer look at the evidence for medical cannabis treatment in the conditions mentioned above.

Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells. This can cause significant damage to the brain and spinal cord leading to a wide range of movement, sensory, and cognitive symptoms.

Despite being made legal in November 2018, to this day, cannabis-based medicines are only recommended by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for NHS use in three conditions: rare forms of treatment-resistant epilepsy, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and spasticity in multiple sclerosis.

Medical cannabis and multiple sclerosis
Muscle spasms and stiffness are some of the most common symptoms of MS, affecting between 60% and 84% of people throughout the progression of the disease. Spasticity can have a significant impact on the quality of life of individuals living with MS. As such, a number of studies have focused on the potential of medical cannabis in the management of this common symptom.

A 2022 review aimed to establish this potential, noting that most clinical studies have demonstrated the positive effects of cannabinoids in reducing most MS symptoms. For example, several studies, including a 2013 double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study, found that Sativex (1:1 THC:CBD) was associated with significantly reduced spasticity scores in patients with MS.