#PainAwarenessMonth – Ask an Expert with Dr Farrah Ayob

At the start of September we asked for your pain related questions to mark the start of #PainAwarenessMonth. We put them directly to two of our pain specialists, Dr Sunny Nayee and Dr Farrah Ayob.

In the first of our pain focused Q&A’s, here’s what Dr Farrah Ayob had to say:

Question: “I have epilepsy and diabetes neuropathic pain. I’m also not sleeping. I’ve never taken cannabis before, but the pain is killing me. Can this help me to sleep and to manage the pain?” 

Dr Farrah Ayob says: Yes, recent clinical trials have found that the active ingredient within medicinal cannabis is THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol) help to reduce neuropathic pain in various conditions, including peripheral neuropathy, fibromyalgia, spinal cord injury and post-surgical pain. 

Both compounds communicate with your body’s endocannabinoid system which is important in regulating many functions including sleep, mood, appetite and memory. 16 studies published recently showed that all cannabis based medicines were better than placebo in reducing pain intensity, sleep problems and psychological distress.

We’ll be publishing more responses from Dr Nayee and Dr Ayob very soon, so watch this space for more.