Open AccessMedical Cannabinoid in Pain Management after Spinal Cord Injury
Author(s) -
Songjin Ri,
Ilhyok Kang
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
nursing and primary care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2639-9474
DOI - 10.33425/2639-9474.1188
Subject(s) - medicine , gabapentin , pregabalin , duloxetine , neuropathic pain , amitriptyline , spinal cord injury , chronic pain , anesthesia , spinal cord , physical therapy , psychiatry , alternative medicine , pathology
After spinal cord injuries pain remains chronically in many cases and it and its secondary complcations delay their recovery and induce poor prognosis in them. Some drugs such as anticonvulsants (gabapentin, pregabalin), tricyclic antidepressants (amitriptyline, desipramine) and serotonin–noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (duloxetine) are recommended as the first-line treatment for chronic pain and topical lidocaine (which only acts locally), opioids are additionally recommended as second options. However, chronic pain syndrom remains as a common compaint and non-manageable status in many SCI-patients. In recent years several alternative approaches such as Botulinum toxin A therapy and medical cannabinoids have been studied and recommended more in clinical practice. Actuelly medical use of cannabinoids are allowed in some countries and applied wiedely. Medical cannabinoids have been known as a safe and effective therapy and showed the positive effets in pain reduction and improvement of life quality in SCI patients from previous clinical studies. Further discussion is necessary for the safety and effetive application of medical cannabinoids.