Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) consists of a myriad of conditions causing jaw pain and dysfunction and the muscles controlling jaw movement. One type of pain is myofascial pain, which is associated with deep, aching muscle pain around the jaw, often resulting in later neck and shoulder pain. Traditional treatments include self-care like eating soft foods and over-the-counter anti-inflammatories. But how can Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD) be used to relieve myofascial pain in patients suffering from TMD?
Now, a team of researchers from Brazil might be one step closer to better understanding the role of cannabis in treating myofascial pain. For their study, which was recently published in the journal Clinics, the team investigated how a combination of THC and CBD drug therapy could be used to not only decrease myofascial pain while also enabling TMD patients to regain jaw function. Over a 90-day period, 20 adults suffering from myofascial pain due to TMD were given gradual increases of THC and CBD starting from 2mg and eventually 10mg near the end of the trial.
The goal of the study was to ascertain the role of THC and CBD on treating myofascial pain and improving jaw movement and function. In the end, the researchers found that not only did the participants report an approximate 90 percent reduction in pain, but they were able to open their jaws approximately 4 mm wider than before the THC/CBD treatment.
“Cannabinoid therapy was effective in reducing painful symptoms in TMD patients, associated with relevant functional improvements in mandibular opening, protrusion, and laterality compared to placebo,” the study concluded. “These findings indicate the clinical potential of cannabinoids as a promising therapeutic alternative for managing TMD, highlighting the need for future studies with larger samples and randomized designs to validate and enhance the action mechanisms.”
How will THC/CBD help alleviate myofascial pain in the coming years and decades? Only time will tell, and this is why we science!
As always, keep doing science & keep looking up!
