Chicago, IL: Patients with epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a rare blistering skin condition, often report using cannabis to mitigate pain, itching, and other symptoms, according to survey data published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Investigators affiliated with Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago surveyed 244 EB patients.
Forty-four percent acknowledged having used either cannabis or CBD to treat their condition. Among cannabis consumers, 28 percent reported that cannabinoids provide greater pain relief than traditional medications.
“Cannabinoids are used by nearly half of all EB patients with notable improvements in pain, itch, and overall wellbeing, suggesting that cannabinoids could be a promising new therapy for EB symptom management,” the study’s authors concluded.
Case reports have previously documented that the topical use of CBD by patients with EB is associated with a “reduction in pain and blistering,” “rapid wound healing,” and “the objective need for less analgesic [medicines].” The oral consumption of cannabis extracts has also been associated with pain mitigation in EB patients.
Full text of the study, “Cannabinoids for epidermolysis bullosa symptom management: A survey,” appears in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.