Cannabis and Managing Endometriosis Pain: Survey Highlights Patient Experiences

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A recently published study examined how cannabinoids can be used as a therapeutic treatment for the chronic inflammatory disease, endometriosis (1). As explained in the study’s introduction, research suggests that the pathophysiology of the endocannabinoid system and endometriosis are connected. Researchers aimed to gauge how often cannabis was used to alleviate pain from endometriosis and if it helped reduce pain medication use.

Results from the cross-sectional survey, “Cannabis use in endometriosis: the patients have their say—an online survey for German-speaking countries,” were published in the Archives of Obstetrics and Gynecology in August 2024.

The online survey was distributed via a direct link and also to endometriosis support groups through social media – the link was active from August to December 2022. Researchers analyzed responses from 912 of the participants, who were ages 18 and older and were living in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Cannabis use was illegal in the countries at the time the survey was conducted. As stated in the study, notable results included:

• 114 (17%) participants reported using cannabis for self-management of symptoms
• Cannabis was rated as the most effective self-management strategy to reduce symptom intensity (self-rated efficacy 7.6 out of 10)
• Additionally, about 90% of the participants were able to use cannabis to decrease their pain medication intake
• The greatest improvement with cannabis use was observed in sleep (91%), menstrual pain (90%), and non-cyclical pelvic pain (80%)
• Apart from increased fatigue (17%), side effects from using cannabis were infrequent (≤ 5%)

Researchers noted that previous data and studies on cannabis as a treatment for endometriosis is limited and does not support its use, yet surveys from various countries have revealed the self-managed use of cannabinoids for pain reduction. “Self-management strategies are commonly used in several parts of Europe, with cannabis being described as the most effective method for managing endometriosis-related symptoms,” the researchers explained. “The study indicates that there is a significant interest and demand for additional therapeutic options, and cannabis can potentially become an important part of a multimodal therapy approach for treating endometriosis.”

Most of the participants indicated that they would be interested in using a medical cannabis product (80% of respondents were interested in a CBD product and 66% for a THC product) to treat endometriosis symptoms, especially if prescribed by a physician, though prescribing cannabis has previously been proven to be a challenge in German-speaking countries.

Reference

1. Jasinski, V., Voltolini Velho, R., Sehouli, J. et al. Cannabis use in endometriosis: the patients have their say—an online survey for German-speaking countries. Arch Gynecol Obstet (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-024-07652-6