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Trigeminal neuralgia is a rare condition that causes people to experience unpredictable attacks of often excruciating, sharp, shooting pain to their face (often felt in the teeth, jaw, or gums). These attacks can happen up to 100 times a day, and can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes, greatly impacting the person’s quality of life, emotional wellbeing, and ability to function day-to-day. However, for those not responding to conventional approaches to trigeminal neuralgia management, medical cannabis may be an option worth exploring.
Contact usDisclaimer: The availability of consultations for Trigeminal Neuralgia depends on the availability of our specialist doctors. We encourage you to consult with our patient support team to determine if this treatment option is currently available.
Trigeminal neuralgia is a rare condition that affects around 8 in 100,000 people in the UK each year.
Of patients with trigeminal neuralgia reported an improvement after medical cannabis in patient survey.
Condition in the UK being treated with medicines derived from cannabis is chronic pain.
Of UK adults would consider medical cannabis treatments according to our representative research
“Having a medical cannabis card makes me feel better - and that counts“
Daisy, Releaf Patient
October 2023
Articles on Trigeminal neuralgia
View all29. 09. 2023
With the introduction of medical cannabis here in the UK, patients are now able to access cannabis based medical products (CBMPs) in the treatment of pain. And while this is great news for many, the world of CBMPs can be daunting – especially when there are so many cannabinoids at play.
29. 09. 2023
06. 09. 2023
If you are looking for a complementary pain management solution to add to your existing treatment plan, you are anything but alone. Right here in the UK, around 34% of the population (that's close to 15.5 million people) are affected by chronic pain. Chronic pain is an unwelcome passenger on the journey for many patients living with long-term medical conditions, and is a common symptom of countless diseases and illnesses.
06. 09. 2023
11. 04. 2024
As part of our Experts explain series, we sat down with Dr Sue Clenton, an expert Oncologist and Specialist Consultant at Releaf, to speak about medical cannabis treatments and chronic pain.
11. 04. 2024
Excruciating facial pain
Burning sensation
Throbbing
Constant aching feeling
Sharp, shooting pain
Low mood
Fatigue
If you are suffering from any of these symptoms. Please speak with your GP to find out more.
Normally, when trigeminal neuralgia is being treated by the NHS, anticonvulsant medications are the first type of treatment recommended to help relieve pain. If these are not found to be suitable, other analgesics may be explored, and sometimes surgery is considered.
Carbamazepine
Lamotrigine
Pregabalin
Gabapentin
Oxcarbazepine
Baclofen
Clinic Director
In the UK, patients who have not responded to traditional treatments for trigeminal neuralgia may be eligible for cannabis-based options through private healthcare clinics, like Releaf. This is because medical cannabis has demonstrated great potential in reducing pain severity, improving health related quality of life, emotional wellbeing, and sleep quality.
While there are only a limited number of studies that investigate the direct effects cannabinoid containing treatments can have on trigeminal neuralgia symptoms, there is sufficient supporting evidence that demonstrates its potential in treating pain, addressing sleep concerns, and reducing anxiety.
Surveys of patients with trigeminal neuralgia that have tried cannabis-based treatments do boast positive results and these treatments are usually well tolerated, with 81% of those involved in a US survey reporting an improvement in their symptoms following medical cannabis application.
But while clinical evidence and randomised controlled trials are still currently lacking in this area, it is important that medical cannabis applications are carefully monitored by qualified healthcare professionals. To find out if trigeminal neuralgia medical cannabis treatments may be right for you, fill out our eligibility checker.
