Comparative Effectiveness of Cannabis versus Plai Ointments for Neck and Shoulder Pain Relief in Staffs of Renu Nakhon Hospital, Nakhon Phanom Province
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Abstract
Introduction and objective: Neck and shoulder pain is the common cause of chronic pain, affecting health status, quality of life, mood status and treatment costs. Currently, the herb “cannabis” is used in the form of oil and spray to treat pain in cancer patients. Nevertheless, clinical evidence to support the effectiveness of cannabis ointments for neck and shoulder pain relief is still lacking. This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of cannabis versus plai ointments for neck and shoulder pain relief.
Methods: Participants were staff members of Renu Nakhon Hospital, Nakhon Phanom province that were outpatients at the Renu Nakhon Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine Clinic from November 2021 to March 2022. They were diagnosed with neck and shoulder pain by a Thai traditional medical doctor. Sixty participants who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were equally randomized into two groups by simple random sampling without replacement method. They applied the ointments at the neck and shoulders twice daily for 14 days. The levels of pain were determined by patients using numeric rating scale (NRS; score 0-10). Data records, general information and information/symptoms about the history of neck and shoulder pain, were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation. Mean NRS scores of the differences from baseline were compared within and between the two groups and analyzed using paired t-test and unpaired t-test, respectively.
Results: Both cannabis and plai ointments could significantly reduce neck and shoulder pain. NRS scores were significantly lower than the baseline (P<0.001) on day 7 in the cannabis group and day 3 in the phai group. However, there were no significant differences between the two groups. No side effects were found in this study.
Discussion: In this quasi-experimental study, due to several limitations, especially the herbal odors, both sides of the experiment could not be concealed. The pain measurement scales also had limitations and patients’ individual topical applications might be different; and they could affect the drugs’ efficacies.
Conclusion and recommendation: Cannabis ointments can relieve neck and shoulder pain; so it may be a herbal choice for external use for such condition.
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