Chronic itch—known clinically as chronic pruritus—is characterized as an unrelenting and sometimes even debilitating sensation to itch, and often lowers the quality of life for those who suffer from it.
Treating the condition has been difficult because there are few Food and Drug Administration-approved therapies.
In a new study from Johns Hopkins Medicine, researchers found that a promising option for patients with chronic itch may already be available: medical marijuana (cannabis).
In the study, the team examined a woman in her 60s with a 10-year history of chronic itch. The patient initially arrived at the Johns Hopkins Itch Center with complaints of extreme pruritus on her arms, legs and stomach.
Upon a skin examination, numerous hyperpigmented, raised skin lesions were revealed.
Several treatments were offered to the patient—including several systemic therapies, centrally acting nasal sprays, steroid creams and phototherapy—but they all failed.
The team says that using medical marijuana—either by smoking or in liquid form —provided the woman with nearly instantaneous improvement.
They had the patient rate her symptoms using a numerical rating scale, where 10 is the worst itch and zero is no itch at all.
She started at 10 but dropped to 4 within 10 minutes after initial administration of the medical marijuana. With continued use of the cannabis, the patient’s itch disappeared altogether.
The researchers believe that one of the active ingredients in medical marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol—commonly known by its abbreviation THC—attaches itself to brain receptors that influence the nervous system.
When this occurs, inflammation and nervous system activity decrease, which also could lead to a reduction in skin sensations such as itchiness.
The team says that although conclusive studies have yet to be done to validate medical marijuana as an effective measure for the relief of previously unmanageable itch, they believe it warrants further clinical trials.
If you care about cannabis and your health, please read studies about most people using cannabis for pain relief have multiple withdrawal symptoms and findings of cannabis may provide strong pain relief, powerful inflammation therapy.
For more information about cannabis and wellness, please see recent studies about how eating marijuana may impact the body and results showing that marijuana may change autism-linked gene in sperm.
The study is published in JAMA Dermatology. One author of the study is Shawn Kwatra, M.D.
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