Can medical cannabis help with Long Covid?
6 min read
Sarah Sinclair
Millions of people in the UK are living with the effects of long covid. As many of the symptoms overlap with those of other conditions that can be managed with cannabis-based medicines, there is a growing interest in medical cannabis treatments for this population.
Contents
What is Long Covid?
Long covid, or post-covid syndrome, refers to persistent or new symptoms developing at least eight weeks following an initial Covid-19 infection. While Covid-19 itself usually lasts from a few days to a few weeks, those with long covid experience ongoing symptoms that can vary in severity.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), an estimated 2 million people in the UK were experiencing self-reported long covid as of January 2023, with symptoms found to adversely affect the day-to-day activities of 1.5 million of those.
As it is a relatively new condition, there’s still a lot that researchers don’t know when it comes to long covid. However, its symptoms do overlap with those other post-viral syndromes and conditions such as ME/CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome), leading to comparisons between these.
Who is at risk of long covid?
Long covid can affect people of all ages and doesn’t seem to be linked to the initial infection severity. Even mild cases have been documented to result in persistent symptoms.
However, some research suggests that certain factors, such as pre-existing health conditions, gender, race and ethnicity may increase the risk of developing long covid.
Long covid symptoms
Long covid affects everyone differently. According to the NHS, some of the most common symptoms include:
- Extreme tiredness (fatigue)
- Shortness of breath
- Problems with memory and concentration ("brain fog")
- Heart palpitations
- Dizziness
- Joint pain and muscle aches
However, there are lots of other symptoms which people report following an initial Covid-19 infection, such as:
- loss of smell
- chest pain or tightness
- difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
- pins and needles
- depression and anxiety
- tinnitus, earaches
- feeling sick, diarrhoea, stomach aches, loss of appetite
- cough, headaches, sore throat, changes to sense of smell or taste
- Rashes
Long covid treatment
Currently, there is no standard treatment for long COVID and care is often focused on managing symptoms through interventions such as physical therapy and mental health support. Meanwhile, new research is ongoing to understand the condition and potentially develop targeted treatments
Medical cannabis and long covid
Many of the symptoms of long covid, including fatigue, pain, sleep disturbances and anxiety, are also common in other conditions that can be successfully managed with cannabis-based medicines. As a result, there has been interest in exploring its potential to offer some relief for long covid patients.
Anxiety and depression
Mental health issues such as anxiety and depression can be common in long covid patients, partly due to the stress of living with a chronic illness, but may potentially be linked to neurological changes associated with Covid-19. CBD is known for its calming and anxiolytic effects and high-CBD strains may help with cognitive impairment.
Pain
Cannabis has been found to be effective in reducing pain for various conditions, including fibromyalgia and arthritis. Both THC and CBD are thought to interact with receptors in the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which can modulate pain perception. Some long covid patients also experience neuropathic pain, which may be alleviated by reducing inflammation in the nerves.
Sleep
Sleep disturbances, including insomnia, are prevalent in long covid, which then exacerbates fatigue and brain fog. Medical cannabis may help improve sleep quality, especially in strains with higher CBD content, which can promote relaxation and a sense of calm. THC in lower doses may help induce sleep, but should be monitored carefully by qualified healthcare professionals.
Brain fog
Long covid “brain fog” is characterised by difficulties in memory, concentration, and mental clarity. CBD has been studied for its neuroprotective effects and might aid cognitive function. Research suggests that it may support neurogenesis and reduce neuroinflammation, potentially aiding in the repair of neural pathways impacted by covid-19.
What research is there on cannabis and long covid?
There is limited research into the effects of medical cannabis on long covid so far, and it is an area which would benefit from further investigation and clinical trials.
A review of the existing research published by researchers at Drug Science in 2023 identified ‘multiple lines of evidence’ to support the use of cannabis-based medicines in long covid. As explored above, the authors highlight how previous studies have reported their potential for alleviating chronic pain, as well as symptoms of anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances.
While there is a lack of research specifically looking at the effects of cannabis on fatigue, there have been reported benefits in other conditions where this is common, such as fibromyalgia.
The same researchers also carried out a preliminary feasibility trial of a high CBD oil in patients with long covid, the findings of which suggest that CBD-dominant cannabis medicines are safe and well-tolerated in individuals diagnosed with long covid.
Other research has indicated that cannabis-based medicines may have the potential to reduce inflammation caused by Covid-19 infection, as an antiviral agent, and in managing symptoms of dysautonomia. This is a disorder of the autonomic nervous system which can cause symptoms such as palpitations, fatigue, sleep difficulties, cognitive impairment, breathlessness, and dizziness and which has been linked to long covid.
Can I get a prescription for medical cannabis with long covid?
If you’re experiencing pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances or any of the other symptoms of long covid and think you may benefit from treatment with medical cannabis, it’s important to do so under the guidance of a medical professional.
You can use the Releaf eligibility checker to determine if it's right for you and if appropriate you will be invited to schedule an appointment with a specialist consultant.
You can find out more about medical cannabis via the FAQs page or by contacting a member of the team.
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Sarah, a distinguished journalist with over a decade in publishing and communications, now excels in cannabis health and policy journalism in the UK, advocating for informed health decisions through her award-winning work.
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