JERUSALEM, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Israeli researchers have found that cannabis can reduce pain in patients suffering from chronic pains, the Hebrew-language newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Tuesday.
The study was conducted by Sagol Brian Institute and Chronic and Acute Pain Center at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center.
The cannabis plant has already been used by millions of patients worldwide to relieve and treat a variety of medical problems.
The study examined how cannabis affects the mechanisms in the brain and thus reducing the sense of pain.
Researchers examined 15 patients with chronic pain caused by nerve damage.
Each patient was tested twice with cannabis and placebo including a functional brain scan before and after treatment as well as a questionnaire on the level of pain.
The researchers found that after cannabis therapy, there was significant pain relief compared to placebo. The level of pain improvement was also observed in brain scans.
No significant changes were found in other measures such as anxiety levels, blood pressure and pulse.
