Medical cannabis for Ehlers-Danlos syndromes is now a legal treatment option for eligible patients in the UK, and has been since November 2018. It may be considered for adults with Ehlers-Danlos syndromes who are experiencing chronic pain, poor sleep, mental health issues, and a range of other Ehlers-Danlos secondary symptoms. It does not treat the underlying connective tissue disorder, prevent joint dislocations, or replace conventional treatment options.
Releaf’s world-class clinical team will assess your diagnosis, full medical history, current symptoms, and all treatment options you have previously tried before deciding on whether a Releaf medical cannabis prescription may complement your wider treatment plan.
Up to 90%
of patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndromes suffer from chronic pain issues.
92.2%
of the 792 chronic pain patients in Releaf’s 2025 medical cannabis patient survey reported that their prescribed medical cannabis treatment was effective in reducing pain.
Over 70%
of 2,002 UK respondents with hEDS or HSD reported a clinical diagnosis of anxiety.
Over 63%
of the same respondents reported dealing with depression, and 53.5% reported co-occurring migraines, both of which medical cannabis can be considered for
Symptoms
Clicky joints
Digestive problems/concerns
Dizziness
Fatigue
Fragile or stretchy skin
Increased range of joint movement
Joint or muscle pain
If you are suffering from any of these symptoms. Please speak with your GP to find out more.
Treatment options:
It's very hard to diagnose Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and there are no tests to confirm whether a person has EDS or not. Unfortunately, there are also no specific treatments to cure EDS, but its symptoms can be treated with a number of different medications, or approaches involving strengthening exercises such as occupational therapy and physiotherapy.
Anti-depressants
Anti-emetics
Benzodiazepine
Long acting muscle relaxants
Opioids
SSRIs
Tryptans
Whether you’re new to cannabis-based medicines, switching from another medical cannabis clinic, or self-medicating, we’ll put you back in control of your health.
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"Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a group of inherited disorders affecting connective tissues, characterised by joint hypermobility, skin hyperextensibility and tissue fragility. Managing EDS can be challenging due to chronic pain, joint instability and other symptoms including those related to changes in blood pressure and increased heart rate, fatigue, cognitive disturbance and bladder/bowel disturbances. Medical cannabis holds potential as a complementary treatment for pain management, muscle relaxation, improved sleep and reducing anxiety. EDS patients using medical cannabis often report improvements in these symptoms, in addition to improvement in overall quality of life."
Dr Sue Clenton
Medical Director
31. 05. 2024
Yes, cannabis-based therapy options are showing huge promise in helping reduce chronic pain, sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal upset, muscle spasms and stiffness, anxiety, and also the reliance on heavy (and sometimes totally ineffective) pharmaceutical options that come along with the diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS).
31. 05. 2024
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
22. 09. 2023
Chronic back pain is one of the most common reasons that patients start looking into medical cannabis, but can it actually help? And, if so, can you access it within the UK?
The short answer is yes, medical cannabis may help to alleviate the symptoms of chronic back pain. It is also legally available in the UK to eligible patients, who can receive a prescription from a specialist.
22. 09. 2023
Yes, research and lived experience show that medical cannabis treatment options can help some patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (and other related issues, like joint hypermobility syndrome) deal with the burden that the symptoms of the syndrome cause. It is not a first-line treatment option and will not cure EDS or treat any of the underlying causes of the syndrome, but it may be considered when symptoms such as chronic pain, poor sleep, anxiety, depression, migraines, and a range of other co-occurring issues continue despite conventional care being offered.
Recent UK observational studies involving hypermobile people have reported improvements in pain, sleep, and quality of life measures after prescribed medical cannabis options were implemented in their treatment plan.
Before any such treatment is offered, a specialist will first consider your exact diagnosis, your full medical history, any current treatment options, your symptoms, and your overall health goals.
If you are found to be a potential candidate for UK medical cannabis, one of the specialists who make up Releaf’s world-class clinical team will consider whether it may complement your wider care plan and the formats that may be appropriate for your needs.
To learn more, head to Can Medical Cannabis Help with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome?
The strongest available research shows that, while medical cannabis will not cure EDS or treat the underlying causes of hypermobile syndromes, it can help some patients deal with hEDS or HSD-related chronic pain and other related symptoms.
These are all observational studies, not randomised controlled trials. They track patient-reported outcomes after treatment has begun, and while the data does look quite clear, it cannot prove that medical cannabis was directly responsible for the reported changes. Most EDS patients receive several treatment options at the same time, which makes isolating the benefits of any single option difficult.
That said, the patients themselves reported changes across several validated measures of pain, sleep, anxiety, mood, and general quality of life after starting prescribed medical cannabis treatment. The studies below set out what researchers found, and the limits of what those findings show.
|
Study and design |
Participants and follow-up |
Key findings |
What it can and cannot tell us |
|
240 people prescribed cannabis-based medicines for hypermobility-associated chronic pain, followed for up to 24 months. |
By month 24, 56.7% reported a clinically meaningful improvement in pain severity, 61.3% in pain interference, 47.1% in Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire scores, and 60.0% in pain visual analogue scale scores. The study also reported improvements in anxiety and sleep measures, alongside reductions in opioid prescribing at 12, 18 and 24 months. |
The largest and longest EDS/HSD-specific real-world study available. It did not include a placebo or untreated comparison group, so it shows an association, not that prescribed cannabis caused the changes. |
|
|
121 people with hEDS or HSD, assessed every 3 months for up to 12 months after starting prescribed cannabis-based medicines. |
45% were using prescription opioid medicines at baseline. Average opioid exposure reduced by the 3-month follow-up. Sleep quality and mood measures improved at each follow-up to 12 months, while pain severity, pain interference and quality-of-life measures improved to 9 months. 5% reported adverse events, predominantly mild. |
A separate UK observational registry study that supports further investigation. Outcomes were self-reported, and there was no control group, so individual changes cannot be attributed solely to treatment. |
|
|
486 people with self-reported EDS or HSD completed a US survey about pain-management approaches they had used. |
37.4% reported taking cannabis at least once a day, and 74.4% said they started taking it to manage chronic pain. Cannabis was among the approaches participants most often rated as extremely helpful for their own pain. |
Useful context on lived experience and why patients may ask about prescribed treatment. It did not assess prescribed medical cannabis, compare treatments, or measure outcomes over time. |
|
|
9 respondents who explicitly reported EDS or hEDS as a primary or secondary condition. |
9 of 9 rated their prescribed treatment as effective for their primary condition. 6 of 9 said it had significantly improved their quality of life, while the remaining 3 reported a slight improvement. |
A very small, self-reported subgroup within Releaf’s wider patient survey. It provides useful patient insight, but is not clinical evidence and should not be used to predict another patient’s outcome. |
Most of the currently available research into prescribed cannabis-based medicines focuses on people with hypermobile EDS (hEDS), and hypermobility spectrum disorders. This is important to make clear, as the findings regarding the impact medical cannabis may have on pain, sleep, and quality of life should not be automatically applied to all types of EDS.
hEDS often causes widespread musculoskeletal pain, recurrent joint subluxations, fatigue, and symptoms that involve the nervous and/or digestive system. Your prescribing specialist will consider treatment in relation to the symptoms affecting you, rather than your overall diagnosis.
Other EDS types can and do affect patients quite differently, so the symptoms being managed, and the clinical considerations will shift. Classic EDS issues with skin fragility and wound healing, while vascular EDS can affect blood vessels and internal organs. No matter which form of EDS is being treated, any new medicine or treatment option needs to be considered alongside all current treatments to ensure no negative interactions are at risk of occurring.
The strongest EDS-specific research so far relates to persistent pain, but the available data also measured changes in sleep, chronic pain issues, and general quality of life.
Chronic pain: This can include joint pain after both subluxations and dislocations, compensatory muscle pain, neuropathic pain, headaches, and migraines.
Sleep disruption: Pain, muscle tension, and autonomic symptoms can make it difficult for patients to find restorative sleep.
Anxiety and low mood: Living with the unpredictable, often painful symptoms of EDS can place a heavy toll on mental health. Some studies showed improved anxiety and mood scores.
Fatigue and day-to-day functioning: Better symptom control often leads to patients feeling more able to manage daily tasks and feeling less drained overall.
Gastrointestinal symptoms: Many EDS patients experience nausea, abdominal pain, and irritable bowel issues. Medical cannabis may help some patients with these symptoms.
POTS: Symptoms can include dizziness, palpitations, fainting, and brain fog when standing. Some cannabis-based medicines can affect heart rate and blood pressure, so it is important that you make sure your specialist has a full understanding of your health needs should you seek a medical cannabis prescription.
MCAS: Flushing, itching, hives, swelling, and gastrointestinal symptoms need to be assessed by the clinician managing your condition before medical cannabis should be considered.
Fatigue: Persistent pain and poor sleep can heavily contribute to fatigue levels. Some people feel better able to manage their day when these symptoms are controlled effectively.
Gut symptoms: Nausea, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhoea and IBS-like symptoms can have several causes. Medical cannabis may be considered for some patients with these symptoms, but it should not be advertised or seen as a replacement for conventional investigatory processes or treatment options
THC and CBD are the two ‘major’ cannabinoids produced by cannabis plants. Both offer therapeutic advantages through their ability to interact with the endocannabinoid system and other signalling systems, but they do so through very different processes.
It is important for patients to understand the difference between THC and CBD, including not only the potential clinical advantages they offer, but also their potential side effects, interactions and the reasons a specialist may recommend one, the other, or a balanced combination. The table below provides a straightforward comparison.
|
THC |
CBD |
|
|
How it works in the body |
THC partly activates CB1 receptors, which are found throughout the brain and nervous system, and CB2 receptors found in immune and peripheral tissues. This can change the release of signalling chemicals, including GABA and glutamate, involved in pain processing, sleep, movement and mood. |
CBD does not strongly activate CB1 or CB2 receptors. Instead, it can influence the body’s own endocannabinoids, serotonin signalling and TRP receptors involved in pain sensation, inflammation and temperature regulation. |
|
Why this may matter for EDS symptoms |
Its effects on pain signalling may be relevant where someone experiences persistent joint, muscle or nerve-related pain. It may also be considered where pain is disrupting sleep. |
Its wider effects may be relevant to symptoms such as pain, anxiety or sleep disruption, although EDS-specific evidence is limited. It should not be viewed as a standalone treatment. |
|
How it feels |
THC can cause intoxication at higher doses. |
CBD does not cause intoxicating effects. |
|
Potential side effects and interactions |
It can cause dizziness, dry mouth, tiredness, anxiety, impaired concentration or changes in heart rate. |
Can cause tiredness, diarrhoea or appetite changes. It can also affect how the liver processes certain medicines. |
|
What a specialist may consider |
Your symptoms, previous cannabis experience, current medicines, POTS or dizziness, and whether you need to drive or work in a safety-critical role. |
Your current medicines, particularly those processed by the liver, as well as whether it may be used alone or alongside THC. |
No one single format of medical cannabis is right for all patients, especially those with EDS and related issues. The spectrum of symptoms that such syndromes cause is massive, and while medical cannabis may help with many of those symptoms, the form in which it is taken has an effect on how it works.
|
Prescribed format |
How it is usually used |
Why a specialist may consider it |
|
Dried medical cannabis flower |
Heated in a dry-herb vaporiser. It must not be smoked. |
May suit symptoms that need a faster onset of action, such as fluctuating pain or sleep disruption. Different medical cannabis strains can contain different THC and CBD ratios. |
|
Cannabis oils |
Usually placed under the tongue, or sometimes swallowed. |
May provide longer-lasting symptom control and can be easier to take as part of a routine. |
|
Capsules |
Swallowed like other oral medicines. |
May suit patients who prefer a familiar, measured oral format. Their effects can take longer to begin. |
|
Cannabis pastilles |
Allowed to dissolve in the mouth before being swallowed. |
May be considered for a discreet oral option where a specialist considers this format appropriate. |
|
A prescribed cannabis extract used with a compatible medical device. |
May be considered where a faster-acting inhaled extract is clinically appropriate. |
Medical cannabis can cause dizziness, dry mouth, tiredness, nausea, headaches, red eyes, reduced concentration, and a feeling of intoxication. Most of these reported side effects are mild to moderate, and well managed through changes to your dose or treatment option.
Your prescribing specialist will review your current medications before medical cannabis is offered, as interactions are possible. POTS, frequent spells of dizziness, cardiovascular conditions, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and a family history of schizophrenia and/or psychosis also require careful consideration.
Yes, many EDS patients may be eligible for medical cannabis treatment, but not as a first-line option. Your eligibility is not based purely on an EDS diagnosis alone, but on your overall health needs, your treatment and medical history, and how your current EDS symptoms are affecting you.
Releaf’s medical cannabis eligibility checker is free, takes less than 30 seconds to complete, and comes with zero obligations to continue after completion. It will give you a clear answer on whether medical cannabis in the UK may be an option for you.
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