Medical Cannabis for Phantom Limb Pain

Phantom Limb Pain Overview

• Phantom limb pain affects 50-80% of amputees — painful sensations in the absent limb
• Classified as neuropathic pain involving cortical reorganisation
• Gabapentinoids, mirror therapy, and TENS have limited evidence in practice
• Medical cannabis has particular pharmacological relevance given its central nervous system targets

Phantom limb pain is one of the most challenging neuropathic conditions — and one where cannabinoids acting on central pain processing have clear pharmacological rationale.

Evidence and UK Access

• Neuropathic pain evidence base for cannabinoids directly applicable to phantom limb pain
• Central sensitisation — a key feature — is targeted by both THC and CBD
• Military veteran programmes in Canada and the USA report high response rates in phantom limb pain
• UK amputees with PLP can self-refer to specialist pain clinics for assessment

Medical cannabis is increasingly recognised as a valuable option in phantom limb pain management.