For patients with chronic pain-related ailments, medical marijuana could mean relief from persistent, life-altering pain. Whether patients are suffering from chronic pain ailments like fibromyalgia or have pain related to the treatment of another illness like cancer, medicinal cannabis can help improve patients’ quality of life by easing common causes of pain like inflammation. Learn about different types of chronic pain, how pain affects patients’ quality of life, and how medical marijuana is becoming a more prominent treatment for pain across the nation.
Types of Chronic Pain
Unlike other health complications which may afflict certain portions of the body, chronic pain can be widespread and is likely to influence patients differently.
However, there are three primary forms of chronic pain that impact patients the most. Common types of chronic pain include the following:
Neuropathic pain: Neuropathic pain results from any damage to the nerves. Rather than an injury provoking pain, neuropathic pain may manifest from irregular signals to the brain that create unwarranted aches.
Visceral pain: Visceral pain stems from a disturbance in the organs. Because not every organ has the capacity to signal pain, discomfort that is difficult to pinpoint should be reported to your primary care physician for further evaluation.
Somatic pain: Somatic pain occurs when an individual experiences pain due to an external factor. Chronic pain stemming from somatic pain can include damage from broken bones, joint injury, arthritis or general injuries.
What Causes Chronic Pain?
If you sustain an injury, an acute and sudden pain is a normal physical sensation triggered within your nervous system to alert you that something is wrong. Contrastingly, chronic pain is persistent. Perhaps there was an initial illness or injury that brought on your chronic pain. You may have suffered from a severe infection or injury, or there could be an ongoing cause of this pain, such as cancer, fibromyalgia or arthritis. Alternatively, there may be no definitive cause.
Pain signals may be firing within your nervous system for weeks, months and even years, and older people are often afflicted. Because the ability to withstand chronic pain is typically subjective and personal, it can be impossible to measure. Your doctor must rely on your words and a description of the pain, often using a pain scale, to evaluate you.
Chronic Pain
While life-altering, medical professionals are now equipped with the knowledge — and medication — necessary to treat chronic pain issues in patients. But before you decide to explore cannabis or select a treatment plan, you should know more about the symptoms and various forms that define chronic pain first. Below, we’ll explore this condition in greater depth so that you can pursue your wellness plan with an informed mindset.
What Is Chronic Pain?
Chronic pain is a state in which pain persists beyond the usual course of an acute disease or healing of an injury, or that may or may not be associated with an acute or chronic pathologic process that causes continuous or intermittent pain over months or years. Research has shown that medical cannabis for pain can be an effective method of treatment that is far safer than many other options.
Chronic pain is an often-incapacitating condition that affects every aspect of your life. It can make the simplest of activities, such as buttoning your shirt or tying your shoes, a struggle. Over time, the condition takes its toll, and you can find yourself becoming down and depressed due to your constant struggle with your pain. Unlike temporary pain which often resolves within days or weeks, chronic pain is often much more impactful due to its long-lasting nature.
How Is Medical Marijuana an Effective Pain Treatment?
Years worth of anecdotal evidence points to the efficacy of marijuana to treat chronic pain conditions. Nowadays, medical and scientific communities are catching up with what many marijuana advocates have known for years.
So, what do the studies say? According to a Harvard-led review of 28 studies of cannabinoids to treat medical and pain issues published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the use of marijuana for chronic pain is supported by quality evidence.
Of the studies reviewed, all six generalized chronic pain studies found a substantial improvement through using cannabis.
Furthermore, a study from the University of Michigan from March 2016 and published in the Journal of Pain showed that marijuana:
Improved quality of life
Reduced opioid usage by an average of 64 percent.
Decreased side effects of other medications.
Your body creates its own cannabis-like chemicals that affect various processes
like inflammation and pain. It’s thought that cannabis works well to treat
chronic discomfort due to these natural cannabinoid receptors we all have
within our bodies, although more research needs to be done to ascertain exactly
how marijuana works to relieve pain
Chronic Pain Symptoms
It can be difficult for you to deal with chronic pain without help. Medical marijuana and pain conditions are closely related regarding alleviating symptoms you may have been suffering from for a protracted time. Medical pot may offer you substantial relief if you suffer from any of the following:
Ways to Use Medical Marijuana for Chronic Pain
While marijuana is generally praised for its safe and therapeutic properties, many users enjoy the fact that cannabis offers a treatment plan with many different methods of intake, too.
Depending on the state laws that define your area, you may not be able to access marijuana in all forms — even in states with a legal medical marijuana program. Be sure to verify the intake methods permitted in your region before pursuing a specific medical marijuana plan.
Many patients with chronic or severe pain enjoy smoking or vaporizing their cannabis supply when possible. Since these intake methods provide a more rapid effect in the body, they offer a quick way to experience relief. If the ability to minimize discomfort rapidly is vital to your treatment, consider discussing this intake method with your physician in greater depth.
Cannabis can also be ingested via capsules, tablets, tinctures and edibles. For localized pain treatment, consider using a topical, such as an ointment or cream, instead. You’ll experience targeted pain relief in the specific portion of your body where pain is occurring.
Many patients find it beneficial to incorporate multiple intake methods into their wellness plan. For more information about the cannabis supply and methods that are best suited for your needs, discuss your options with a certified marijuana doctor.
