Did you know that around one-third of adult Americans have chronic pain? While that is a huge number of people, it is worth mentioning that their situation is not hopeless. After all, there are many ways in which one can manage chronic pain very effectively, such as using medical cannabis.
In fact, many people perceive using medical cannabis to be the most effective type of treatment for chronic pain. It should come as no surprise, as research has shown that medical cannabis is not a fluke. Moreover, it is much safer than other types of treatment, such as taking opioids.
Taking this into consideration, you might want to think about the future of medical cannabis in pain management. Reading this article will help you do just that.
Here, you will find a lot of useful information on medical cannabis, ranging from what medical cannabis is and its legalization to its effectiveness in treating chronic pain and the results of clinical studies that involved the use of medical cannabis.
If you don’t have access to medical cannabis, you could try using CBD products, which are legal in all 50 states. Organic CBD tinctures are easy to use and an affordable place to start.
What is Medical Cannabis?
Medical cannabis refers to the use of the cannabis plant and its active ingredients to treat medical conditions. The most famous and the most used ingredient of cannabis is THC or tetrahydrocannabinol.
This is the ingredient that creates the high feeling that people experience when they use cannabis for recreational purposes. However, there are many other types of compounds found in cannabis that are called cannabinoids, which are usually not psychoactive.
Cannabidiol (CBD), for instance, has been frequently noted to have medical benefits and has no psychoactive effects.
There are other components of cannabis that have been shown to be very beneficial, such as terpenes, which are aromatic compounds that give a certain smell to each strain of cannabis.
Moreover, there are also other compounds that have been identified in cannabis, whose function in the human body is still unknown.
Medical Cannabis at a Glance
Medical cannabis has been around for thousands of years. In fact, written records suggest that the ancient Chinese were already using it as a natural remedy. Moreover, it was used by many cultures throughout history as a treatment for various conditions.
The future of medical cannabis in pain management looks bright because of several factors: growing acceptance, legalization in more states, and advances in research about its efficacy and safety profile.
How Does Medical Cannabis Work?
As mentioned earlier, medical cannabis has psychoactive and non-psychoactive compounds that are called cannabinoids. THC is the most famous cannabinoid, as it gives a feeling of euphoria or high when it is consumed.
However, there are also other cannabinoids, such as CBD, which is very effective in treating pain.
It is worth mentioning that cannabinoids interact with the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS consists of cannabinoid receptors that are located in the brain, organs, and connective tissues.
There are two types of these receptors: CB1 and CB2. The former is mostly found in the brain, and the latter is predominantly present in the immune system.
These receptors bind to certain cannabinoids and trigger certain reactions.
Stimulating these receptors has been shown to have beneficial effects on mood, memory, pain sensation, movement, appetite, and sleep. There are several ways in which medical cannabis can be consumed.
These include smoking or vaporizing cannabis flowers, ingesting cannabis oils, or taking cannabis pills. However, some people get better results from one type of consumption than another, so think about which route you should take if you are thinking about trying medical cannabis.
Moreover, it is important to note that consuming cannabis also causes an increase in appetite. As a result, patients who consume cannabis may tend to increase their food intake and lose weight.
What is Chronic Pain?
Chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts for longer than 12 weeks. Chronic pain is not only harmful to a person’s emotional and physical wellbeing, but it can also disrupt their daily activities.
There are many different types of chronic pain, including neuropathic pain, pain due to musculoskeletal conditions, and chronic abdominal pain.
While there are many treatments for chronic pain available, some of them are not very effective or have serious side effects. Additionally, opioid abuse has been on the rise in recent years. However, research has shown that using medical cannabis is an effective treatment for chronic pain.
Medical cannabis can help with the following symptoms: Pain, sleep disorders, tremors or muscle spasms, stress and anxiety, and nausea and vomiting.
In Conclusion
Medical cannabis is becoming a popular alternative for pain management. Cannabis can be used as an alternative to over-the-counter and prescription medications that are expensive, have side effects, or lead to addiction.
