Of all the potential benefits surrounding cannabis’ wellness-related applications, few inspire as much excitement as its potential relief of chronic or severe pain. Indeed, cannabis appears to possess analgesic (pain-killing) effects in both humans and animals. That’s led many researchers to support medical cannabis as a possible solution for chronic pain. This is a significant development. Hundreds of millions of American adults experience chronic or severe pain, according to some sources. But that’s not all. That pain also causes more than $500 billion in lost productivity each year. In this post, we’ll discover exactly what benefits cannabis may be able to offer.
Using Cannabis for Chronic Pain: The Science
Medical marijuana is just beginning to become mainstream in the US. But as a species, humans have taken advantage of cannabis’s possible benefits for millennia.
In fact, historical evidence suggests that humans have utilized cannabis as medicine for 5,000 years. Both ancient Chinese and European sources describe how cannabis may be able to alleviate aches and pains. Cannabis-infused tea may have been an early toothache treatment.
More modern research into cannabis as a painkiller began in the 1990s. Researchers discovered that cannabis appeared to help patients deal with chronic or severe pain from several sources. More recent research has demonstrated that one ingredient in cannabis in particular, CBD, appears to be responsible for these traits.
CBD is the second-most common cannabinoid out of more than 100 that marijuana plants produce naturally. What’s more, the human body tolerates CBD extremely well. It demonstrates very few side effects, and doesn’t have the same psychoactive “high” as THC, the most abundant ingredient in cannabis.
How to Use Cannabis for Chronic Pain: Best Approaches
To get the most out of cannabis for chronic pain, keep a few things in mind. First, not all cannabis products are the same. They can contain vastly different levels of THC and CBD, which in turn will change their analgesic effectiveness.
Keep an eye out for products with high CBD content. These have the most “bang for your buck” in a painkilling sense. However, one interesting trait of CBD is that its effectiveness appears to be much higher when used with a small amount of THC. So you don’t want to just use products that contain only CBD.
Cannabis products for pain can take a variety of forms. If you’re trying to alleviate localized pain, consider using a topical solution like a CBD-infused salve. If you feel pain in multiple areas or throughout your body, smoking or vaping cannabis can spread its effects beyond a single area. You can also consume cannabis orally too thanks to the plethora of infused pills, oils, candies, and more.
Where Can I Find Cannabis Products for Chronic Pain?
Interested in trying cannabis for chronic pain yourself? If you’re a medical cannabis patient in OK, you can stop by our Oklahoma City Cannabis Dispensary, or you can browse our online menu now to see what’s in stock.
