The positive effects of cannabis in the treatment of pain have been supported by numerous testimonies of patients, scientific studies, and institutions such as Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine.
Opioids are highly addictive and there is a great risk of overdosing, so there is a great need of non-addictive treatments. United Press International writes:
“Opioid use and addiction has become an epidemic in the United States due to doctors over-prescribing opioid medications to treat chronic pain…’emerging data indicate that drugs that target the endocannabinoid system might produce analgesia with fewer side effects compared to opioids.”
Yet, all agree that medical marijuana is safer to use than ibuprofen. A study conducted at the Université de Montreal involved 215 participants.
It estimated the safety of the use of medical cannabis to treat chronic pain, and except for one exception of adverse reaction, all other participants experienced improvements.
Namely, “Medical cannabis use over one year was associated with improvements in pain, function, quality of life and cognitive function.”
Furthermore, fibromyalgia is a serious neurological disorder, characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, as well as mood swings, memory issues, sleep, and fatigue.
The typical treatment includes antidepressants, acetaminophen, prescription pain relievers, and anti-seizure medication. Yet, numerous patients self-medicate using marijuana.
The findings of a survey from 2014 from the National Pain Foundations indicate that 62% of fibromyalgia patients claim marijuana helped them treat the pain and other symptoms.
On the other hand, only 8-10% of them found the traditional drugs effective and 22-32%a little effective.
Medical cannabis was also scientifically found to be useful in the case of diabetic neuropathy or multiple sclerosis.
The Cannabis Patch
Cannabinoids do not need to be absorbed only by smoking or vaping cannabis, as this plant can be applied topically, ingested, or injected, depending on the cause and location of the pain.
In November of 2016, Cannabis Science in California released their “pain patch” for transdermal delivery of medical cannabis.
This patch was marketed to be able to relieve fibromyalgia and neuropathy pain, but it can be used in the case of other diagnoses as well. This adhesive patch should be applied to the painful area, and cannabis quickly gets absorbed by the skin and enters the bloodstream.
The news release stated:
“…the patch provides a controlled release of the medication into the patient, usually through either a porous membrane covering a reservoir of medication or through body heat melting thin layers of medication embedded in the adhesive which will be containing high potency cannabinoid (CBD) extract that slowly enters into the bloodstream and then penetrates the central nervous system.”
The company believes that these pain patches are only “the tip of the iceberg”, and are currently researching the other applications of this plant.
Mary’s Medicinal already sells both transdermal medical cannabis patches and transdermal pens, and they can be purchased in Oregon, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, Washington, and Michigan.
Remember, pain is not a cause, but a symptom, so in order to soothe it, you need do find the cause. Try to manage stress, change your lifestyle and diet, and use the amazing properties of medical cannabis!
Source: dailyhealthpost.com