Growth in support for using cannabis for therapeutic purposes is been seen. Marijuana is increasingly being utilized as an alternative therapy for a wide variety of physical and mental health issues. Some doctors and healthcare professionals now offer medicinal marijuana to patients suffering from chronic pain, osteoarthritis, and back pain, and patients with these conditions are increasingly seeking out medical marijuana on their own.
Nonetheless, marijuana continues to have the same negative connotations it has always had. There isn’t a ton of information regarding “marijuana as a therapy for back pain” since marijuana was banned for much of our adult life (and so lacked the marketing push and distribution of popular prescription pain drugs). Those curious in medical marijuana as an alternative to opioid painkillers likely have many concerns about its efficacy and safety for this purpose.
The Most Frequently Asked Concerns Regarding Medical Marijuana Is there any proof that marijuana is safe for medicinal use? Is being “high” always a side effect of using marijuana? In what ways, if any, can marijuana relieve back pain? Is it okay to use this in addition to my regular pain medication? Is it allowed under the law?
In this article, we’ll tell you where it stands legally in the United States, what kinds of marijuana there are and how they’re administered, and why medical marijuana may help alleviate your back pain and other ailments.
Curious as to the origins of your lower back discomfort and potential solutions? This must be read before we discuss using medicinal marijuana.
OK, so first things first:
I’m Confused: Describe Marijuana.
The term “marijuana” is often used to refer to both the dried flowers (buds) and leaves of the cannabis plant. Cannabinoids are the natural chemical ingredients found in marijuana. These chemicals (such as THC or CBD) may alleviate a wide variety of ailments thanks to their therapeutic characteristics. Cannabinoids in marijuana interact with the body’s natural cannabinoid receptors, which have a wide range of therapeutic effects, including relief from pain, inflammation, anxiety, sadness, nausea, and increased mobility.
THC is the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana that causes the high. Choose a strain of marijuana with low THC (the average is approximately 25%) if you don’t want to experience the psychoactive effects (side effects might include mood swings, anxiety, losing track of time, etc.). In case you need assistance, just ask at your local marijuana store.
If you suffer from chronic back pain, you may be wondering, “Why use medical marijuana?”
Getting “stoned” isn’t all that marijuana has to offer. The mental repercussions of chronic pain, such as sadness, anxiety, and sleeplessness, may be alleviated by using marijuana, which has various therapeutic characteristics that can help with back pain, tightness, inflammation, and nausea (induced by other drugs).
Among the more than one hundred cannabinoids found in cannabis, THC is by far the most well recognized. Pain, inflammation, arthritis, fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety, and other disorders may respond well to a combination of cannabinoids including CBC, CBD, CBN, and THC. Although some of these cannabinoid compounds include the psychoactive components (THC) that cause one to feel stoned, this is not the case for all of them. That is to say, there are strains of medicinal marijuana available to those who want treatment from pain without the psychoactive effects.
The Advantages of Marijuana Compared to Conventional Painkillers
Is your doctor reducing or eliminating your pain medication? The explanation is as follows.
The opioid and narcotic pain medicine prescribed to patients is under increased scrutiny from healthcare professionals and regulatory authorities (such as the Centers for Disease Control and Medicare). Many doctors are decreasing the amount of narcotic pain medicine they give, while others are outright refusing to treat patients with chronic pain who need opioids. The problem is incredibly complex, much like the opioid epidemic. Marijuana might be an excellent “medication” for those with back pain who are trying to wean themselves off of pharmaceutical pain relievers (or who wish to avoid them entirely).
Please with your doctor or healthcare provider before using marijuana with any drug, prescribed or otherwise.
Distinct Advantages of Marijuana Compared to Prescription Painkillers
Marijuana’s advantages over conventional painkillers
May Cause Decreases in Optimal Doses of Opioids. Clinical Pharmocology and Therapeutics published a research indicating that combining marijuana and opioids may dramatically reduce pain. In terms of opioid therapy, the research suggests that “the combination may allow for opioid treatment at lower dosages with fewer adverse effects,” referring to marijuana.
Completely unadulterated. Cannabis exists in its purest form as a natural plant. Opioid painkillers are synthetic and associated with a wide range of undesirable, and sometimes dangerous, adverse effects.
Reduced Adverse Effects. When compared to opioid pain medications and other synthetic medications, the negative effects of marijuana are much less (like NSAIDs, tylenol etc.). Medications used to alleviate pain might have adverse side effects such as heart attacks, seizures, diarrhea, nausea, and so on. Anxiety, rapid heart rate, dry mouth, and an increased risk of stroke are the only known negative effects of marijuana.
To a lesser extent, Addicting. It is abundantly obvious from the present opioid crisis that opioids are highly addictive and may have profound effects on both patients and non-addicted users. There is some debate about whether or not marijuana is as addictive as opioids, but if it is, it is certainly less so. Constant marijuana usage is associated with psychological and physiological changes, including tolerance, cravings, and withdrawal. Marijuana addiction, on the other hand, is very rare and has less severe withdrawal symptoms.
It’s less risky. Long-term users of prescription pain relievers may experience addiction, tolerance, and withdrawal symptoms. It has been asserted that marijuana, like opioid pain medications, is addictive, causes tolerance, and has withdrawal symptoms, although not to the same extent. Furthermore, there is no such thing as an accidental overdose from marijuana.
Marijuana Use for Chronic Back Pain
There are several strains and techniques of consuming marijuana. Most people picture marijuana being smoked when they think of it. Vaporizing, edibles, tinctures/sprays, and topical lotions are other methods of ingestion for medical marijuana. Whether or not THC (the “high” inducing component) is helpful for relieving back pain depends on the individual’s tolerance for and choice for various modes of administration.
Use a little amount initially as a rule of thumb. If you’ve already smoked any weed, there’s no way to “unsmoke” it. OrganiGram reports that daily doses of “1-3 grams of dried cannabis” are recommended by the medical community. Marijuana’s intoxicating effects don’t appear for a while.
Methods of administration are as follows:
Smoking is a good example since it’s simple to administer and you have complete command over the dosage. It’s easier to control your smoking habit if you take it slow and in tiny doses. The negative consequences of smoking are nearly instantaneous (peaking at 9 minutes after consumption).
Vaporizing, or “Vaping,” is a trendy alternative to traditional smoking. With a vaporizer, medicinal marijuana is still smoked, but the effects are more subtle and comfortable. A vaporizer is a less harmful alternative to smoking dried cannabis flower for quick relief. Vaporizers are an expensive investment, but they might be worth it for frequent users.
Some people prefer edibles because they don’t like the concept of inhaling marijuana smoke. It takes longer for the benefits to kick in, and they’re more of a “body high,” but once they do, they endure. It might be 30-60 minutes after ingesting an edible before you reach your peak.
Sprays and Tinctures. Sprays, typically, have a less concentration than pills. If you don’t want to smoke but are nervous about ingesting the appropriate amount, this is a perfect solution. Sprays often have a lower dosage than traditional edibles and take less time to take effect.
Topical. Inflammation, edema, and localized back pain are all improved by the use of marijuana topicals. Topical cannabis products applied to the back might provide almost instantaneous relief. You won’t get high by using a topical cannabis product, but you’ll still reap the medicinal advantages and get some relief from discomfort. Beeswax, shea butter, etc. are often used in topical preparations to provide even more hydration to the skin. Win-win!