Now that marijuana is becoming legal in many states, people who suffer from chronic pain are looking towards it being a therapy for them. Chronic pain is something that can destroy a person’s quality of life. Both from the inability to live normally due to the pain, but also because of the effects of common painkillers.
Medical marijuana could be the answer for many of these people. Cancer patients to people recovering from injuries can benefit from medical marijuana.
In this article, I will go over some of the ways that medical marijuana can help people suffering from chronic pain.
How to get a prescription
Many states allow for recreational marijuana use. In those states getting marijuana to help with chronic pain is not an issue even if you have not been diagnosed by a doctor.
It’s enough to simply go to a dispensary and buy some.
Other states only allow marijuana to be used for medical treatments and has to be accompanied by a prescription from a doctor and in some cases, a medical marijuana card. If you need information on how to get a medical marijuana card in Pennsylvania or any other state where this is needed, Green Health Docs can help you obtain it from the comfort of your home. If you are already getting treated by your doctor for your pain, then bring this up if your state allows medical marijuana. They will likely give you a prescription when they know your medical history.
Some people don’t have a medically diagnosed ailment that is the reason for their chronic pain. But, there are many who have sports injuries or were in an accident and have lingering pain that could use marijuana to treat their pain. Yet, without a prescription they may not get any.
Those people can get a NuggMD card which is accepted in many states that have medical marijuana laws in place.
How marijuana helps
Marijuana has a lot of chemical compounds like THC and CBD that act as anti inflammatories. This means that they attach to cannabinoid receptors in the brain and around the body and relieve pain. That’s the simple explanation.
It can also react with nerves and change the way they function. And this has a lot to do with the relief that many chronic pain sufferers will experience. The reality is that very little is understood about the process so it isn’t quite understood how it works.
Just a few puffs a day can do a lot to relieve the pain and allow you to live a reasonably normal life.
Low risk of addiction
One of the biggest benefits from using marijuana as a treatment for chronic pain is that it is not likely to lead to any addiction. For many years, opioids were prescribed, but they are highly addictive. Currently, there is a growing problem from opioid addiction that stems from being over prescribed.
Medical marijuana can offer the same pain relieving properties as an opioid but is much safer to use.
Conclusion
There is a caveat here, of course. Not everybody will respond to marijuana in the same way. Some may not see any decrease in their pain at all or may find that the marijuana gives them too many side effects. It is best to consult with a physician before trying marijuana as a pain treatment.
