{"componentChunkName":"component---common-build-tags-template-js","path":"/tag/pain-management/5","result":{"data":{"allArticle":{"edges":[{"node":{"id":"Article_1918-markdown","title":"Canadian HIV/AIDS Researchers Support Medical Marijuana Over Opioids","slug":"canadian-hivaids-researchers-support-medical-marijuana-over-opioids","content":"Vancouver-based HIV/AIDS researchers argue in a newly published editorial that Canadian doctors should use medical marijuana instead of frequently abused opioids to treat patients with neuropathic pain, as well as many other conditions that cannabis has been proven to help with. \n\n### Doctors Frustrated by Slow Government Action on Cannabis\n\nDr. Thomas Kerr, Dr. Julio Montaner and Research Associate Stephanie Lake of the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS [accused the Canadian Medical Association of ignoring peer-reviewed cannabis studies](https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/researchers-urge-medical-marijuana-over-opioids-to-treat-neuropathic-pain/article26733746/?ref=http://www.theglobeandmail.com&). According to Dr. Kerr, five recent randomized control trials and two systemic reviews found that cannabis helps with neuropathic pain. However, doctors still don’t like to prescribe medical marijuana as it hasn’t been approved by Health Canada, the government department that oversees healthcare issues in the country. \n\nRELATED: [CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER’S CASE FOR MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/576ead4d16f3ba0007000174/canadian-prime-ministers-case-for-marijuana-legalization)\n\n“The evidence supporting the therapeutic use of cannabis is actually much stronger than the use of other drugs that are used to treat the same condition and it also seems, in many cases, that cannabis has a more favorable side-effect profile,” Dr. Kerr said. He also mentioned that opioids such as oxycodone, morphine and hydromorphine are increasingly prescribed and contributed to almost half of all overdose deaths in the country.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en) \n\n### Medicinal Marijuana Effective at Reducing Opioid-Related Deaths\n\nDr. Kerr also commented, “Opioids are killing people right now. There is no association with cannabis and mortality, and yet North America is in the midst of, really, what is a public-health emergency associated to opioid deaths. If doctors prescribed more cannabis to those with chronic pain, they may cut down on these deaths.” \n\nResearch in the U.S. shows that fatal overdoses dropped by 25% in states that enacted medicinal marijuana laws. Dr. Kerr states that medicinal cannabis has also proven to relieve spasticity and the wasting associated with HIV/AIDS, as well as nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy.\n\n[Photo Credit](https://www.flickr.com/photos/violet96/7478658228/in/photolist-coS5xf-rnUHWR-k3cKpU-6vmHTU-4UAxsu-6KMfsR-h38Qpq-7QsAJW-7bcPXT-cKkPXf-66FtVn-xKMDVo-6XozFo-7sZEn-4Ytuaq-9GQvPh-aiwvq5-a2MB7-nncmcJ-7PV2vn-9zmihK-5SMf14-oNSA6d-yB6nFy-yMzfSL-qCvPtp-7MeiXE-obco3j-9Viurb-sejH16-52uHAv-pp7YBE-goCmpj-sGS1UD-iCT7CE-4QTDnm-veQ41f-5JywNQ-hgrWBb-zeen7c-pb9vUY-6CWBgP-cfLSYC-6mdMbb-d2RuYE-dwLgYp-wN61eQ-pLM4Fq-aWz48r-8yYFSu)\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.\n\n\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5037593984962405,"src":"/static/7a9d248d4d3d457dbf20a2a31e1a1776/14b42/eb633f281be5f375c92cb30fe2013d5c.jpg","srcSet":"/static/7a9d248d4d3d457dbf20a2a31e1a1776/f836f/eb633f281be5f375c92cb30fe2013d5c.jpg 200w,\n/static/7a9d248d4d3d457dbf20a2a31e1a1776/2244e/eb633f281be5f375c92cb30fe2013d5c.jpg 400w,\n/static/7a9d248d4d3d457dbf20a2a31e1a1776/14b42/eb633f281be5f375c92cb30fe2013d5c.jpg 800w,\n/static/7a9d248d4d3d457dbf20a2a31e1a1776/47498/eb633f281be5f375c92cb30fe2013d5c.jpg 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/7a9d248d4d3d457dbf20a2a31e1a1776/58556/eb633f281be5f375c92cb30fe2013d5c.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/7a9d248d4d3d457dbf20a2a31e1a1776/61e93/eb633f281be5f375c92cb30fe2013d5c.webp 200w,\n/static/7a9d248d4d3d457dbf20a2a31e1a1776/1f5c5/eb633f281be5f375c92cb30fe2013d5c.webp 400w,\n/static/7a9d248d4d3d457dbf20a2a31e1a1776/58556/eb633f281be5f375c92cb30fe2013d5c.webp 800w,\n/static/7a9d248d4d3d457dbf20a2a31e1a1776/99238/eb633f281be5f375c92cb30fe2013d5c.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1914-markdown","title":"Cannabis May be Safer than Opioids for Managing Pain","slug":"cannabis-may-be-safer-than-opioids-for-managing-pain","content":"For centuries, opium was used recreationally and to relieve pain. Modern-day opioids, prescribed to treat all kinds of chronic pain, are synthetic chemicals made to mimic natural opium. And yes, they can control pain, but do so at a steep cost. [These opioid drugs are highly addictive, easily abused and can be deadly](https://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/legislative-activities/testimony-to-congress/2016/americas-addiction-to-opioids-heroin-prescription-drug-abuse). While opioid use, dependency and deaths are increasing across the country, states that have legalized medical marijuana are seeing declines in all three areas.\r\n\r\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en) \r\n\r\n### What Are Opioids?\r\n\r\nThe majority of opioids are Schedule 2 narcotics—other than heroin, which is Schedule 1. This means they have \"[a high potential for abuse](http://www.dea.gov/druginfo/ds.shtml).\" Examples of opioids are:\r\n\r\n* codeine\r\n* hydrocodone\r\n* morphine\r\n* fentanyl\r\n* methadone\r\n\r\nOpioid [side effects]( https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18443635) include:\r\n\r\n* dizziness\r\n* nausea and vomiting\r\n* constipation\r\n* sedation\r\n* physical dependence and tolerance\r\n* depressed respiration\r\n\r\nWithdrawal symptoms are similar to the side effects, only they’re more severe and debilitating. This makes it difficult for people to quit using opioids once they start. \r\n\r\n### Opioid Prescriptions & Abuse Skyrocket\r\n\r\nIn the late 1990s, the federal government removed some of the restrictions on opioid use in treating chronic pain. [Between 1999 and 2014, the sale of prescription opioids almost quadrupled](https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/data/prescribing.html). Today, [the most prescribed medicine in the United States is an opioid— hydrocodone](https://drugabuse.com/library/hydrocodone-history-and-statistics/).\r\nAbuse of opioids is also on the rise. In 2008, 6.2 million Americans (12 and older) used prescription drugs for recreational purposes, and the rate of non-medical use of prescription pain relievers was 4.6% among young adults. [Hospitalizations for opioid use rose more than 150% from 19932012](https://www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/reports/statbriefs/sb177-Hospitalizations-for-Opioid-Overuse.jsp). And in 2007, [around 27,000 people died from accidental drug overdoses](https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6101a3.htm). And since 2003, more overdose deaths are a result of opioid use than from heroin and cocaine combined. The statistics paint a grim picture. But that’s where medicinal cannabis comes in.  \r\n\r\n### Cannabis Is Safer Than Opioids\r\n\r\nAbout the same time that opioid restrictions were eased, some states began legalizing medical marijuana for treating pain. A 2014 study found that [states with medical marijuana laws had a 24.8% lower rate of opioid deaths than states without legal medical marijuana](http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=18988780). The study also found that opioid deaths decreased each year following medical cannabis legalization.\r\n\r\nRELATED: [NEW RESEARCH PROVES MARIJUANA EFFECTIVELY CONTROLS CHRONIC PAIN](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/new-research-proves-marijuana-effectively-controls-chronic-pain)\r\n\r\n[Cannabis](http://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/medical-marijuana-and-the-mind) does have side effects, but most are mild. Its use has been associated with:\r\n\r\n* mood changes\r\n* memory loss\r\n* anxiety\r\n* vomiting\r\n* diarrhea\r\n\r\nHowever, [addiction is uncommon, and deaths are rare with marijuana use](http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000145).\r\n\r\nFurther studies are needed to explore the relationship between opioids and medical marijuana, but early findings show that cannabis may do more than reduce pain. It may save lives.\r\n\r\n[Photo Credit](https://www.flickr.com/photos/healthgauge/10135903905/in/photolist-grFa6T-diDABj-ikfB8d-86nRNR-4JXmz6-6NLiZ5-dSiRbN-8pJqZ-86nS3a-t3fKr-8TMqYK-buQdGu-7wNLa8-hNn9e-76g3EG-JLLyg-4WL7tL-ddfGWj-AUGXH-c9q5eu-7MhkvW-8dZbzR-4DyRuj-8cPJQm-8FBhwK-oRqU-ev2AR5-qLDfq2-86nRVe-8dZbUz-eYbToQ-f1uFuv-7nvGob-c9qGoy-6yLQYR-8oXFQY-4UiRny-4nMTwY-bHJZy6-5dkiMu-a34Eto-bdTMdX-cHikXu-kuygSv-4e1gT8-9uLbiZ-N65ak-6yQVtf-buQdTs-c9q8aU)\r\n\r\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.\r\n\r\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/07b9790b69b6c3f65c5ab5272e418aa3/14b42/b17005d7d7a4ecac2413c9f6832be893.jpg","srcSet":"/static/07b9790b69b6c3f65c5ab5272e418aa3/f836f/b17005d7d7a4ecac2413c9f6832be893.jpg 200w,\n/static/07b9790b69b6c3f65c5ab5272e418aa3/2244e/b17005d7d7a4ecac2413c9f6832be893.jpg 400w,\n/static/07b9790b69b6c3f65c5ab5272e418aa3/14b42/b17005d7d7a4ecac2413c9f6832be893.jpg 800w,\n/static/07b9790b69b6c3f65c5ab5272e418aa3/47498/b17005d7d7a4ecac2413c9f6832be893.jpg 1200w,\n/static/07b9790b69b6c3f65c5ab5272e418aa3/54ac5/b17005d7d7a4ecac2413c9f6832be893.jpg 1365w","srcWebp":"/static/07b9790b69b6c3f65c5ab5272e418aa3/58556/b17005d7d7a4ecac2413c9f6832be893.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/07b9790b69b6c3f65c5ab5272e418aa3/61e93/b17005d7d7a4ecac2413c9f6832be893.webp 200w,\n/static/07b9790b69b6c3f65c5ab5272e418aa3/1f5c5/b17005d7d7a4ecac2413c9f6832be893.webp 400w,\n/static/07b9790b69b6c3f65c5ab5272e418aa3/58556/b17005d7d7a4ecac2413c9f6832be893.webp 800w,\n/static/07b9790b69b6c3f65c5ab5272e418aa3/99238/b17005d7d7a4ecac2413c9f6832be893.webp 1200w,\n/static/07b9790b69b6c3f65c5ab5272e418aa3/5e0b8/b17005d7d7a4ecac2413c9f6832be893.webp 1365w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1910-markdown","title":"Can Medical Marijuana Ease Phantom Limb Pain?","slug":"can-medical-marijuana-ease-phantom-limb-pain","content":"Phantom limb pain is a neuropathic condition affecting amputees. It\r\noccurs when damaged nerves at the site of the amputation continue to\r\nsend signals to the brain, causing the amputee to think the missing body\r\npart is still there. Although phantom limb pain usually occurs after the\r\namputation of an arm or leg, it can appear in any area of amputation,\r\nand discomfort can include not just pain but cold, heat, cramping, or\r\nany other common sensation.\r\n\r\nIncidence and Current Treatments\r\n--------------------------------\r\n\r\nIt's estimated that phantom limb pain affects 50 to 80 percent of all\r\namputees. The condition usually occurs during the first year after the\r\namputation and often becomes chronic, lasting for months or even years\r\nwith either no improvement or an increase in pain. Amputees may suffer\r\nfrom phantom limb pain their entire lives.\r\n\r\nVeterans are one of the largest groups to experience amputations, with\r\nthe wars in Iraq and Afghanistan alone resulting in 1,715 amputations as\r\nof January 2013. For them, and for other amputees, phantom limb pain can\r\nbe devastating. Current treatment is a matter of trial and error, with\r\nlittle relief experienced by most patients. A 1984 [survey of 5,000 U.S.\r\namputee veterans](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6709380) found that\r\n78 percent suffered from phantom limb syndrome, but a scant 1 percent\r\nexperienced any relief through treatment.\r\n\r\nMedical Marijuana as a Treatment\r\n--------------------------------\r\n\r\nIn 2007, Health Canada approved Sativex, a whole-plant-derived cannabis\r\nextract, for the treatment of HIV-related neuropathic pain. While\r\nSativex it is not currently available in the United States, it is in the\r\nprocess of FDA approval. Although not completely understood, the\r\nmechanism of action seems to be that cannabinoids work on specific pain\r\nreceptors as well as the neurons that transmit pain.\r\n\r\nIn the United States, medical marijuana as a treatment for neuropathic\r\npain has been the subject of much research. A 2007 study [published in\r\n\"Neurology](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17296917)\" found that\r\nsmoked cannabis reduced patients' pain by 30 percent over the course of\r\nonly five days, and over [three dozen preclinical and clinical\r\ntrials](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19789075) have validated this\r\nfinding. Cannabinoids act as a sort of circuit-breaker, binding to pain\r\nreceptors and stopping the production of neurotransmitters which carry\r\npain signals. They therefore provide some relief from chronic\r\nneuropathic pain, including the pain involved in phantom limb syndrome.\r\n\r\n[Photo Credit.](https://www.flickr.com/photos/armymedicine/8447985068/in/photolist-dSw8CY-fFGAA3-68VMVW-gbMw6e-57mp7Z-68RzYe-dZ7pKX-5XzwZv-4dLUZ4-bv8CA1-8Dgqg2-bv8CYu-8TgKgX-iAgiru-4quvqh-cKtKCq-fXeHf1-fXf7AD-eMbGMa-q6Q5yZ-eMo7iJ-eMbGjz-eMbH1g-eDr3ri-eDr3oH-eDx9Kw-eDr3qz-8vLfm5-8vLefq-dhwQRi-8vLj6m-eDr3pP-eDx9JA-eDx9FL-eDr69B-eDx9Hb-eDx9HU-eDx9Gd-fXf6k2-9HWTXG-9HWTXw-cAsqMJ-6TaV83-9t1Fcf-7MFc5h-cmEgi-JL9gz-9HWTXm-8vH1aT-8tXXkm)","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5037593984962405,"src":"/static/31a98b388b07f4fe717861491f30df3d/14b42/aac55d3584320bb8a7aac6a14b24abb7.jpg","srcSet":"/static/31a98b388b07f4fe717861491f30df3d/f836f/aac55d3584320bb8a7aac6a14b24abb7.jpg 200w,\n/static/31a98b388b07f4fe717861491f30df3d/2244e/aac55d3584320bb8a7aac6a14b24abb7.jpg 400w,\n/static/31a98b388b07f4fe717861491f30df3d/14b42/aac55d3584320bb8a7aac6a14b24abb7.jpg 800w,\n/static/31a98b388b07f4fe717861491f30df3d/47498/aac55d3584320bb8a7aac6a14b24abb7.jpg 1200w,\n/static/31a98b388b07f4fe717861491f30df3d/604fd/aac55d3584320bb8a7aac6a14b24abb7.jpg 1539w","srcWebp":"/static/31a98b388b07f4fe717861491f30df3d/58556/aac55d3584320bb8a7aac6a14b24abb7.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/31a98b388b07f4fe717861491f30df3d/61e93/aac55d3584320bb8a7aac6a14b24abb7.webp 200w,\n/static/31a98b388b07f4fe717861491f30df3d/1f5c5/aac55d3584320bb8a7aac6a14b24abb7.webp 400w,\n/static/31a98b388b07f4fe717861491f30df3d/58556/aac55d3584320bb8a7aac6a14b24abb7.webp 800w,\n/static/31a98b388b07f4fe717861491f30df3d/99238/aac55d3584320bb8a7aac6a14b24abb7.webp 1200w,\n/static/31a98b388b07f4fe717861491f30df3d/4c257/aac55d3584320bb8a7aac6a14b24abb7.webp 1539w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1903-markdown","title":"Clinical Trials Support the Use of Medical Marijuana for Chronic Pain","slug":"clinical-trials-support-the-use-of-medical-marijuana-for-chronic-pain","content":"Chronic pain occurs in over [20 percent of the\r\npopulation](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20089155). It differs\r\nfrom what medical professionals refer to as acute pain, which is a\r\nnormal nervous system sensation designed to alert an individual of an\r\ninjury or ailment. Chronic pain is persistent and untraceable to any one\r\ninjury or illness. The pain signals fire repeatedly over months, years,\r\nor even a lifetime. Finding effective ways to help chronic pain\r\nsufferers can change lives.\r\n\r\nConditions Associated with Chronic Pain\r\n---------------------------------------\r\n\r\nA\r\n[survey](http://www.painmed.org/PatientCenter/Facts_on_Pain.aspx# common)\r\nconducted by the National Institute of Health Statistics found that\r\nchronic pain usually falls into one of four categories:\r\n\r\n-   Lower back pain\r\n-   Migraines or headaches\r\n-   Neck pain\r\n-   Facial ache\r\n\r\nBack pain is responsible for more disability cases in the U.S. then any\r\nother medical problem.\r\n\r\nCurrent Pain Management\r\n-----------------------\r\n\r\nPain management techniques vary, but are largely inadequate. The common\r\ntreatment protocols that include over-the-counter NSAIDS, like\r\nibuprofen, or prescription narcotics, such as Percocet, are rife with\r\nside effects. Everything from stroke to heart attack to drug dependence\r\ncan be caused by current pain control options.\r\n\r\nReview of Randomized Control Trials for Medical Marijuana\r\n---------------------------------------------------------\r\n\r\nA [2011 study](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3243008/)\r\npublished in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology evaluated 22\r\nrandomized controlled trials that focused on the use of cannabinoids to\r\ntreat non-cancer pain. The systematic review highlighted the use of\r\nsmoked cannabis, oromucosal cannabis extacts, nabilone and dronabinol\r\n(synthetic THC medications), and a novel THC analogue in the treatment\r\nof conditions associated with long-term pain. The review looked at 766\r\nparticipants.\r\n\r\nReviewers identified 18 out of the 22 trials showed cannabis offered an\r\nanalgesic effect for pain suffers.\r\n\r\n-   15 for neuropathic pain\r\n-   1 for fibromyalgia\r\n-   1 for rheumatoid arthritis\r\n-   1 associated with opioid use\r\n-   2 for mixed chronic pain such as muscular conditions or migraines\r\n\r\nThe researchers also noted that there were no serious side effects\r\nreported with the use of medical marijuana in these trials. A few\r\nparticipants reported a feeling of sedation, dizziness, and dry mouth.\r\nThat is far fewer side effects than what patients experience with more\r\nmainstream management options for chronic pain. With one in every five\r\npeople in the world suffering from some kind of chronic pain, this\r\nstudy's findings an almost 80% positive outcome are not to be ignored.\r\n\r\n[Photo Credit.](https://www.flickr.com/photos/117032936@N08/13941837114/in/photolist-neZyrY-dzssam-apx2dR-dCTGDF-ci5bJb-ci59x5-5pZXhd-2JJery-ci57jo-dUe3ca-ci5bZ7-7bESoK-rcsZV8-niWc1Q-n8TLTa-o35Vu9-4xTPGd-ffrbHA-j1ptNv-rvMeJ4-21JdMY-6NPs4U-5YF21f-nLE3MP-2wBhsc-nwqnF6-9VPava-4TgyZY-6z41Ws-9WhKA1-7rszrG-5wojUp-4rFGhL-7rorbK-inMHoy-cHXC1Y-8Rvugs-7roBEr-rQzJkp-5wsDUA-vF9xvC-apx22K-91E2xK-ch2PNj-8R4TEk-5wsE1y-dUe3gt-e4MbmQ-fFxaYR-4nerJc)","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.7699115044247788,"src":"/static/6fb16a1b81d6130cc2740894b5f3a652/f422e/b9add6579ea2cd6f80ea06beb28a1a7d.jpg","srcSet":"/static/6fb16a1b81d6130cc2740894b5f3a652/f836f/b9add6579ea2cd6f80ea06beb28a1a7d.jpg 200w,\n/static/6fb16a1b81d6130cc2740894b5f3a652/2244e/b9add6579ea2cd6f80ea06beb28a1a7d.jpg 400w,\n/static/6fb16a1b81d6130cc2740894b5f3a652/f422e/b9add6579ea2cd6f80ea06beb28a1a7d.jpg 640w","srcWebp":"/static/6fb16a1b81d6130cc2740894b5f3a652/991d2/b9add6579ea2cd6f80ea06beb28a1a7d.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/6fb16a1b81d6130cc2740894b5f3a652/61e93/b9add6579ea2cd6f80ea06beb28a1a7d.webp 200w,\n/static/6fb16a1b81d6130cc2740894b5f3a652/1f5c5/b9add6579ea2cd6f80ea06beb28a1a7d.webp 400w,\n/static/6fb16a1b81d6130cc2740894b5f3a652/991d2/b9add6579ea2cd6f80ea06beb28a1a7d.webp 640w","sizes":"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1854-markdown","title":"The Unexpected Success Story: How One Woman Found Relief from Pain and Anxiety","slug":"the-unexpected-success-story-how-one-woman-found-relief-from-pain-and-anxiety","content":"Jane* suffered for many years with chronic pain associated with her PMS.  Her pain became so debilitating on a monthly basis that she often had to miss work and interrupt other parts of her daily life. Being someone who seeks out a more natural cure, Jane chose not to take birth control and other narcotics prescribed to her by her doctor to ease her pain, *“that has been my whole journey, natural health…to tell you the truth many times doctors told me to try birth control, but I just didn't feel right about it…I was more willing to try medical marijuana.”* Though Jane was skeptical about medical marijuana at first, a friend encouraged her to try it, *“she used it herself and had found it to be a miracle worker,”* Jane said, *“she has been my wing lady to help me figure it all out.”* Jane, however, was a little surprised when the idea was first proposed, \r\n\r\n>“I knew it has helpful for cancer patients, but I didn’t know anything else about it…I did a lot of research, after doing research I found it to be legit. It really is something that helps people…I want what I put in my body to actually heal it, not just be a symptom manager. I saw medical marijuana as natural, its an herb, and it wouldn’t harm my body.  There are a lot of pharmaceuticals on the market with a lot of side effects and medical marijuana has none that aren’t manageable. It’s very easy to use, it’s just great! Even if you take too much there aren’t serious repercussions.”\r\n\r\nShe chose to use vaporization and edibles because they were the most clean way to put the medicine in her body. She avoided smoking because of worries about carcinogens. Vaporizing is also very discrete for Jane, since it produces much less smell and residue than traditional smoking.  She also looks for quality in her products and dispensaries so she knows what she is putting in her body. She uses various strains, and CBD to THC ratios, for different times of day and to manage particular symptoms.  To manage her pain or help her with falling asleep, she takes Indicas with high levels of CBD.  She uses a Sativa to manage her symptoms when she wants to be awake and active.  Jane has also found Sativa to be helpful in managing her general anxiety and anxiety attacks.  \r\n\r\nShe mentions her use of medical marijuana to people close to her, but for the most part she sees herself as an *“anonymous advocate”* because of the stigmas surrounding marijuana usage. *“I don’t know how much I can voice how amazing it is without possibly losing a job or something like that,”* Jane does, however, reach out to people who she thinks could really benefit from using medical marijuana. She has reached out to a friend suffering from strokes because she has seen the success that medical marijuana can have on people who suffer from many different ailments. \r\n\r\nJane did copious amounts of research on medical marijuana before starting her journey and she recommends that people educate themselves fully about cannabis before jumping in. She found a lot of her resources by just searching google and youtube. She has also found success in a reliable dispensary that she can reach out to for questions.  She takes in all information about marijuana that she can find, but she does aim to find information specifically tailored toward the medical field.  \r\nJane has seen her whole experience of using medical marijuana as life changing, \r\n\r\n>“It was kind of my last resort. I was in a hard place after 5 years of so much physical pain and many years of emotional pain as well. Doctors couldn’t seem to help they just said everything was fine with me. They kept on asking me if I wanted to take this medicine or that medicine and I said no. I was wondering if there was any natural solution for my problems. I was at the end of my rope and [medical marijuana] has been an amazing help. At the same time it was so economical compared to other medication.”\r\n\r\nDue to her success, and the positive experiences she’s heard about from so many other people, Jane would love to see a normalization of medical marijuana.  She wishes she did not have to worry about the stigma attached with the use of medical marijuana.  Jane believes the message really needs to get out that medical marijuana is a medicine, so people no longer have to worry about being open, \r\n\r\n>“It is amazing how much of a life saver it is and how much of stigma there can still be.  That was one of the hardest things about it when I first started using [medical marijuana], I was not only figuring it out but also figuring out how open I could be about it…someone who genuinely needs this shouldn’t have to be so worried about how society views them for using it.” \r\n\r\nShe is constantly wary about the social stigma and she believes the key to breaking that cycle is advocacy.  \r\nHer advice for people considering medical marijuana: people should educate themselves, find a trusted support system to help them through the process, and just give it a try if they think it can help them with their struggles.  She admits it probably would be a little scary if she didn’t have her friend and her husband to help her through the process, but Jane says there are resources out there for everyone. However, they can be hard to find, which is another change she hopes to see coming from the industry soon.  Her final words of advice, \r\n\r\n>“If you look at some of the side effects that many different drugs have, especially if you might be at the point where your being prescribed narcotics or anti-anxiety medication, give medical marijuana a try before you commit to harsher medications because it has so few side effects… Give it a shot, we’re blessed to be able to try it.” \r\n\r\n\r\n*names have been changed for anonymity purposes\r\n\r\n[Photo Credit.](https://www.flickr.com/photos/alarzy/4231225160/in/photolist-7rU8PW-PJWkr-pvWAQR-5n8FfK-7Whpi7-bfsW2z-n6eWG-rVxqEE-8Ury7h-5rbkhz-7yiH9e-sgEL27-4vCzXU-6KszzF-MPSX4-5tAVSX-6KwEHf-6KwP9s-Avphf-dzGMcp-KzKiU-u9CHa-yDc1r-8csfmN-8mNR1E-5i6xWq-4zRPyC-8csfmL-4amQUy-6KwAE9-9sMurD-a21jwt-6oD2c-4BuFpj-4amQZE-6Ksoy2-nqk8KN-a1FBUb-nr4qqY-4ahMmH-vij1AA-4ahMm6-4amQWm-haCsx-n6eWn-2LCGM-vkXgrB-bgUyqZ-a17Fzo-5qNkQh)","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5037593984962405,"src":"/static/6d7d83e9e74c1752bdf154d36d3281a7/14b42/8cf55ff0c412c40b03ae53d9bb0c82c2.jpg","srcSet":"/static/6d7d83e9e74c1752bdf154d36d3281a7/f836f/8cf55ff0c412c40b03ae53d9bb0c82c2.jpg 200w,\n/static/6d7d83e9e74c1752bdf154d36d3281a7/2244e/8cf55ff0c412c40b03ae53d9bb0c82c2.jpg 400w,\n/static/6d7d83e9e74c1752bdf154d36d3281a7/14b42/8cf55ff0c412c40b03ae53d9bb0c82c2.jpg 800w,\n/static/6d7d83e9e74c1752bdf154d36d3281a7/47498/8cf55ff0c412c40b03ae53d9bb0c82c2.jpg 1200w,\n/static/6d7d83e9e74c1752bdf154d36d3281a7/a6974/8cf55ff0c412c40b03ae53d9bb0c82c2.jpg 1536w","srcWebp":"/static/6d7d83e9e74c1752bdf154d36d3281a7/58556/8cf55ff0c412c40b03ae53d9bb0c82c2.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/6d7d83e9e74c1752bdf154d36d3281a7/61e93/8cf55ff0c412c40b03ae53d9bb0c82c2.webp 200w,\n/static/6d7d83e9e74c1752bdf154d36d3281a7/1f5c5/8cf55ff0c412c40b03ae53d9bb0c82c2.webp 400w,\n/static/6d7d83e9e74c1752bdf154d36d3281a7/58556/8cf55ff0c412c40b03ae53d9bb0c82c2.webp 800w,\n/static/6d7d83e9e74c1752bdf154d36d3281a7/99238/8cf55ff0c412c40b03ae53d9bb0c82c2.webp 1200w,\n/static/6d7d83e9e74c1752bdf154d36d3281a7/d5052/8cf55ff0c412c40b03ae53d9bb0c82c2.webp 1536w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1871-markdown","title":"Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAID) Increase Heart Disease and Stroke: Another Reason to Try Cannabis","slug":"non-steroidal-anti-inflammatory-drugs-nsaid-increase-heart-disease-and-stroke-another-reason-to-try-cannabis","content":"On July 10, 2015, the [Federal Drug Administration\r\n(FDA)](http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm451800.htm) announced that\r\nadditional language will be added to the labels of non-steroidal\r\nanti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) warning of the increased risk of heart\r\nattack and stroke. NSAIDs include ibuprofen (i.e., Motrin®), naproxen\r\n(i.e., Aleve®) and celecobix (Celebrix®).\r\n\r\nMillions of Americans routinely take NSAIDs for pain and inflammation.\r\nThe [American College of Preventive\r\nMedicine](https://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.acpm.org/resource/resmgr/timetools-files/otcmedsclinicalreference.pdf)\r\nreports that analgesics, including NSAIDs, are the most frequently used\r\nover-the-counter (OTC) medication in use today.\r\n\r\nTreating Chronic Pain\r\n---------------------\r\n\r\nAccording to the [National Institutes of Health\r\n(NIH)](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92525/# ch1.s3), about 116\r\nmillion American adults suffer from chronic pain, which is defined as\r\npain that lasts more than 12 weeks. The most common treatment for\r\nchronic pain is the use of NSAIDs.\r\n\r\nCannabis has also been a [historically\r\ntraditional](http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000026)\r\ntreatment for chronic pain; the Chinese were using medical marijuana to\r\ntreat pain in 2900 BC. Use has continued today, albeit more informally\r\ndue to the legalities of use. A 2005 ABC News, *USA Today*, and Stanford\r\nMedical Center\r\n[Poll](http://abcnews.go.com/images/Politics/979a1TheFightAgainstPain.pdf)\r\nfound that 6 percent of chronic pain sufferers took cannabis to relieve\r\ntheir pain.\r\n\r\nSide Effects of Chronic Pain Treatment\r\n--------------------------------------\r\n\r\nThe FDA announcement came as a result of [accumulating\r\nresearch](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3778977/) linking\r\nNSAID use to heart attack, heart failure and stroke. Risk of these\r\nconditions increased with:\r\n\r\n-   NSAID dosage\r\n-   Use for just a few weeks\r\n-   Prolonged use\r\n-   History of heart disease or other risk factors, particularly in\r\n    those over 65 years\r\n\r\nThe label will also reflect the still increased risk among people with\r\nno heart disease history or risk factors and the higher mortality rate\r\nfor those patients who within the first year following a heart attack\r\ntook NSAIDS.\r\n\r\nThe Case for Cannabis\r\n---------------------\r\n\r\nDealing day to day with chronic pain can be exhausting. Those who suffer\r\nfrom chronic pain are at an increased risk of depression and anxiety.\r\nThey are also at risk of increased physiological changes, such as higher\r\nblood pressure, which can increase their risk of heart disease. Taking\r\npain-relief medication that increases health risks further seems\r\ncounterproductive, if not dangerous.\r\n\r\nThe pain relief offered by medical marijuana may be a viable\r\nalternative. Cannabis relieves pain by interrupting the uptake of\r\nendocannabinoids in pain circuits and through reductions in the\r\ninflammatory response. Cannabis has been shown to be effective in\r\ntreating patients with pain from [many\r\nconditions](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2430692/),\r\nincluding:\r\n\r\n-   [Cancer](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cancer-pain-has-met-its-match-medical-marijuana)\r\n-   [Multiple\r\n    sclerosis](http://www.neurology.org/content/65/6/812.short)\r\n-   [Arthritis](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/medical-marijuana-a-safe-alternative-for-arthritis-inflammation)\r\n-   [Fibromyalgia](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/relief-from-fibromyalgia-symptoms-the-case-for-medical-marijuana)\r\n-   [Migraines](https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/your-brain-food/201309/marijuana-migraines)\r\n\r\nIn addition, cannabis may be safer than NSAIDs; cannabis has never been\r\nlinked to heart disease or stroke, nor has it been linked to the\r\n[gastrointestinal\r\ntoxicity](http://www.fda.gov/downloads/drugs/drugsafety/ucm387559.pdf)\r\nthat NSAIDs labels currently warn against. The new FDA warning on NSAIDs\r\nprovides further support for the use of cannabis to help those in pain.\r\n\r\n[Photo Credit.](https://www.flickr.com/photos/58782227@N00/2218557783)","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.680672268907563,"src":"/static/8dbc39394ac394307897af8f4fd4c536/14b42/e011a02de48752b71cb57389fa13b667.jpg","srcSet":"/static/8dbc39394ac394307897af8f4fd4c536/f836f/e011a02de48752b71cb57389fa13b667.jpg 200w,\n/static/8dbc39394ac394307897af8f4fd4c536/2244e/e011a02de48752b71cb57389fa13b667.jpg 400w,\n/static/8dbc39394ac394307897af8f4fd4c536/14b42/e011a02de48752b71cb57389fa13b667.jpg 800w,\n/static/8dbc39394ac394307897af8f4fd4c536/16310/e011a02de48752b71cb57389fa13b667.jpg 1024w","srcWebp":"/static/8dbc39394ac394307897af8f4fd4c536/58556/e011a02de48752b71cb57389fa13b667.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/8dbc39394ac394307897af8f4fd4c536/61e93/e011a02de48752b71cb57389fa13b667.webp 200w,\n/static/8dbc39394ac394307897af8f4fd4c536/1f5c5/e011a02de48752b71cb57389fa13b667.webp 400w,\n/static/8dbc39394ac394307897af8f4fd4c536/58556/e011a02de48752b71cb57389fa13b667.webp 800w,\n/static/8dbc39394ac394307897af8f4fd4c536/cc834/e011a02de48752b71cb57389fa13b667.webp 1024w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1861-markdown","title":"Chronic Pain has Met its Match","slug":"chronic-pain-has-met-its-match","content":"Pain is our body's way of letting us know that we are in danger of\r\ninjury or illness. For those who suffer from chronic pain, which is\r\ndefined by the [National Institutes of Health\r\n(NIH)](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18602869) as pain lasting more\r\nthan 12 weeks, their pain is not a message of threat but a permanent\r\ncondition of heightened stress.\r\n\r\nFor as long as people have suffered from pain, they have sought relief.\r\nIn fact, marijuana has been used for pain relief for centuries. Cannabis\r\nhas been used as an\r\n[analgesic](http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000026)\r\nand an\r\n[anti-inflammatory](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2828614/)\r\nin treating pain for more than 3000 years. But it has only been in the\r\npast 20 years that researchers have begun studying and understanding how\r\ncannabis can help those in pain.\r\n\r\nResearch on Cannabis and Pain\r\n-----------------------------\r\n\r\nOne of the components of cannabis, delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC),\r\nhas been shown to successfully [block the cannabinoid\r\nreceptors](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2430692/) in the\r\nbody. These receptors, which are responsible for maintaining homeostasis\r\nfunction in pain circuits, help to cycle the stimulus from the pain\r\nreceptors. They also play a role in\r\n[inflammation](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9539680) by\r\ninteracting with the cannabinoid receptors. THC can interrupt the\r\ninflammatory process, which helps decrease pain.\r\n\r\nCanada Leads the Way\r\n--------------------\r\n\r\nCanada has led the way in using medical marijuana for treating pain.\r\nThey have approved the use of cannabis for treating severe pain in\r\npatients with:\r\n\r\n-   Spinal cord injuries or disease\r\n-   Multiple sclerosis\r\n-   Cancer\r\n-   Arthritis\r\n-   HIV/AIDS infections\r\n\r\nMore recently, researchers have found that smoking cannabis can reduce\r\nneuropathic pain. Neuropathic pain affects about [1 to 2\r\npercent](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15106126) of the population\r\nand frequently does not respond to traditional pain treatment. The\r\nresearchers found that inhaling THC reduced the \"intensity of pain,\r\nimproved sleep and was well tolerated.\" They recommend additional\r\nstudies on safety and long-term efficacy.\r\n\r\nCannabis: Providing Options\r\n---------------------------\r\n\r\nThe [NIH](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92525/# ch1.s3) estimates\r\nthat about 116 million American adults suffer from chronic pain. It is\r\nthe leading cause of disability in the United States and accounts for\r\nmore than [\\$635 billion a\r\nyear](http://www.jpain.org/article/S1526-5900(12)00559-7/pdf) in\r\neconomic costs. This cost is greater than the annual costs of heart\r\ndisease, cancer, and diabetes combined.\r\n\r\nThe prevalence and cost highlight the need for treatment alternatives.\r\nThis has helped spur research into cannabis as a pain medication.\r\nAlthough further study is needed with regard to its effects on specific\r\nconditions and methods of delivery, medical marijuana is a viable\r\ntreatment for the millions who suffer from chronic pain.\r\n\r\n[Photo Credit.](https://www.flickr.com/photos/fortcollinschiropractor/6169824540/in/photolist-apcXTb-apadLP-4RBu2V-2VFqqo-6v9jvw-bnCWQc-paXyJZ-5oy7wS-6VRbxR-9fCHpB-5ZpQdM-8jEGNr-5oRUGd-9fCFdH-9iETrp-79i8Qk-akp7Fe-jnZ6Ze-9iEUpK-5Zq6jr-5Zv6iA-7dk12z-2jyrDf-fFEii2-AZLt3-5ZuHv5-rRY8f-86PTqn-r8hK4-8vhatN-5Zvbed-B5MJS-9fFNSy-5ZpQve-5Zu3s7-m2SE6-9bbFED-a3fh8Q-5Zu3uh-5Zu3kA-5Zu3qd-9f2pg5-y52nK-95h1pT-56N6kH-apadQD-rRY8j-8DSENZ-8kmtpc-8C1K1c)","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5037593984962405,"src":"/static/bc27e3b3a46dd616a8556c3b5249d2a0/14b42/cc81d8ad54ee479af49d7ab53978563b.jpg","srcSet":"/static/bc27e3b3a46dd616a8556c3b5249d2a0/f836f/cc81d8ad54ee479af49d7ab53978563b.jpg 200w,\n/static/bc27e3b3a46dd616a8556c3b5249d2a0/2244e/cc81d8ad54ee479af49d7ab53978563b.jpg 400w,\n/static/bc27e3b3a46dd616a8556c3b5249d2a0/14b42/cc81d8ad54ee479af49d7ab53978563b.jpg 800w,\n/static/bc27e3b3a46dd616a8556c3b5249d2a0/9842e/cc81d8ad54ee479af49d7ab53978563b.jpg 900w","srcWebp":"/static/bc27e3b3a46dd616a8556c3b5249d2a0/58556/cc81d8ad54ee479af49d7ab53978563b.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/bc27e3b3a46dd616a8556c3b5249d2a0/61e93/cc81d8ad54ee479af49d7ab53978563b.webp 200w,\n/static/bc27e3b3a46dd616a8556c3b5249d2a0/1f5c5/cc81d8ad54ee479af49d7ab53978563b.webp 400w,\n/static/bc27e3b3a46dd616a8556c3b5249d2a0/58556/cc81d8ad54ee479af49d7ab53978563b.webp 800w,\n/static/bc27e3b3a46dd616a8556c3b5249d2a0/210c1/cc81d8ad54ee479af49d7ab53978563b.webp 900w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1923-markdown","title":"Cancer Pain has Met its Match: Medical Marijuana","slug":"cancer-pain-has-met-its-match-medical-marijuana","content":"Each year, around [14\r\nmillion](http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs297/en/) people are\r\ndiagnosed with cancer globally, a figure that is expected to rise to 22\r\nmillion within the next two decades. Over\r\n[one-third](http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/564770) of people with\r\ncancer, and around three-quarters of those with advanced cancer,\r\nexperience chronic pain. Most [cancer\r\npain](http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/coping-with-cancer/coping-physically/pain/types-and-causes-of-cancer-pain)\r\nis caused by tumors pressing on nerves, bones or organs, or it may be\r\nrelated to the cancer treatments themselves, such as chemotherapy and\r\nradiotherapy. Other factors such as depression, fear, anxiety and a lack\r\nof sleep can also affect pain perception. Treating the pain that crops\r\nup as a result of cancer or its treatments is thus an important part of\r\nall clinical responses to the disease.\r\n\r\nStudy Findings Show Promise\r\n---------------------------\r\n\r\nAccording to researchers at the University of Bristol, United Kingdom,\r\nmarijuana may provide some benefits for people with cancer-related pain.\r\nIn a\r\n[paper](http://www.aahs.org/medstaff/wp-content/uploads/CannabinoidsNEJM201506.pdf)\r\npublished in the *Journal of the American Medical Association* in June\r\n2015, researchers analyzed information from eight studies that looked at\r\nthe effects cannabinoids had on patients with nerve and cancer pain. It\r\nrevealed that patients using cannabinoids were about 40 percent more\r\nlikely to report a reduction in their pain. Patients who smoked\r\nmarijuana reported the greatest levels of pain relief.\r\n\r\nCurrent Treatments Fall Short\r\n-----------------------------\r\n\r\nCurrently,\r\n[opioids](http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/prescription-drugs/opioids/what-are-opioids)\r\nare the principal medications employed in the management of cancer pain.\r\nHowever, like all medications, opioid use can come at a cost. Short-term\r\nuse of opioids can cause [side\r\neffects](https://www.painedu.org/articles_timely.asp?ArticleNumber=10)\r\nsuch as constipation, drowsiness and nausea, while long-term use is\r\nassociated with high tolerance, dependence and addiction. Thus, there is\r\na clear and urgent need for treatments that bring pain relief with fewer\r\nside effects.\r\n\r\nCombined Approach Offers Hope\r\n-----------------------------\r\n\r\nA study by researchers at the University of California San Francisco,\r\nfound that patients may experience greater relief of pain through the\r\ncombined use of cannabinoids and opioids. In a\r\n[paper](http://www.ucsf.edu/news/2011/12/11077/ucsf-study-finds-medical-marijuana-could-help-patients-reduce-pain-opiates)\r\npublished in December 2011 in *Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics*,\r\nresearchers found that patients using cannabinoids and opioids were more\r\nlikely than patients using opioids alone to report a reduction in pain.\r\nThe researchers also revealed that a combined approach could result in\r\nreduced opioid dosages.\r\n\r\nMarijuana Moves Towards Greater Acceptance\r\n------------------------------------------\r\n\r\nPain is one of the main side effects of cancer and its treatments, and\r\nconventional medications often offer little relief. Medical marijuana\r\nprovides an alternative, and may ease pain more effectively than\r\nstandard treatment.\r\n\r\n[Photo Credit.](https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevendepolo/3021193208/in/photolist-5AYpu5-8ANvar-6nVeVG-6yYVAK-4Ua3dM-pLgzWT-9t9B1E-8e7kek-8m7gnf-ahr9Hf-5bPBLP-fMvjLK-bXb3Ln-rhyZBJ-gAHok1-7QuP6u-97VgKb-qLmxQ-buCKFf-7225VS-rhxX59-4rQU9y-5wWPGJ-x2FPQ-6z41Ws-uNbt2f-bqfFHB-bgae5T-9H4c1A-rfn1h4-8yJgxE-apjV7y-6QeGEz-4stzX1-bmz4S3-6e6cnH-oVyMrX-rxJPzd-cGRr2s-oZEt8a-pS8mUi-4rLPYM-4rLQ8F-4rQUkA-4rQU1h-bu4WxB-7vJdaX-hNHAnY-avuhb9-bu4WxM)","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5037593984962405,"src":"/static/4ad5d73d61d42d3f2a717cc93667ec42/f422e/24a36998ac438bcba9ed30162d97a977.jpg","srcSet":"/static/4ad5d73d61d42d3f2a717cc93667ec42/f836f/24a36998ac438bcba9ed30162d97a977.jpg 200w,\n/static/4ad5d73d61d42d3f2a717cc93667ec42/2244e/24a36998ac438bcba9ed30162d97a977.jpg 400w,\n/static/4ad5d73d61d42d3f2a717cc93667ec42/f422e/24a36998ac438bcba9ed30162d97a977.jpg 640w","srcWebp":"/static/4ad5d73d61d42d3f2a717cc93667ec42/991d2/24a36998ac438bcba9ed30162d97a977.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/4ad5d73d61d42d3f2a717cc93667ec42/61e93/24a36998ac438bcba9ed30162d97a977.webp 200w,\n/static/4ad5d73d61d42d3f2a717cc93667ec42/1f5c5/24a36998ac438bcba9ed30162d97a977.webp 400w,\n/static/4ad5d73d61d42d3f2a717cc93667ec42/991d2/24a36998ac438bcba9ed30162d97a977.webp 640w","sizes":"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1850-markdown","title":"Marijuana Nips Pain in the Bud","slug":"marijuana-nips-pain-in-the-bud","content":"Doctors prescribe marijuana for various conditions. Pain, however,\r\nremains the number one reason for prescription for almost 91 percent of\r\nusers across seven states. According to a 2014\r\n[paper](http://www.globaldrugpolicy.org/Issues/Vol%208%20Issue%202/Why%20Do%20People%20Use%20Medical%20Marijuana.pdf)\r\npublished in *The Journal of Global Drug Policy,* cannabis can alleviate\r\nboth acute and chronic pain. Acute pain is short-term and lasts only\r\nuntil the injury is healed, while chronic pain persists for more than\r\nthree months, such as in cancer and arthritis.\r\n\r\nInadequate Pain Relief\r\n----------------------\r\n\r\nAbout 38 million adults in America suffer from [chronic\r\npain](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/), and 12\r\nmillion of them have turned to marijuana for relief, according to an ABC\r\nNews poll. The usual armamentarium of analgesics for chronic pain--from\r\nopiates to antidepressants and anticonvulsants--are no longer adequate,\r\nespecially in intractable cases such as cancer-associated pain and\r\nneuropathic pain, which is caused by damaged nerves. In a recent patient\r\nnon-adherence study by\r\n[Ameritox](http://www.ameritox.com/wp-content/uploads/Ananalysisoftheassociationbetweenmarijuanauseandpotentialnonadherence_AAPM2013.pdf),\r\nurine samples were collected from patients who were prescribed\r\nhydrocodone, one of the most frequently prescribed opioids. Of the urine\r\nsamples that tested positive for marijuana, 36.5 percent showed no\r\ntraces of the prescribed hydrocodone. \"…the data strongly suggests that\r\nmarijuana use is associated with an increased...prescription non-drug\r\nadherence,\" said Harry Leider, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Ameritox.\r\nThis non-adherence indicates that people who are using cannabis are\r\nfinding relief from their pain without opioids.\r\n\r\nHow Cannabis Helps\r\n------------------\r\n\r\nTo equip physicians with better pain management tools, researchers are\r\ntaking another look at cannabis, which has been used against pain for\r\nmore than 2,000 years. It has been discovered that the main\r\n[cannabinoids](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2430692/) in\r\nmarijuana, such as THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD\r\n(cannabidiol), are similarly structured to the body's own\r\nendocannabinoids (neurotransmitters that produce pain relief). This\r\nallows THC and CBD to bind to cannabinoid receptors in the body and\r\nelicit analgesia. The non-psychoactic CBD also helps by reducing nausea,\r\ndecreasing anxiety, suppressing seizures, and inhibiting the synthesis\r\nof pro-inflammatory proteins, making marijuana an effective\r\nanti-inflammatory agent as well.\r\n\r\nCannabinoid receptors are located in different areas of the body, but\r\nwhen it comes to neuropathic pain, those that are situated in the\r\nrostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) part of the brain play possibly the\r\nmost critical role. Scientists in Italy were able to confirm that two\r\nnon-psychoactive cannabinoids--[CBD and cannabichromene\r\n(CBC)](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20942863)--in marijuana have\r\nsuccessfully targeted the RVM in rat models. The findings confirm the\r\nviability of marijuana in treating neuropathic pain induced by cancer,\r\nHIV infection, alcoholism, diabetes, shingles and amputation, to name\r\nsome.\r\n\r\nOn the Right Track\r\n------------------\r\n\r\nIn fact,\r\n[Sativex](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/), a new\r\ncannabis-derived drug that contains equal parts THC and CBD, is already\r\napproved in Canada for the treatment of neuropathic pain in multiple\r\nsclerosis and cancer. Its safety and efficacy are demonstrated in\r\nseveral clinical\r\n[trials](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/),\r\nincluding for rheumatoid arthritis. Possible [adverse\r\neffects](http://sativex.co.uk/patients-and-carers/sativex/possible-side-effects/),\r\nlike tiredness and dizziness, are noted to be acceptable. Sativex has\r\nbeen granted Fast Track Designation by the [US\r\nFDA](http://www.gwpharm.com/GW%20Pharmaceuticals%20Announces%20that%20Sativex%20Receives%20Fast%20Track%20Designation%20from%20FDA%20in%20Cancer%20Pain.aspx),\r\nto expedite its development and review for the treatment of advanced\r\ncancer in patients who experience inadequate relief despite optimized\r\nopioid therapy.\r\n\r\nThe recognition of cannabis as a powerful agent in pain management is\r\nspreading throughout the country. Medical marijuana is already\r\n[legalized](http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000881)\r\nin 23 states and in Washington DC, while more than half a dozen are\r\npending legislation.\r\n\r\n[Photo Credit.](https://www.flickr.com/photos/59632563@N04/6104068209/in/photolist-aioWPk-9eC7PJ-oFEZpJ-q6bu3C-qggAwL-7x6SsM-aiqKtD-dMheMz-mBvTwd-mBuKpn-dMnNxS-5q6Suw-AKC4i-bA3eBS-dzXg6p-dA3JXs-jLkw1i-8yfF54-8KFUqp-dcvNUn-79EgBK-6F44ap-5JsL8a-vqKMeV-7hVpcW-giLQdY-dzXfXa-bHc2vT-7virZV-5q62LW-85fndj-muaFT5-AZLt3-dzXfRc-3ponyK-5JsL7R-pbwNUv-7RAoXW-e987Cm-8DVdmJ-pZXM5s-eH924F-9kN9Qo-baAnDK-s916o9-5HM5eC-79J7Mj-5q1FVn-nwbaT8-s8Z4gy)","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5037593984962405,"src":"/static/cd1df9171c5676797199dbe6188ce6d9/14b42/595f75b5f8bf086bb8187d2cd9711418.jpg","srcSet":"/static/cd1df9171c5676797199dbe6188ce6d9/f836f/595f75b5f8bf086bb8187d2cd9711418.jpg 200w,\n/static/cd1df9171c5676797199dbe6188ce6d9/2244e/595f75b5f8bf086bb8187d2cd9711418.jpg 400w,\n/static/cd1df9171c5676797199dbe6188ce6d9/14b42/595f75b5f8bf086bb8187d2cd9711418.jpg 800w,\n/static/cd1df9171c5676797199dbe6188ce6d9/47498/595f75b5f8bf086bb8187d2cd9711418.jpg 1200w,\n/static/cd1df9171c5676797199dbe6188ce6d9/a6974/595f75b5f8bf086bb8187d2cd9711418.jpg 1536w","srcWebp":"/static/cd1df9171c5676797199dbe6188ce6d9/58556/595f75b5f8bf086bb8187d2cd9711418.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/cd1df9171c5676797199dbe6188ce6d9/61e93/595f75b5f8bf086bb8187d2cd9711418.webp 200w,\n/static/cd1df9171c5676797199dbe6188ce6d9/1f5c5/595f75b5f8bf086bb8187d2cd9711418.webp 400w,\n/static/cd1df9171c5676797199dbe6188ce6d9/58556/595f75b5f8bf086bb8187d2cd9711418.webp 800w,\n/static/cd1df9171c5676797199dbe6188ce6d9/99238/595f75b5f8bf086bb8187d2cd9711418.webp 1200w,\n/static/cd1df9171c5676797199dbe6188ce6d9/d5052/595f75b5f8bf086bb8187d2cd9711418.webp 1536w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1892-markdown","title":"Taking Queues From the Past: Medical Marijuana can Provide Migraine Relief","slug":"taking-queues-from-the-past-medical-marijuana-can-provide-migraine-relief","content":"A migraine is an excruciating type of headache that is usually\r\naccompanied by other symptoms, such as extreme light sensitivity,\r\nnausea, and even vomiting. Some migraines are so severe that they can\r\ncause people to completely halt their daily lives. Medical marijuana, or\r\ncannabis, might be a solution for many migraine sufferers.\r\n\r\nStatistics from the [Migraine Research\r\nFoundation](http://www.migraineresearchfoundation.org/fact-sheet.html)\r\nestimate that more than 10% of the population suffers from migraines,\r\nmaking it one of the top 20 debilitating medical conditions in the\r\nworld. According to the Migraine Research Foundation, someone in the\r\nUnited States goes to the emergency room every 10 seconds as a result of\r\nmigraine, with more than 90% of those suffering from the condition\r\nunable to function in a normal capacity.\r\n\r\r\n\r\nThe use of medical marijuana for migraines is not a new concept. A 1998\r\n[study](http://www.maps.org/research-archive/mmj/russo_98_migraine_pain.pdf)\r\nby the neurology department of the Western Montana Clinic explains that\r\ncannabis has been used for centuries to manage the effects of migraines.\r\nAncient Greek, Chinese, Indian, Roman, and Egyptian literature all make\r\nreference to cannabis's efficacy for headaches, and it was the remedy of\r\nchoice for migraine treatment well into the mid-twentieth century.\r\n\r\nTension headaches are the most\r\n[common](http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000797.htm)\r\nkind of headache that are associated with migraines. They can be\r\ntriggered by fatigue, flu, alcohol use, eye strain, emotional stress and\r\nanxiety, insomnia, or excessive smoking. This type of headache is the\r\nresult of the tightening of muscles in the neck and scalp, and medical\r\nmarijuana, which helps in the relaxation of these muscles, can help\r\nmanage the headache.\r\n\r\nThe use of cannabis may also help reduce the frequency of headaches\r\nsince it can act as a prophylaxis or preventive measure. Usually, those\r\nwho suffer from migraines have very little recourse for the treatment of\r\nthis condition. Available medications often have unpleasant side effects\r\nwhich tend to cancel out any perceived benefits.\r\n\r\nCannabis acts as an analgesic and can help in the reduction of the pain\r\nfrom migraines. The reduction of endocannabinoids is suspected to be an\r\nunderlying reason for migraines. A migraine trigger sets off a chemical\r\nreaction in the brain, causing the release of endocannabinoids to\r\nmaintain balance. In individuals where this component is lacking, a\r\ndilation of blood vessels will result in intense migraine pain, which\r\nmay explain the therapeutic benefits of cannabis in managing migraine.\r\n\r\n[Photo Credit.](https://www.flickr.com/photos/9286726@N03/8128109002)\r\n\r\n**References:**\r\n\r\nRusso, E. (n.d.). Cannabis for migraine treatment: The once and future\r\nprescription? An historical and scientific review. Retrieved June 26,\r\n2015, from\r\n[http://www.maps.org/research-archive/mmj/russo\\_98\\_migraine\\_pain.pdf](http://www.maps.org/research-archive/mmj/russo_98_migraine_pain.pdf)\r\n\r\nTension headache: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved\r\nJune 26, 2015, from\r\n[http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000797.htm](http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000797.htm)\r\n\r\nMarijuana For Migraines. (n.d.). Retrieved June 26, 2015, from\r\n[https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/your-brain-food/201309/marijuana-migraines](https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/your-brain-food/201309/marijuana-migraines)\r\n\r\nSmith, S., & Wagner, M. (n.d.). Clinical endocannabinoid deficiency\r\n(CECD) revisited: Can this concept explain the therapeutic benefits of\r\ncannabis in migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome and other\r\ntreatment-resistant conditions? Retrieved June 27, 2015, from\r\nhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24977967","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5037593984962405,"src":"/static/53f24c0adc1e1488ce02ce4370e9eae3/14b42/8e0f7b95dc4ba3cef29ff2c2b023cbf4.jpg","srcSet":"/static/53f24c0adc1e1488ce02ce4370e9eae3/f836f/8e0f7b95dc4ba3cef29ff2c2b023cbf4.jpg 200w,\n/static/53f24c0adc1e1488ce02ce4370e9eae3/2244e/8e0f7b95dc4ba3cef29ff2c2b023cbf4.jpg 400w,\n/static/53f24c0adc1e1488ce02ce4370e9eae3/14b42/8e0f7b95dc4ba3cef29ff2c2b023cbf4.jpg 800w,\n/static/53f24c0adc1e1488ce02ce4370e9eae3/16310/8e0f7b95dc4ba3cef29ff2c2b023cbf4.jpg 1024w","srcWebp":"/static/53f24c0adc1e1488ce02ce4370e9eae3/58556/8e0f7b95dc4ba3cef29ff2c2b023cbf4.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/53f24c0adc1e1488ce02ce4370e9eae3/61e93/8e0f7b95dc4ba3cef29ff2c2b023cbf4.webp 200w,\n/static/53f24c0adc1e1488ce02ce4370e9eae3/1f5c5/8e0f7b95dc4ba3cef29ff2c2b023cbf4.webp 400w,\n/static/53f24c0adc1e1488ce02ce4370e9eae3/58556/8e0f7b95dc4ba3cef29ff2c2b023cbf4.webp 800w,\n/static/53f24c0adc1e1488ce02ce4370e9eae3/cc834/8e0f7b95dc4ba3cef29ff2c2b023cbf4.webp 1024w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1874-markdown","title":"Migraines: How I Got off Pain Meds & Found Relief With Cannabis","slug":"migraines-how-i-got-off-pain-meds-and-found-relief-with-cannabis","content":"Have you ever considered using cannabidiol (CBD) for chronic pain relief? I didn’t. Sure, I read some stuff in the news about marijuana’s awesome healing properties, but to be honest I always thought that it was a bunch of BS. I pictured myself smoking a big spliff, getting really paranoid, feeling out of my head and still having a seriously bad migraine. Oh, and going to bed and not sleeping because I’m spinning and, did I say it before, so incredibly PARANOID. Not my happy place. \n\nMy perception of medical marijuana was way off base. There are multiple different types of cannabinoids within the cannabis plant, and CBD is almost exclusively used for medical relief. CBD, unlike its twin sister-from-a-different-mister tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), doesn’t get people high or stoned. Based on a personal friend’s recommendation, I ended up trying CBD for migraine pain relief, and to my great surprise, it worked.\n\nIf this is of interest to you, then you should read on, because this is my story of how I got off Vicodin and started using CBD to manage chronic pain caused by crazy, intense migraines.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)  \n\n### More Than 2 Dozen Years of Intense Migraine Symptoms\n\nI’ve had migraine headaches since I was 14. Head-splitting, painful whoppers that can leave me in bed for days. The first time I had a migraine, I was swimming a 100-meter race on the high school swim team. I nearly won (almost), but when I got out of the pool, I actually fell to the ground. I was struck by migraine lightning that left me blinded, vomiting and out of my head for the next 12 hours. That was the start of it all.\n\nFor the last 25 or so years, it’s been much the same, although I learned that hormonal spikes most often cause migraines along with stress, diet, lack of exercise as well as other triggers. Getting pregnant? A really bad idea if you get hormonal migraines. Several pregnancies later, I found my headaches were as bad, if not worse, than in adolescence. So was my mood.\n\nWhen you feel chronic pain this badly, I believe most people are willing to do just about anything to get pain relief (I’m included in that group). This led me to try out a barrage of drugs to find a cure (by the way, there isn’t one unless you consider cutting off your head) and/or something that might provide significant pain relief.\n\nRELATED: [BEST CBD STRAINS FOR MIGRAINES](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/57f283d9e4b4f6000a8dba0e/the-best-cbd-marijuana-strains-for-migraines)\n\n### Treating My Migraines With Imitrex & Vicodin\n\nYoga, Pilates and CrossFit helped me. Other than drugs, adding more exercise to my weekly routine and making a significant change in my diet, including dropping gluten and soy, helped alleviate the worst kinds of migraine headaches. That is semi code for the migraines that blind you and give you the dreaded-dotted-panic-attack-inducing aura. That said, no matter what changes I made, a migraine still seemed to rear its ugly head. Enter migraine treatment with narcotics and heavy-duty migraine medications such as Imitrex.\n\nFor the most part, I found the migraine meds like Imitrex too debilitating. I ended up foggy, drooling and practically comatose in bed, unable to do much, but still with a nagging pain in the gulliver. Vicodin is a combination of the narcotic hydrocodone and non-narcotic pain reliever acetaminophen. On a monthly basis, I found that taking Vicodin at the onset of a migraine headache helped to both stop it from getting worse while also giving significant pain relief with minor side effects.\n\nFinding pain relief with Vicodon was fantastic, but it also had a significant downside. I started snacking Vicodin on a monthly basis —roughly in the neighborhood of two to eight pills per month. It’s important to note that the DEA now classes Vicodin as a Schedule 2 drug, which means that it has a high potential to be abused and for people to become dependent on it. In August of 2014, the DEA changed the regulations around Vicodin and moved it into the same class as Oxycontin, Percocet and Codeine. As a result, physicians have been far more careful when prescribing Vicodin. Honestly, it’s understandable as the doctors now need to watch their own backs based on the new DEA regulation.\n\nLaws changed around Vicodin due to the fact that some seven million Americans seem to adore it as well as other prescription meds; they’re addicted to them and love to Rush Limbaugh (yes, that’s a gross, fat verb I coined). Fortunately, I never had an issue with Vicodin addiction, but it really bothered me that I was so heavily reliant on a narcotic. It seemed so, well, dependent. It was also far less convenient trying to get a prescription as well.\n\n### My Introduction to Migraine Treatment With CBD\n\nAbout a year ago, a friend suggested that I try a CBD mouth spray for my headaches. I was all ears, as she told me that it not only provided her with pain relief, but she was able to fully function; it didn’t make her tired, and she found it a more natural way to medicate. It had seriously never occurred to me that people weren’t necessarily smoking their medicine nor were they getting high.\n\nCBD and THC are two of the most prevalent compounds found in cannabis. There are over 60 other compounds that also make up the marijuana plant. THC is the psychoactive component and is what gets people high, which for some is great.\n\nCBD, on the other hand, is non-psychoactive and does not affect our CB1 brain receptors in the same way as THC. Both THC and CBD have many of the same medical advantages, but each person reacts differently. For me, THC is like kryptonite. My system simply can’t handle it; I short circuit.\n\n### Get to Know CBD\n\nI was never much into chemistry, but the difference with CBD from THC is that THC is perfectly shaped to bind to our CB1 receptor, whereas CBD doesn’t—hence no psychoactive effects. CBD is now finally coming into the limelight due to its remarkable properties. CBD has been shown to:\n\n* relieve pain\n* fight cancer\n* prevent diabetic neuropathy\n* protect nerves\n* reduce nausea and vomiting\n* suppress seizures\n* combat anxiety \n* alleviate inflammation in the body\n\nAnd the list goes on and on. This is me screaming from the top of my work desk, IT ALSO STOPPED THE PAIN CAUSED BY MY MIGRAINES with zero gnarly side effects!\n\nRELATED: [TOP 6 WAYS TO CONSUME CBD](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/57b2182407f595000bf74dd3/6-top-ways-to-consume-cbd)\n\nAnother interesting thing to note about CBD is its unique ability to work in conjunction with THC. CBD is able to stop the negative effects that may be felt from ingesting too much THC. In effect, CBD can reduce any overly intense psychoactivity caused by THC—so if your little brother smokes too much cannabis and locks himself in the broom closet, you give him CBD. It is like Freeze Miser meeting Heat Miser, and Mother Nature stopping the argument so Christmas can go on (excuse the cult TV special cultural reference). \n\nAs a result, you’ll see many products that use ratios of 1:1 CBD to THC, or always greater CBD to THC ratios. The ratio of THC to CBD is very important for the relief you want to feel and your tolerance for the psychoactivity inherent to THC.\n\nAll that said, I’ll leave the topic of ratios and dosage for another posting. If you’re like me, and have a highly negative sensitivity to THC, talk to your doctor as well as a reputable dispensary before buying and trying any new product. If you’re in the San Francisco area or Las Vegas, I highly recommend visiting [The Apothecarium](https://apothecarium.com) as the staff is friendly and very knowledgeable and can readily help with recommendations.\n\nSo to wrap it up, if CBD worked for me, it may also work for you. This story is one of the reasons we started HelloMD. We saw there was a great need for people to gain access to medical cards so they might be able to purchase medical marijuana legally. We advocate for people to try medicinal marijuana for medical needs whether they be small or large, because in our opinion it offers a viable, relatively safe medical alternative to the drugs developed by Big Pharma.\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3986013986013985,"src":"/static/59d3e838ee0c312c66bd8871f35811a6/14b42/e8eb9f798fc789c6488e6fde7d6f0f1c.jpg","srcSet":"/static/59d3e838ee0c312c66bd8871f35811a6/f836f/e8eb9f798fc789c6488e6fde7d6f0f1c.jpg 200w,\n/static/59d3e838ee0c312c66bd8871f35811a6/2244e/e8eb9f798fc789c6488e6fde7d6f0f1c.jpg 400w,\n/static/59d3e838ee0c312c66bd8871f35811a6/14b42/e8eb9f798fc789c6488e6fde7d6f0f1c.jpg 800w,\n/static/59d3e838ee0c312c66bd8871f35811a6/16310/e8eb9f798fc789c6488e6fde7d6f0f1c.jpg 1024w","srcWebp":"/static/59d3e838ee0c312c66bd8871f35811a6/58556/e8eb9f798fc789c6488e6fde7d6f0f1c.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/59d3e838ee0c312c66bd8871f35811a6/61e93/e8eb9f798fc789c6488e6fde7d6f0f1c.webp 200w,\n/static/59d3e838ee0c312c66bd8871f35811a6/1f5c5/e8eb9f798fc789c6488e6fde7d6f0f1c.webp 400w,\n/static/59d3e838ee0c312c66bd8871f35811a6/58556/e8eb9f798fc789c6488e6fde7d6f0f1c.webp 800w,\n/static/59d3e838ee0c312c66bd8871f35811a6/cc834/e8eb9f798fc789c6488e6fde7d6f0f1c.webp 1024w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1877-markdown","title":"Medical Marijuana May Reduce Opioid Use for Back Pain Sufferers","slug":"medical-marijuana-may-reduce-opioid-use-for-back-pain-sufferers","content":"Pain can be debilitating. More than [half of Americans say they live with chronic or recurring pain](http://www.painmed.org/patientcenter/cost-of-pain-to-businesses/), and general back pain—lower back pain, back spasms and/or sciatica—is one of the most common reasons people see a doctor. \n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en) \n\nBack pain can be defined as either acute, in which the patient recovers in six to eight weeks, or chronic, when someone experiences episodes of acute pain three or more times a year. Both chronic and acute back pain can interfere with everyday activities such as walking, sitting and sleeping. Both often result in missed days of work—chronic pain is one of the leading causes of disability claims. \n\n### Over-the-Counter & Prescription Back Pain Medication\n\nNearly half of those with back pain have suffered some type of trauma, but medicine still has little to offer as a solution. The most common treatments are over-the-counter medications, particularly non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, naproxen and aspirin. Unfortunately, NSAIDs can have side effects such as nausea, ulcers and stomach upset. Plus, they're often not strong enough to combat serious pain.\nWhen NSAIDs aren’t enough, doctors may prescribe opioids, such as hydrocodone, to address the pain. [Long-term opioid use is problematic—it can lead to addiction as well as anxiety, depression, insomnia and other problems](https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/narcotic-pain-medications#2). Unfortunately, for those with serious pain, there have been few other options available. This is changing though with the legalization of medical marijuana in many states.\n\n### Cannabis Is Safer Than Opioids & Just as Effective\n\nResearchers have known since the 1970s that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a cannabinoid found in marijuana, is effective for many types of pain. And even recent studies show that [THC reduces pain and improves sleep without any serious adverse effects](http://www.cmaj.ca/content/182/14/E694.full.pdf). However, due to cannabis’s classification as a Schedule 1 drug, research has been stifled. But with the march towards legalizing medical marijuana, research has picked up and the general takeaway is that marijuana is extremely effective for reducing pain.\n\nRELATED: [BEST MARIJUANA STRAINS FOR BACK PAIN](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/57e1803d16ce30000b06ba0a/top-6-marijuana-strains-for-back-pain) \n\nCannabis appears to be as effective as—if not more effective than—routinely prescribed opioids—but without the side effects. A 2013 study by the University of Colorado found that nearly 90% of participants gained relief from their back pain with the use of cannabis, and 81% said it was effective as traditional painkillers. A study published this year by the drug company Ameritox concluded that 36% of marijuana users who also had a prescription for hydrocodone failed to take it, compared to only 27% of non-marijuana users. While it decried this failure as \"medication non-compliance,\" the positive point is that [36% of cannabis users no longer felt the need to take an opioid drug to relieve their pain](http://www.ameritox.com/wp-content/uploads/Ananalysisoftheassociationbetweenmarijuanauseandpotentialnonadherence_AAPM2013.pdf).\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/7e34c68877ff96cc3e145c1805ba07f4/14b42/f8b895d100570311a6c6ad333646dd9b.jpg","srcSet":"/static/7e34c68877ff96cc3e145c1805ba07f4/f836f/f8b895d100570311a6c6ad333646dd9b.jpg 200w,\n/static/7e34c68877ff96cc3e145c1805ba07f4/2244e/f8b895d100570311a6c6ad333646dd9b.jpg 400w,\n/static/7e34c68877ff96cc3e145c1805ba07f4/14b42/f8b895d100570311a6c6ad333646dd9b.jpg 800w,\n/static/7e34c68877ff96cc3e145c1805ba07f4/16310/f8b895d100570311a6c6ad333646dd9b.jpg 1024w","srcWebp":"/static/7e34c68877ff96cc3e145c1805ba07f4/58556/f8b895d100570311a6c6ad333646dd9b.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/7e34c68877ff96cc3e145c1805ba07f4/61e93/f8b895d100570311a6c6ad333646dd9b.webp 200w,\n/static/7e34c68877ff96cc3e145c1805ba07f4/1f5c5/f8b895d100570311a6c6ad333646dd9b.webp 400w,\n/static/7e34c68877ff96cc3e145c1805ba07f4/58556/f8b895d100570311a6c6ad333646dd9b.webp 800w,\n/static/7e34c68877ff96cc3e145c1805ba07f4/cc834/f8b895d100570311a6c6ad333646dd9b.webp 1024w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}}]}},"pageContext":{"limit":12,"skip":48,"numPages":5,"currentPage":5,"id":5600,"name":"Pain Management","slug":"pain-management","country":"US"}},"staticQueryHashes":["3949754563","4179947113","4202924991"]}