Potential Benefits for Chronic Pain
Several studies suggest medical marijuana may help alleviate nerve pain, chronic aches, and pain from conditions like arthritis. The active ingredients including THC and CBD may disrupt pain signals to the brain. More research is still needed, but medical marijuana shows promise as a pain management option for some patients.
Risks and Side Effects
While medical marijuana may benefit some patients, there are also risks like impaired memory and cognition, risk of addiction, increased heart rate, anxiety, and more. It can interact with many prescription medications. The long term health impacts are also still being studied.
Appropriate Patient Candidates
Most experts suggest medical marijuana should only be considered for severe chronic pain when other standard treatments have not provided sufficient relief. Appropriate patients should be carefully evaluated and monitored by a healthcare professional. The benefits vs. risks should be considered on an individual basis.
The key is medically-approved, responsible use for appropriate patient candidates suffering from chronic pain resistant to other therapies. More human trials are needed, but recent research suggests judicious medical marijuana use may provide relief for some patients. Misuse also carries health risks, so professional oversight is highly recommended.FAQs
Does medical marijuana help with chronic pain?
Research shows marijuana may alleviate nerve pain, arthritis pain, and other hard-to-treat chronic pain. However, results are mixed and more large scale human trials are needed.
What conditions might benefit from medical marijuana?
Medical marijuana may help manage pain from arthritis, multiple sclerosis, cancer, HIV, fibromyalgia, migraine, and other conditions when standard treatments fail to provide sufficient relief.
What are the risks or side effects?
Possible side effects include impaired memory/cognition, increased heart rate, drug interactions, risk of addiction, anxiety, and others. Long term health impacts are not fully understood.
Should I try medical marijuana for my back pain?
You should discuss trying medical marijuana with your healthcare provider to weigh any benefits against risks for your individual situation. Self medication with marijuana is not recommended.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.
Related Coverage
Research shows medical marijuana may help some chronic pain patients when other treatments fail, but misuse carries risks. Learn about appropriate use under doctor supervision....
Get answers to the top common questions about what makes Irish instant oatmeal unique, its health benefits, preparation tips, serving ideas, cook times, and customizations....
Chronic pain often requires an integrative approach beyond medication to address the mind-body connection. Lifestyle changes, alternative therapies and focusing on healing improve wellness....
Stress and anxiety are potential triggers for trigeminal neuralgia pain attacks. Learn how managing stress can help control symptoms of this severe facial pain condition....
Acupuncture activates the body's natural painkillers to safely reduce chronic pain from arthritis, back pain, headaches and more without drugs or surgery....
Physical therapists use various hands-on techniques like massage, joint mobilization and therapeutic exercises to help patients find relief from chronic pain....
Learn about the effects of mixing ibuprofen and medical cannabis. Discover potential interactions, risks, precautions, benefits and more regarding using ibuprofen with marijuana....
Trigger point acupressure offers a drug-free way to find relief from the intense facial pain of trigeminal neuralgia. Learn specific pressure points that can calm nerve pain....
Learn how different forms of exercise like yoga, walking, and swimming can help manage trigeminal neuralgia facial pain. Reduce symptoms and flare-ups safely....
Learn how celebrities like Serena Williams, Ted Danson, Patrick Stewart and Travis Barker live with herniated discs and manage ongoing back pain through treatment....