What is the relationship between medical marijuana and neuropathic pain? Neuropathic pain is a chronic and debilitating problem. It is estimated that about 1% of the population suffers from neuropathic pain.
Symptoms of neuropathic pain can be extremely difficult to manage and include stabbing, burning, allodynia. Treatment options are very limited. Some of these treatment options include opioids, anti-epileptics, antidepressants, and topical agents. Many of these treatments have a high risk for misuse or abuse.
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Medical Marijuana and Neuropathic Pain?
Neuropathic pain is a chronic and debilitating problem. Neuropathic pain includes symptoms such as stabbing, burning, allodynia. Neuropathic pain can occur due to injury or due to a primary nervous system dysfunction.
Symptoms of neuropathic pain can be extremely difficult to manage. Treatment options like medical marijuana and neuropathic pain are very limited and may include opioids, anti-epileptics, antidepressants, and topical agents. Many of these treatments have high potentials for misuse or abuse.
What is Neuropathy?
Neuropathy is the set of symptoms that comes from the nerves in your body not working properly; this can include numbness in your hands or feet, muscle weakness, or damage to organs like the kidneys. Neuropathy can also be caused by some diseases, such as diabetes.
How Can Medical Cannabis Treat Neuropathy?
Medical cannabis is a drug that has been used for thousands of years. It is made from the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. Medical cannabis contains chemicals called cannabinoids that may help with some chronic conditions including neuropathic pain.
Cannabis comes in many strains and can be inhaled or taken as an oil through food or capsules. People sometimes use cannabis to ease nausea caused by cancer treatment, increase their appetite, relieve pain, stress, seizures, and other medical problems.
Medical marijuana is a safe and effective treatment for neuropathic pain. Medical cannabis works by reducing the amount of pain that your nerve cells send to your brain.
One of the most common cannabinoids found in medical cannabis is THC, which reduces pain and improves sleep while having a low potential for misuse or abuse. Another cannabinoid found in medical cannabis is CBD, which can improve inflammation and treat seizures with fewer side effects than most medications.
Studies have shown that using medical cannabis is an effective treatment for neuropathic pain, but more research needs to be done on this subject.
Medical cannabis and neuropathic pain is a hot topic and has been used to treat many medical conditions. Medical cannabis is defined as any part of the Cannabis Sativa or Cannabis Indica plant that is used for medicinal purposes, not including the seeds. Unlike opioids, cannabis does not carry the same dependence and addiction risks people face with opioids to treat neuropathic pain.
Not only can it help ease neuropathic pain without the risk of addiction but it also has no life-threatening overdose effects as well as not interfering with daily activities such as driving. It can be prescribed by your doctors in many states now which makes accessibility easier than ever. Current literature supports claims that cannabinoids may ease neuropathic pain symptoms and help reduce opioid intake. However, further research must be conducted and more evidence needs to be found to support these claims.
There has been evidence that medical cannabis can help relieve neuropathic pain. There is not enough research on the topic to show 100% efficacy, but it remains a safe and tolerable option for those suffering from this debilitating condition.
Medical marijuana and neuropathic pain is such an important topic in today’s current climate of treating chronic illness with prescriptions drugs.
More needs to be researched so we can better understand how effective medical cannabis could be as a future treatment option for patients struggling with neuropathy. Current literature supports claims that cannabinoids may ease neuropathic pain symptoms and help reduce opioid intake, however, there are still plenty of questions left unanswered about exactly how it works with our endocannabinoid system. Because there is less risk involved with medical cannabis, it can be a better option for many people struggling with chronic illness and/or neuropathic pain.