Pain makes daily activities very difficult. Not taking any action against pain can lead to more pain. Recurring pain can highly affect the quality of life. Pain sufferers usually experience lower productivity and loss of confidence.
Nerve pain or neuropathy leads to uncomfortable and debilitating effects. This condition results when your nerves become damaged. Nerve pain is the major cause of chronic pain for most patients.
It’s common in sufferers of diabetes tumors, HIV, arthritis, poor circulation, accidents, or surgeries. Nerve pain sufferers can experience severe burning pain, tingling, and numbness. The major issue with nerve pain is the difficulty in finding a safe and effective treatment.
Treating nerve pain with cannabis
Nerve pain is difficult to treat even with prescription medications. While prescription medications work, they usually come with tons of side effects. The common prescription medications for nerve pain are usually opioids. Sadly, the use of opioids results in negative side effects, dependency, and mental health problems.
Over recent years, patients depend on strong prescription pain medication to gain relief from nerve pain. The rise of cannabis as a medicine is good news for people looking for an alternative. Cannabis works well as a pain killer and an effective alternative to potentially addictive pain medication.
Research into cannabis for nerve pain
The federal government limits research on cannabis because it’s a schedule 1 substance. Current cannabis research is promising but there’s a need for more. Researchers need to fully examine how cannabis works for nerve pain.
A 2013 study in The Journal of Pain looks promising. In this study, cannabis leads to significant pain reduction in neuropathic pain sufferers. Another study shows how cannabis reduces nerve pain in HIV sufferers.
Cannabis works to relieve neuropathic pain by interacting with our endocannabinoid system.
How Does Cannabis Work for Nerve Pain?
The endocannabinoid system regulates neuroplasticity and homeostasis of the central nervous system. It also modulates pain signals in the nerve pathways. The endocannabinoids found in the central nervous system work to reduce pain.
Nerve injury can make neurons more reactive and responsive. This results in several cellular events that create painful nerve endings. Cannabinoids work to reduce nerve pain by modulating these cellular functions.
The primary cannabinoids THC and CBD are helpful in pain reduction. Cannabinoids activate the CB1 and CB2 receptors which help regulate neurotransmitters responsible for pain. Cannabis also interacts with the endorphin system to reduce pain, leading to less intense pain.
The main cannabinoids that can reduce pain include.
- CBD
- THC
Other cannabinoids can help with pain, but we still need more research. THC and CBD have analgesic properties that can make you feel better. Terpenes also have analgesic properties that can reduce pain.
Cannabis works to reduce pain through a process known as the entourage effect. This process occurs when all of the naturally occurring cannabinoids and plant compounds in cannabis work synergistically.
Bottom line
Most people know about the benefits of cannabis for different ailments including pain. Cannabis can reduce different types of pain including neuropathy. While there is still a need for research, current studies are promising. Before using cannabis for nerve pain, contact your local physician to get guides on dosage.
