Marijuana, as many know, has proven itself to be very beneficial in the world of medicine. From relieving anxiety to preventing seizures, more and more people are looking to marijuana as a potential treatment for their illness. One of the more common applications of medical marijuana is pain management. For many patients with chronic pain as one of their many symptoms, marijuana has not stopped them from living happy and functional lives.
Marijuana has been known for its pain relieving properties even before there were formal studies on it. Many people have self-medicated on marijuana often due to their prescription pain medicine not working. They have reported that marijuana reduces their pain and helps them sleep better.
Fortunately, with marijuana receiving wider acceptance and legislation, many studies now have been conducted to prove that this natural occurring drug actually alleviates pain. One study gathered participants with chronic pain and asked them to describe their pain from 1-10. Many participants report their pain at around 7-9. They were divided into four groups, and each of the groups was given four different doses of THC including a placebo. THC is one of the active compounds and is known for its psychoactive properties. Participants with the highest dose of THC reported a decrease of their pain from 9 to a 5 or 6. The decrease may seem insignificant but for these people who experience excruciating pain on the daily, this is a relief.
As there are many studies with similar results to this, there are also studies that have opposite findings. However, one should consider the specifics of these studies. A lot of them have been found to be inconsistent and dealt with different kinds of pain. Clearly, there is still a need for more thorough and consistent research.
The main concern with administering marijuana as a relief for pain is the potential side effects. Marijuana is known for its psychoactive properties, and many users experience a bevy of side effects, including being high and immobile, when they take marijuana. This is certainly problematic as this doesn’t make marijuana a better alternative to many prescribed painkillers. Then again, people in many studies have reported a significant difference in their levels of pain and an increase in their appetite. These are surely positive results especially for patients undergoing painful treatments.
A lot of the information we know about marijuana and its relationship with pain is still based on anecdotes with users being the main advocates. Anecdotal evidence should not be easily dismissed but remains to be anecdotes. A lot of people are using medical marijuana as a relief for their pain, and clearly, more and more people are putting their faith in it. They cannot be blamed for their own experiences. That is why it is important that more clinical studies and trials be conducted to legitimize these claims. If it is proven that marijuana can relieve pain, it might pave the way for scientists to isolate its pain relieving properties creating pain medication without the side effects. This will definitely improve the lives of many people who suffer from pain.
