In the majority of the countries and states where the use of medical marijuana has been legalized, it is mostly administrated for reducing the pains associated with different medical conditions.
It has been studied that patients who have prior experience of using cannabis strains prefer medical marijuana over conventional pain management drugs.
Moreover, the side effects associated with the use of medical marijuana are also mild in nature. Light headaches and dizziness are the often reported side effects of the consumption of medical marijuana for pain management.
Chronic pains are an important health concern in the US. According to statistics, nearly 18 percent of the population suffers from severe cases of chronic pains.
This makes it a bigger health concern of the US than cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Furthermore, chronic pain is also the leading cause of enduring disabilities in the country.
With this ground reality of chronic pain problems in the country, the use of medical marijuana for its management becomes more crucial.
Scientific Research Substantiates the Use of Medical Marijuana for Pain Management
The subjective evidence of the consumption of marijuana for the treatment of chronic pain has been around for hundreds of years.
Now the scientific world is also endorsing the anecdotal accounts of the benefits of marijuana for pain management.
Here, we will delve into the detail of two significant studies conducted to find out the benefits of marijuana for pain management.
Harvard’s Review
28 studies regarding the effects of medical marijuana to treat chronic pains have been reviewed by the Harvard University and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The general consensus of the review is that there exists eminent evidence in support of marijuana treatment for pain management.
Six studies among the 28 belong to effects of medical marijuana on the generalized chronic pain and all of them have found out that the patients have seen considerable improvement in their condition with the use of medical strains of cannabis.
A Study from the University of Michigan
The study was published in 2016 in the Journal of Pain and highlighted some important points regarding the use of medical marijuana for pain management.
For instance, the study points out that people who opted for medical marijuana instead of other mainstream treatment options experience these benefits:
- They cut the use of opioid (harmful pain management option) by 64 percent
- They experience fewer side effects than using painkiller medicines
Both these changes in response have helped them in improving their quality of life.
Medical Marijuana for all Types of Pain Management
From acute chronic pains induced due to cancer tumors to neuropathic reasons and for specialized cases of pain, medical marijuana is an inclusive pain management option.
Headaches, lower back pains, injuries, irritable bowel syndrome, osteoarthritis and there are many other conditions where medical marijuana helps in reducing the pain.
If you are suffering from any type of physiological pain, then you can consult a doctor to get yourself a recommendation for the use of medical marijuana for pain management.
