Marijuana for Joint Pain Relief in Bradenton, Florida
Severe joint pain can be debilitating. Depending on which areas of the body are affected, joint pain can limit mobility, impair the function and dexterity of the hands, restrict flexibility, and cause intense discomfort. These effects can make it extremely difficult or impossible for the joint pain patient to participate in jobs, hobbies, or leisure activities he or she used to enjoy. Marijuana’s official designation in the US as a Schedule 1 drug— something with “no currently accepted medical use” — means it has been pretty tough to study. When overexcited by drugs, the reward system creates feelings of euphoria. This is also why some studies have suggested that excessive marijuana use can be a problem for some people — the more often you trigger that euphoria, the less you may feel during other rewarding experiences. If you are a Florida resident aged 18 or older, and you are unhappy with the degree of pain relief your current medication is providing, you should speak with a Florida medical marijuana doctor about reducing your pain and increasing your comfort through a monitored, personalized Cannabis care plan. Peer-reviewed medical studies have conclusively shown that Cannabis is able to safely and significantly reduce joint pain with minimal, temporary side effects. Further, multiple conditions that cause joint pain can qualify the patient for Cannabis treatment under the Florida medical marijuana law. You don’t have to suffer with disabling joint pain in silence. If you or someone you love is struggling to cope with severe, chronic joint pain, contact All Natural Medical Solutions today at our Bradenton Clinic location (800) 250-6737 to talk about whether Medical Cannabis is right for you. In August, a study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology appeared to suggest that marijuana smokers face a threefold higher risk of dying from high blood pressure than people who have never smoked — but the study came with an important caveat: it defined a “marijuana user” as anyone who’d ever tried the drug.
How Does Medical Marijuana Relieve Hip, Knee, Shoulder, Wrist, or Hand Pain?
One of the first questions people often ask is how medical marijuana relieves pain. The answer lies in a seldom-discussed body system known as the endocannabinoid system, or ECS.
Let’s look at each half of this word. In medical terminology, the prefix “endo-” means “within.” As you might have suspected from its similarity to the word “Cannabis,” a “cannabinoid” is a chemical compound in Cannabis.
Stated simply, cannabinoids are the “active ingredient” in marijuana, much the way acetaminophen is the active ingredient in Tylenol. The most famous cannabinoid is THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), but scientists have actually identified approximately 85 cannabinoids, all of which work in concert to create a synergistic effect colloquially dubbed the “entourage effect.”
While your body doesn’t produce THC, it does makes several of its own cannabinoids, such as 2-Arachidonoylglycerol(2-AG) and N–arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide). Because they are produced within your body, they are known as endocannabinoids.
The endocannabinoid system features two types of receptors: CB1 receptors, and CB2 receptors. Cannabinoids (such as THC) stimulate these receptors, which temporarily changes the way your endocannabinoid system functions. In turn, this temporarily changes the functions that are regulated by the endocannabinoid system – including pain perception. In short, marijuana reduces your perception of pain, making discomfort more tolerable and easier to manage.
Consider, for instance, findings from a 2016 study published in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, which cited the results of a Canadian study conducted two years earlier. As the Gastroenterology study pointed out, nearly half of the 319 patients (48.2%, or roughly 154 individuals) who participated in the Canadian study “had improved joint pain” after using Cannabis.
Contact All Natural Medical Solutions today (800) 250-6737 to talk about whether Medical Cannabis is right for you or your family.
It has long been known medical marijuana doctors helps with pain management. From acute sharp short term pain, to chronic, deeper more long lasting pain, multiple studies have shown cannabis can replace opioids for pain management and help suffering patients live more normal lives. However, as we know, when it comes to cannabis in the United States, it’s never as straight forward as just going to the doctor and picking up a prescription. Well, that is slowly changing. As cannabis becomes more main stream in the US, medical cannabis is replacing opioids for pain management. There are thirty states with medical cannabis programs, more than a handful of states with high CBD cannabis laws and eight states with adult use cannabis, opening Cannabinoid medication access to a record number of Americans. Nowhere else is cannabis replacing opioids for pain management faster than in Florida. Another study looked at data from Medicaid and found similar results. Other studies have shown encouraging results with a twenty-five percent decrease in opiate overdoses in cities and states with easy access to medical marijuana such as Tampa Florida and other areas. In addition, baby boomers and seniors are using medical cannabis as replacements for opioids for pain management in record numbers. Seniors and boomers are learning that conditions like osteo-arthritis and other painful geriatric diseases are no match for Cannabinoid medicines, despite the higher cost. Cannabinoids are the unique compounds found in the cannabis plant. The two most common Cannabinoids cannabidiol (CBD) and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) have been shown in multiple studies to be powerful pain relieving compounds. The two compounds work much in the same way by dampening pain receptors throughout the body and reducing inflammation. By attaching to CB1 and CB2 receptors, Cannabinoids can treat pain in different parts of the body. These receptors make up the endocannabinoid system. The endocannabinoid system is a group of cells that help bring balance to the body. Both compounds were discovered in the 1960’s in Israel, but research into their therapeutic properties has been sparse in the US due to cannabis’ classification as a Schedule One Narcotic, a drug with no known medical use. For decades patients suffering from pain who wanted to use cannabis had to risk arrest for cannabis possession, or settle for more addictive opioid medications. Now with laws loosening, more and more people are finding medical cannabis can replace opioids for pain management.
If you would like more information on what medical marijuana in Florida can do for you and your family. Please contact our office (All Natural MD) today to see if you qualify!
Cannabis, like any other medication, can have side-effects. Of course, side-effects such as being pain-free and being able to eat and sleep properly are positive ones. Other side-effects, however, are not so desirable. Here is a description on some of the most common side-effects …
THC Side-Effects
THC’s side-effects are usually the most obvious – not surprising, seeing as it is the prominent psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis. At low doses of around 3 mg or less, THC may have little-to-no psychoactive effect, although there may be a slight feeling of euphoria. Some people start at a dose of around 5 mg THC when using edibles, where there may be some euphoric effect, but to a manageable level.
For most people, the main problems with THC come when too much is ingested too quickly. Sleepiness, lethargy, feeling hot and sweaty or cold, anxiety, paranoia, “cotton” or “dry” mouth (i.e. a lack of saliva in the mouth), the “munchies” (extreme hunger pangs), a sense of a loss of self, short-term memory loss, dry, red eyes and, more rarely, dizziness and nausea are the most common negative side effects, although sleepiness and hunger pangs can be beneficial for certain conditions. An increase in heart rate, followed by a decrease, is also common.
As for the likelihood of experiencing a psychotic episode, this is only likely to occur in those who are already predisposed to conditions where psychosis may be an issue (e.g. schizophrenia). For children and adolescents, exposure to high amounts of THC on a regular basis may have some long-term effects on memory, mood and behavior, as the brain is still developing. For those aged 25 and over, however, the long-term effects of THC are not known (as is the case with many medications)
Eating cannabis also tends to have longer lasting and stronger effects than other ingestion methods. Whilst vaporizing, inhaling or smoking small amounts of THC can provide a more immediate effect, they are not necessarily the healthiest methods of ingestion. Tinctures, topical’s, patches, inhalers, suppositories and all the ingestion methods associated with the usual ways of taking medicine can often provide a more controlled release of THC; but, with a few exceptions, finding a company that produces a properly standardized product that releases a specific dose upon every application is difficult.
Fortunately, the side-effects of taking too much THC are not life-threatening. Staying hydrated, eating well, keeping relaxed and not worrying too much is often the best strategy. Some people use black peppercorns for their pinene and beta-caryophyllene to beat anxiety and lessen some of the effects negative effects of THC. CBD is also used to dampen the effects of THC, usually by taking equal amounts of CBD to the amount of THC ingested.
However, although CBD can reduce THC’s anxiety-inducing properties, in small doses and in combination with THC, it can prolong THC’s effects to a certain extent whilst also lessening its more paranoia-inducing effects to a smaller extent. Small amounts of THCV may also be used, as it is a CB1 receptor antagonist at low doses. However, at high doses, THCV is a CB1 receptor agonist and so has psychoactive effects. So, basically, as with any other medication, dosing cannabis matters.
CBD Side-Effects
CBD is an interesting compound. Although not psychoactive in the same sense that THC is, the fact that CBD has a physiological effect means that CBD does have some sort of psychoactive effect – just not one that seems to cause a significant alteration in perception. Some potential side-effects of CBD include low blood pressure, lightheadedness, drowsiness or even wakefulness and feeling “jittery” if high doses are used. There is some evidence suggesting that using bad quality, hemp-based CBD may increase the rate of seizures for those with epilepsy. CBD may also lower body temperature. Fortunately, this appears to be changing as cannabis gains wider and wider acceptance within the medical community; it’s worth noting that an overwhelming majority of Americans now support decriminalizing medical cannabis. That said, a percentage of doctors may not only be inexperienced with cannabis but feel that it’s merely a recreational drug with no valid medical use. Remember that medical cannabis was never taught in medical school.
In some instances, Parkinson’s patients may feel an increase in their tremors, whilst high doses of CBD may actually increase intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients. However, perhaps the main problem with CBD is not necessarily its side-effects as opposed to its physiological effects. Little is known about the long-term side-effects of consuming CBD, although current studies suggest that it is generally well-tolerated and safe for most people. And, they have fact sheets and condition-based booklets that you can share with your physician.” (See the Publications section on the Americans for Safe Access website.)
Cannabis is not usually associated with hangovers. After all, you tend not to get the headaches, nausea/vomiting and dehydration associated with alcohol. Yet, for anyone who’s used cannabis for long enough, they will realize that the residual effects of cannabis can be felt into the next day. THC dominant products, on the other hand, are preferred by patients with chronic pain or who are undergoing palliative cancer care to help with the symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and low appetite. Very rarely is a cannabis hangover painful (headaches and nausea are possible, but not common), but forgetfulness and “brain fog” is often experienced. Usually, the best way to overcome a cannabis hangover is by staying hydrated, fresh air and some sort of physical exertion. your doctor may be legally obligated to alert child protective services.
We have gone over this concern many times, but it is worth reiterating: cannabis is not physically addictive, although around 9% of regular users can develop a psychological addiction called cannabis misuse disorder. Occasional use does not seem to be addictive, and even regular use is not a major concern in controlling use for most people. On the whole, cannabis is far less addictive than alcohol, tobacco, benzodiazepines, opioids and some would even say coffee!
When it comes to the natural phytocannabinoids made by the actual cannabis plant, there is only a theoretical chance of a deadly overdose if cannabis is used on its own – it would take consuming around 1500 pounds of cannabis to induce a lethal response. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) breaks down cannabinoids very rapidly, meaning that dangerous levels of cannabinoids are never really reached.
When it comes to synthetic cannabinoids, it seems that it is certainly possible to overdose on them. This is because some types of synthetic cannabinoids can shut down some of the human body’s essential processes – the ECS is intimately involved with homeostasis, after all, and desensitizing or shutting off the wrong part of it can cause some major health problems, or even death. For this reason, care must be taken with synthetic cannabinoids, even in clinical settings.
Sadly, we do not know enough about the pharmacology of every single cannabinoid to determine how each one affects us precisely, especially in the long term. The matter gets even more complicated when you start mixing different cannabinoids and terpenoids, as they all influence the way in which other cannabinoids behave. High doses of CBG may cause nausea and block the antiemetic effects of THC,
There is also cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), but the condition is extremely rare and how it is caused precisely specifically is not known. So far, it is mostly THC that has been implicated in the development of CHS (CBD may increase CB1 receptor expression in the brain and therefore lead to a greater amount of receptors being exposed to THC and its hypothermic effects), and consumption must be regular and heavy says many medical marijuana doctors near me. As everybody’s ECS is different and the pharmacology of cannabinoids is varied and complex, some people may get side-effects that others do not. Overall, though, cannabis is generally very well tolerated and you cannot have a deadly overdose on it when used alone. There are few if any substances on this Earth with the safety profile of cannabis, which is why its medical potential is so exciting. However, the only way we’re going to know how safe cannabis truly is, is by removing the barriers to researching the plant properly and without fear of the law.
Further Resources & Publications:
- Americans for Safe Access: State-by-State Legal Information and Forms for Recommending Cannabis
- Americans for Safe Access: Resources for Patients
- Americans for Safe Access: Becoming a State-Authorized Patient
- Project CBD: What Is The Endocannabinoid System
- Medscape: Endocannabinoids
- Healer.com: Cannabis Education
- Australian Government Department of Health: Health Professional Information & Education
Click here, here, and here to find evidence of a test, analysis, research, or study describing the benefits, performance or efficacy of CBD based on the expertise of relevant professionals.