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Back pain is underrated, especially if someone considers the sheer pain and restlessness one must endure in such a condition. But is Medical Marijuana a possible solution for back pain management or treatment? Let’s try to find it out.
Understanding Back Pain
The back is one of the human body’s most intricate and complex parts. Consisting of 33 spinal bones (vertebrae) stacked over one another, spinal muscles, and relevant muscle groups, back pain is often neglected by most of us until it reaches a point where the pain becomes too much to bear.
There can be several reasons behind back pain spanning from natural born defects such as scoliosis to lower back pain caused by a misalignment or rupture in one or more vertebrae due to lifting heavy loads without proper protection and technique. In any case, the pain is usually quite sharp and can leave you bed bound for weeks just because of neglecting proper care and treatment.
Medical Marijuana for Back Pain: Is It Effective?
Now comes the real point of discussion. Is Medical Marijuana effective for back pain? Well, based on what we know so far, yes, Medical Marijuana does indeed aids in back pain relief.
As per the reports published by the Americans for Safe Access Foundation (ASAF), Marijuana contains many more cannabinoids (along with THC) than synthetically manufactured Marinol. This indicates that Marijuana is more relevant to providing pain relief for back pain than taking a combination of cannabinoids along with THC is more beneficial for pain relief than taking THC-based products alone.
Back Pain Symptoms that Medical Marijuana Can Ease
1. Pain and Muscle Spasms
As per credible sources, when Medical Marijuana is consumed by someone, the ECS cannabinoid receptors bind with the THC and CBD content of Marijuana. What happens next is that these bonded chemicals now initiate an anti-inflammatory response preventing inflammation and muscle spasms after an injury.
A 2013 study on multiple sclerosis concluded that THC and CBD are responsible for reducing the phenotype responsible for inflammation in multiple sclerosis. The targeted inflammation was observed in the damaged nerve cells and the positive impact of THC and CBD acted as the base of the conclusion.
2. Nausea and Vomiting
Researchers at the University of New Mexico conducted interesting research focusing on nausea-relieving properties of Cannabis. As per the study, Cannabis resulted in symptom improvement on 4 points when a 10 points scale is used, immediately after consumption. The effect of Marijuana started to improve with time.
It is important to note that cannabis has been used to treat nausea for millennia. This was very well-known within the knowledgeable sector even before this study was published. Also, the effectiveness of Cannabis in terms of treating chemotherapy-induced nausea is medically acknowledged and recognized worldwide.
3. Inflammation
The THC and CBD compounds within Cannabis trigger immunosuppression within the targeted site by initializing the process of apoptosis. What is apoptosis? Well, it can be labeled as the natural process of cell death. When T-lymphocytes and macrophages undergo apoptosis, the body’s natural inflammation-causing tendency also decreases significantly hence lower inflammation.
THC in particular is also known to reduce inflammation by targeting the immune signaling proteins created by cytokines. When cytokines are affected, blood cell production and immune cell generation slow down lowering the inflammation with time effectively. The effect of THC is enhanced when the compound is in collaboration with CBD.
Can you get a medical marijuana card for back pain?
Another big question, can you get a Medical Marijuana Card for back pain? Well, one thing is established. Medical Marijuana is quite effective to relieve back pain symptoms. But not most of the US states that have an active Medical Marijuana Program label ‘back pain’ as a qualifying medical condition for Medical Marijuana consumption.
Well, back pain is not directly considered a Medical Marijuana qualifying condition but chronic pain is which is a prominent symptom of severe back problems. Now, all that matters is whether your physician believes that consuming Medical Marijuana solely for your back pain will be a good option or not.
Benefits and Risks of Medical Marijuana for Back Pain
Many patients who have been struggling with back pain for years reported that consuming Medical Marijuana surely helped them in bearing the years-long chronic pain as well as got relief from frequent inflammation cycles. So that’s a plus point when it comes to back pain management with Medical Marijuana.
But one can’t ignore the few risks associated with Medical Marijuana intake as well. Especially when your doctor advises you to not take such products based on your former medical history. You need to be extra careful with the dosage as well if anything of that sort is mentioned by your physician.
The Application Process for a Medical Card
In the United States, Medical Marijuana Programs are state-controlled as Marijuana is still not legalized on the Federal level. That’s why, the application process for getting a Medical Marijuana Card in the US varies from state to state.
However, some application requirements are common within all the US states having a valid Medical Marijuana Program. This includes a valid state-certified Medical Marijuana recommendation from a physician and proof of residency that you’re a resident of the state in which you’re applying for the Medical Marijuana Card.
Final Note
Back pain is not one of those issues that you should be putting at the end of your priorities. Doing something like this can end up pretty badly as the pain associated with severe back issues is often described as severe and crippling capable enough to leave you bedridden for weeks at least.
Where Medical Marijuana is a great way to treat back pain problems, you need to have a valid recommendation no matter in which state you reside to start your Medical Marijuana-based treatment.
The kif can help you with booking an online appointment through our telemedicine platform. This allows you to get a Medical Marijuana recommendation completely online in a matter of few minutes at best.
Also Read: Can You Get A Medical Marijuana Card For Depression?
