Cannabis and Pain Management
Cannabis Plant
As more research has been done into the use of Cannabis and pain management we are also learning about the other cannabinoids that make up this plant and that they vary depending on the strain.
Cannabinoid THC
THC is a cannabinoid found in cannabis plants – we all know that THC is what gives a person that high feeling, or stoned as some people call it.
The medicinal uses of THC include mild pain, depression, nausea and loss of appetite, but some people have feelings of anxiety or paranoia from THC so it’s good to know that if they want to use it for pain management there are varieties that are low in THC.
Cannabinoid CBC
CBD – is another important cannabinoid, it has anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anti-anxiety properties without the effects of feeling high or as some call it stoned. THC does that. CBD rich strains are excellent in the management of pain.
Other Cannabinoids are show in the chart below:
This chart also shows with Cannabinoids are good for what symptoms
What are the best strains of Cannabis for pain management?
There are many different strains of Cannabis, with little to high THC or CBD. Average THC in a plant is about 17% Average CBD in a plant is about 1 – 2 %
According to Leafly the strain that is best at treating generalized pain is Acd.
They claim this is the most effective painkilling strain because it contains both CBD and THC and as a general rule, strains that are high in both seem to be the best pain medicines.
Crop King has a large variety of seeds you can buy to grow your cannabis, they have three strains that are very high in CBD which is good for pain management.
The higher the CBD the better! These strains from Crop King are 6 – 8 % CDB and low THC of 4 and 6 %. The names of these strains are CBD Auto Cheese, CBDream Fem and CBDutch Treat Fem.
Cannabis strains are divided into three groups Indica, Sativa and Hybrid
Indica
Indica strains of cannabis are great as a nightcap before bed as relaxing and sedative strain. This strain produces a short bushy plant that is great for indoor gardens. The indica strain is known for relieving symptoms for anxiety, pain, muscle spasms, and insomnia.
In India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan are traditionally used to produce charas or better known as hash. The Cannabis Indica high is often referred to as a body stone or buzz.
Sativa
Sativa has a more uplifting effect a good strain for creative projects, socializing and being active. This is a tall thin plant that is best grown outdoors. It is known to help relieve depression, add, mood disorders and depression as it is has cerebrally-focused effects.
Sativa take longer to mature than Indica
Hybrids
Hybrids fall in between the two Indica and Sativa depending on what they have inherited from each of the parent strains.
Cannabis Consumption and the Brain
Baked Green: How to make cannibis oil, butter and cook delicious meals!
Users of Cannabis do not have blackouts like drinkers do, but while under the influence they will have a hard time forming new memories.
So essentially while high you can be out fishing, hiking and having a great time, but months later the person you are with will mention the fish you caught or something else about the day and you may not recall it.
Remembering events while stoned (high) can be difficult after using cannabis.
Some studies show that memory recall was only temporary, being impaired for only a few hours after consumption of cannabis and that there was not affect on a persons memory after a day or two.
The affects of cannabis do not affect any of the memories you already have, like if you were really super stoned you would still know what your birthdate is as well as your home address, your parents names and where you grew up.
Something I came across while searching the effects of cannabis on the memory was there has been some early research that shows CBD can actually protect the brain from the damage that binge drinking or alcohol abuse causes.
Differences between the Indica and Sativa Plant
The height, leaf size, bud size, flowing time, odor and effects all differ between the plants.
Cannabis indica has higher levels of THC compared to CBD
Cannabis Sativa has lower levels of THC and higher levels of CBC
© 2017, Tes. All rights reserved.
Dealing with chronic pain issues myself , I found your article very interesting. My neighbor has RA and swears by the use of cannabis to reliever her pain. I have always been reluctant because I don’t want to get that “high” feeling. I have used cannibis for my dog and it knocked him on his butt. If I could find something that won’t do that to me that would be awesome. Thanks for the info.
Cannabis can really be good for pain. My dad had a terminal illness 20 some years ago and tried cannabis for pain relief, but it seemed back then they didn’t know as much about it. He didn’t like the high feeling, it is good to know that now you can get the benefits of pain relieve without getting really high.
I guess with cannabis there will always be controversy of it’s use – but personally, I see it as any other plant that is grown and has it’s medicinal and beneficial properties if used correctly.
A close friend of mine used cannabis as pain relieve during her chemotherapy treatment and she said it really helped.
What is the best way to use cannabis for pain? Some may find smoking it really hard. Thanks
I also have a good friend that used cannabis as pain and treatment for cancer. He had lung cancer to smoking it was not an option. He would take a small amount of the oil orally. It really did help him as well. My opinion is that everything we need to heal us grows on this earth. So why would we not look at this plant. Thanks for your comments Teresa.