Cannabinoid-Bathed Worms Want to Binge on High-Calorie Foods
by Bethan Rose
Chronic pain—a condition that affects 50.2 million people in the U.S. annually—is one of the most common reasons why medical marijuana is sought out by patients in the United States, Canada, and beyond. Nonetheless, guidelines pertaining to the use of cannabis-based treatments for chronic pain relief have been somewhat hazy…up until now.
New guidelines for cannabis in chronic pain were recently published by a group of Canadian researchers. Featured in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, the guidelines were compiled after researchers perused scientific databases for peer-reviewed English articles on cannabis and pain.
The team peered into the findings of numerous articles published between 2001 and 2019. Using this information, they composed a list of valuable suggestions for consuming cannabis to treat various types of chronic pain. The list is designed to help patients determine whether or not they are a good candidate for (and would benefit from) a medical marijuana card.
After devoting their time to analyzing peer-reviewed English articles, the study authors graded their findings based on the quality of evidence proving cannabis’ pain-relieving benefits. Once they felt satisfied with their takeaways, they put together specific guidelines featuring data from 70 studies, 51 of which were original studies and 19 of which were systematic reviews.
The guidelines provide indications as to how cannabis and cannabis-based natural medicines may benefit patients with anxiety, appetite loss, chronic pain, and sleep problems. Most of the recommendations outlined in the research were drawn from moderate-quality evidence, whereas others were inspired by low-quality evidence.
Using moderate-quality evidence, the Canadian researchers determined that medical marijuana and cannabis-based natural medicines would be suitable in the following instances:
In addition to these recommendations, the Canadian group also used low-quality evidence to recommend the use of cannabis for the following purposes:
The publication of these guidelines for cannabis and chronic pain is consistent with the rise in interest in medical cannabis products among pain patients. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) by a team of researchers at Michigan Medicine discovered that 31% of people with chronic pain use medical marijuana to ease their symptoms; approximately 36% of respondents said they used the drug to deal with pain in the last year, and 23.2% used it in the last month.
Although more research into the cannabis plant’s pain-relieving qualities is needed, the fact that a growing number of states are decriminalizing or legalizing cannabis is further fueling the prospect of federal cannabis legalization materializing. If it indeed does become a reality and the plant’s federally-illegal status is lifted, more studies can be legally carried out. For now, doctors are encouraged to use the new guidelines for chronic pain as a way of advising patients of their suitability for medical marijuana.
While medical cannabis may offer therapeutic relief via its ability to bind with receptors that modulate pain, it should not be used as a replacement for doctor-advised and guideline-based treatments. Keep in mind that cannabis may interact with certain types of medications, such as blood thinners, so it’s vital to consult with your healthcare practitioner beforehand.
Moreover, as a drug that is not FDA-approved in the U.S., the potency and purity of medical cannabis products may vary. To ensure you use only the highest quality products when treating chronic pain, consider applying for a medical marijuana card, and seek advice regarding finding the most reliable and trustworthy dispensaries in your area.
According to research, “Migraine is highly prevalent, affecting 12% of the population, attacking up to 17% of women and 6% of men yearly. Among children, it tends to happen more in girls than boys.” A migraine can be very disabling and last from hours to two or three days. Migraines are considered to be the…
PTSD can have far-reaching effects on health, functionality as well as on quality of living, which is why having access to effective treatment is so important. If you are living with PTSD or are living with someone who has PTSD, you would have first-hand experience with how challenging it can be getting through life on…
Up until recently, lack of cannabis education meant that people were blissfully unaware of the fact that the plant is not limited to just one strain and, therefore, does not produce just one type of effect. Fortunately, agricultural experimentation has led to the market exploding in terms of strains that can satisfy everyone, from beginners…
Using cannabis to help combat anxiety is a tricky business. Studies have given us significant evidence that cannabis can be used to help cope with anxiety and because anxiety is so common, that’s an extremely welcome piece of information. In fact, 72% of daily cannabis users reported consumption to relax or relieve tension and 58%…
A cannabis compound that has been described as “cutting-edge” and “so elusive, laboratories often misidentify the compound as CBC (cannabichromene) or CBL (cannabicyclol)” is finally becoming better understood. Delta-10-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-10 THC) is a need-to-know cannabinoid, and here’s why. What Is Delta-10 THC? Does Delta-10 Get You High? Is Delta-10 Safe? How Is Delta-10 Created? Is…
Cannabis extractions aren’t the only thing consumers add to their roll-ups these days. Rose petals can add a feminine touch to herbal…
The anti-nausea and vomiting effects of cannabis have been known for several centuries. The evidence eventually became so compelling in clinical trials…
Experts are taking a bird’s eye view of an exciting and rapidly evolving area in cannabis research known as the endocannabinoidome (eCBome)….