Back Pain
Treating Back Pain with Medical Marijuana
About Back Pain
Anyone who has back pain or knows someone who suffers from chronic back-related issues knows that they can be nothing short of debilitating. In fact, back pain is one of the most common issues that cause people to miss work or visit a doctor. There are a couple of types of back pain: acute back pain comes on suddenly and typically does not last longer than 6 weeks, Chronic Back pain, while less common, is defined as back pain that lasts longer than a three-month period. Fortunately, chronic pain and back pain are qualifying conditions for Medical Marijuana in Florida.
Symptoms of Back Pain
Patients with Back Pain will likely experience all or some of the following:
- Aching Muscles
- Diminished pain when reclining
- Sharp Pain
- Pain down your leg
- Pain that increases with movement
Causes of Back Pain
There are numerous causes of chronic back pain, so narrowing down the source can be challenging. Causes of continuous back pain can include:
- Muscle Strain
- Ligament Strain
- Bulging Discs
- Ruptured Discs
- Arthritis
- Osteoporosis
Spine and skeletal abnormalities
Does Medical Marijuana relieve back pain?
Cannabis has been shown to have a potentially positive-impact in treating back pain and chronic pain. Medical marijuana has become a pivotal tool in pain management, allowing patients to experience relief while moving away from addictive opiates. Medical cannabis can both relieve pain and reduce inflammation, a key component of chronic back pain. Patients who experience back pain and treat it with medical marijuana have reported less pain, less reliance on addictive pain relievers, improvement in mood, decrease in depression, improvements in insomnia and anxiety derived from chronic pain, and overall, a much better quality of life.
Medical Marijuana for Back Pain
Medical marijuana can actually relieve pain all by itself, although some patients report better results when combining marijuana with other medications. Furthermore, if you are experiencing nausea from chronic pain, medical marijuana has been shown to help reduce these feelings of nausea and allow the patient to return to a more-normal lifestyle. The ASAF, Americans for Safe Access, have also reported that inhaling medical marijuana actually leads to better absorption and thus, better results and more relief.
Back Pain and Medical Marijuana FAQ
Can I get medical marijuana for back pain in Florida?
Back Pain is not a direct qualifying condition currently in Florida. However, your physician can qualify chronic (long term) back pain as a comparable condition if deemed appropriate after consultation. Chronic back pain is currently one of the most common conditions for which patients qualify in Florida.
What is the best dosage of cannabis to treat back pain?
Cannabis dosing is very individualized and often takes several adjustments to find the right dose to most effectively treat your condition. With back pain specifically, focusing on formulations that can maximize inflammation reduction can be very beneficial. Be sure to discuss dosing with your physician, and also visit MMTC’s dosing information page to further educate yourself on proper dosing.
What ingestion methods of cannabis work best for back pain?
Really any type of dosage form can be effective for back pain. Deciding which form is best for you is largely dependent on personal preference. The real difference between inhaled and ingested forms of medical cannabis, is that inhaled forms work faster, but wear off sooner, while ingested forms take 30 min-1 hour to take effect, but last anywhere from 4-6 hours.
Is indica or sativa better for treating back pain?
Hybrid Strains of cannabis, or alternatively, products that have a equal balance of CBD and THC, along with terpenes such as Pinene or Caryophyllene, can be beneficial for both pain reduction and inflammation control.
What symptoms of back pain does marijuana treat and how does it work?
Chronic back pain is a complex condition with many different factors playing a role in causing symptoms. What makes medical cannabis unique as a potential treatment option, is that it addresses several symptoms as a single medication. Cannabis works by several different mechanisms when it comes to back pain. Loosely speaking, CBD helps inflammation and spasticity, and THC can help block pain signals to the brain. Overall, medical cannabis can help alleviate:
- pain/spasms
- Nausea and vomiting
- Inflammation
How can I get medical marijuana for back pain in Florida?
As with any condition, the first step to qualify is to make an appointment with a physician certified to recommend medical cannabis in Florida. You can learn more at: https://www.mmtcfl.com/survey/
Will medical marijuana help with spasms in my back?
Several studies have shown that medical cannabis is effective for many patients in relieving muscle spasms.
Are strains with higher or lower THC better for treating back pain?
This is a very individualized question, as it really depends on the root cause of the pain. For those with more nerve involvement, higher THC levels may provide more relief. For more inflammatory causes, a more equal balance of THC and CBD may be better. In addition, options such as Delta-8 THC have also proven to provide relief for many patients. This is a key issue to discuss with your physician.
Can CBD alone treat my back pain?
Typically CBD can provide a small amount of relief from inflammation, but most patients find that CBD alone is inadequate to control chronic back pain.
Medical Marijuana Doctor Near Me
If you or a loved one is suffering from chronic back pain in Florida and are interested in how medical marijuana may be able to help you, take our qualification survey and schedule an appointment today!
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