That is wonderful news.
So cool that you have finally found something that works so well for you... and after all these years of going through horrible therapies.
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Meds Cannabis and Pain
- Thread starter momofthegoons
- Start date
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- Tags
- chronic pain mmj neuropathy pain
t-dub
Vapor Sloth
There is another benefit I forgot to mention. I have sleep Apnea and I just can't stand to use CPAC machines and have not for years. This therapy has removed the "dead spot" and fucked-up-ness I feel in the top of my skull when I wake up AND has removed brain fog that I can attribute to pharmaceuticals and lack of air while sleeping. I do feel fantastic as does my sister, my mother, and even our cleaning person who is doing it as well.
I do have one very important study going on at the moment that I am keeping a close eye on. It involves deep tissue, and the improvements are extremely incremental, so I am reserving judgement/reporting at this point. If this turns out to be real, it will shock you guys to the power of this therapy.
I do have one very important study going on at the moment that I am keeping a close eye on. It involves deep tissue, and the improvements are extremely incremental, so I am reserving judgement/reporting at this point. If this turns out to be real, it will shock you guys to the power of this therapy.
Sandman420
New Member
I decided to treat my pains with cannabis and found a good strain that helps me on https://cannasos.com/. You can filter them by pains, taste, smell etc.
THC Kills Pain and This New Study Shows Us How
Brain imaging shows where THC takes action to relieve pain perception, even for those with chronic pain. Proof that THC kills pain.
Cannabis is currently one of the most interesting substances to be studied in Western medicine. It has so many medicinal components, including cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes. One of the main medical applications for one of its major cannabinoids, THC, is in the treatment of chronic pain. It is believed that THC kills pain.
Image credit: 271 EAK MOTO
Recent neuroimaging determined that THC was able to reduce pain in healthy participants, and this was associated with the brain region called the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC).
This section of the brain is densely populated with the CB1 receptors, which in turn are activated by THC. The study used a single dose of THC vs placebo for chronic pain as evaluated by a subjective pain rating scale and resting brain state of the ACC. A fMRI (functional MRI) machine was used to measure changes in blood flow throughout the brain.
There were 17 patients participating in the study, with an average age of the 33. The patients had chronic lower limp radicular neuropathic pain that centers around spine and legs. The subjects had to have experienced the condition for at least six months in order to participate in the study.
Image credit: Lightspring
They were all males, since it was determined that hormonal fluctuations due to menstruation can alter pain sensitivity. THC was given sublingually, where plasma concentration was reached maximum after 2-3hrs.
Prior to starting THC treatment, the subjects rated their pain level from zero to a 100. Scientist then scanned their brains using functional magnetic resonance. THC was administered, and after 1 hour, participants again reviewed their pain levels; 2 hours later they scanned their brains again. The meetings were separated by at least 1 week to enable for the possible THC washout, where the treatments were reversed. The patients receiving the THC on the first meeting, were given the placebo one week later and vice versa.
Image credit: Roxana Gonzalez
It was determined that participants receiving the THC experienced less pain (subjectively) 35 out of 100, whereas the group with the placebo treatment rated pain 43 out of a 100. At the base level, without any treatment participants reported pain 53 out of a 100.
Pain is a complex, subjective experience consisting of the sensory and emotional domains. There are 2 major pathways which are interconnected and regulate the pain in the brain: ACC and somatosensory cortex. These pathways are anatomically connected and converge at the ACC. Disrupted functional connectivity between these 2 pathways resulted in the pain relief. Different treatments of the chronic pain seem to modulate ACC in some way and will ultimately alter pain perception.
Image credit: Alila Medical Media
Interestingly, the pretreatment functional connectivity between ACC and sensory motor complex resulted in the improvement of the pain scores induced by the THC. Basically, this means that the higher positive functional connectivity at the baseline, more benefit was gained during the THC administration.
The result of the study was substantial pain relief compared to placebo, which is in agreement with the previous studies reporting the analgesic properties of the THC for chronic pain, particularly in neuropathic pain. The pain relief was associated with reduction in the functional connectivity of the ACC and sensory motor cortex.
Image credit: Swapan Photography
Some limitations of the study include the absence of women due to the menstruation-induced fluctuations in pain sensitivity. Also, larger scale, more statistically relevant studies are required to reproduce those results. Also, additional studies are needed to prove if the results of this study explain the cannabis mechanism of action on any chronic pain or is it unique to the neuropathic pain states.
It should be also emphasized that the cannabis plant contains a multitude of the cannabinoids apart from the THC, and these compounds may play important roles in the clinical properties of the plant through the entourage effect.
Brain imaging shows where THC takes action to relieve pain perception, even for those with chronic pain. Proof that THC kills pain.
Cannabis is currently one of the most interesting substances to be studied in Western medicine. It has so many medicinal components, including cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes. One of the main medical applications for one of its major cannabinoids, THC, is in the treatment of chronic pain. It is believed that THC kills pain.
Image credit: 271 EAK MOTO
Recent neuroimaging determined that THC was able to reduce pain in healthy participants, and this was associated with the brain region called the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC).
This section of the brain is densely populated with the CB1 receptors, which in turn are activated by THC. The study used a single dose of THC vs placebo for chronic pain as evaluated by a subjective pain rating scale and resting brain state of the ACC. A fMRI (functional MRI) machine was used to measure changes in blood flow throughout the brain.
There were 17 patients participating in the study, with an average age of the 33. The patients had chronic lower limp radicular neuropathic pain that centers around spine and legs. The subjects had to have experienced the condition for at least six months in order to participate in the study.
Image credit: Lightspring
They were all males, since it was determined that hormonal fluctuations due to menstruation can alter pain sensitivity. THC was given sublingually, where plasma concentration was reached maximum after 2-3hrs.
Prior to starting THC treatment, the subjects rated their pain level from zero to a 100. Scientist then scanned their brains using functional magnetic resonance. THC was administered, and after 1 hour, participants again reviewed their pain levels; 2 hours later they scanned their brains again. The meetings were separated by at least 1 week to enable for the possible THC washout, where the treatments were reversed. The patients receiving the THC on the first meeting, were given the placebo one week later and vice versa.
Image credit: Roxana Gonzalez
It was determined that participants receiving the THC experienced less pain (subjectively) 35 out of 100, whereas the group with the placebo treatment rated pain 43 out of a 100. At the base level, without any treatment participants reported pain 53 out of a 100.
Pain is a complex, subjective experience consisting of the sensory and emotional domains. There are 2 major pathways which are interconnected and regulate the pain in the brain: ACC and somatosensory cortex. These pathways are anatomically connected and converge at the ACC. Disrupted functional connectivity between these 2 pathways resulted in the pain relief. Different treatments of the chronic pain seem to modulate ACC in some way and will ultimately alter pain perception.
Image credit: Alila Medical Media
Interestingly, the pretreatment functional connectivity between ACC and sensory motor complex resulted in the improvement of the pain scores induced by the THC. Basically, this means that the higher positive functional connectivity at the baseline, more benefit was gained during the THC administration.
The result of the study was substantial pain relief compared to placebo, which is in agreement with the previous studies reporting the analgesic properties of the THC for chronic pain, particularly in neuropathic pain. The pain relief was associated with reduction in the functional connectivity of the ACC and sensory motor cortex.
Image credit: Swapan Photography
Some limitations of the study include the absence of women due to the menstruation-induced fluctuations in pain sensitivity. Also, larger scale, more statistically relevant studies are required to reproduce those results. Also, additional studies are needed to prove if the results of this study explain the cannabis mechanism of action on any chronic pain or is it unique to the neuropathic pain states.
It should be also emphasized that the cannabis plant contains a multitude of the cannabinoids apart from the THC, and these compounds may play important roles in the clinical properties of the plant through the entourage effect.
Madri-Gal
Well-Known Member
I am just overwhelmed at how much pain I was in, for so many years, and it was all pointless.
I had a team of specialists including a neurologist, a gastroenterologist , an allergist and asthma specialist, a pulmonologist, a neurosurgeon, a pain management specialist, a rheumatologist and a sleep specialist. I even had a nurse who coordinated care and helped the physicians communicate with each other about my care. It got so bad, I was first put in "adult daycare", then I got a home health aid six days a week, was in either a hospital bed or wheelchair. I couldn't control my movements, choked and had trouble swallowing so was put on soft food, I had difficulty speaking and being understood. Rocks would show up in my food and I kept breaking my teeth, getting crowns, then breaking my teeth again. Gradually, it got better, then better over longer periods of time . I could walk, talk, get out of bed. I continued to fall frequently, and got another concussion, broken foot, broken ribs. I got a Service Dog for respiratory alert, then a second Service Dog for seizure alert. My youngest son moved in with me because I couldn't be alone because of falls.
But, of course, it was the eldest son that was the problem. When I started getting better, he hadn't been around. Then he moved in, and it all went bad again. Now he's gone, and I have PTSD, and even worse, Tardive dyskenisia and Tardive dystonia. Considering I have never been prescribed, nor needed, psychotropics, this is horrifying. At least now we know what was going on, but it isn't over.
Opiates helped with the pain, but there was always more pain, and I became allergic to antiemetics, so I took my pain meds back to the Dr., and limited myself to 6 Tylenol a week. I feel fortunate to have found Mmj. It helps with the pain, it helps with the nausea, it helps with sleep and nightmares. It's still pretty horrible around here, but Mmj gives me a way forward.
I had a team of specialists including a neurologist, a gastroenterologist , an allergist and asthma specialist, a pulmonologist, a neurosurgeon, a pain management specialist, a rheumatologist and a sleep specialist. I even had a nurse who coordinated care and helped the physicians communicate with each other about my care. It got so bad, I was first put in "adult daycare", then I got a home health aid six days a week, was in either a hospital bed or wheelchair. I couldn't control my movements, choked and had trouble swallowing so was put on soft food, I had difficulty speaking and being understood. Rocks would show up in my food and I kept breaking my teeth, getting crowns, then breaking my teeth again. Gradually, it got better, then better over longer periods of time . I could walk, talk, get out of bed. I continued to fall frequently, and got another concussion, broken foot, broken ribs. I got a Service Dog for respiratory alert, then a second Service Dog for seizure alert. My youngest son moved in with me because I couldn't be alone because of falls.
But, of course, it was the eldest son that was the problem. When I started getting better, he hadn't been around. Then he moved in, and it all went bad again. Now he's gone, and I have PTSD, and even worse, Tardive dyskenisia and Tardive dystonia. Considering I have never been prescribed, nor needed, psychotropics, this is horrifying. At least now we know what was going on, but it isn't over.
Opiates helped with the pain, but there was always more pain, and I became allergic to antiemetics, so I took my pain meds back to the Dr., and limited myself to 6 Tylenol a week. I feel fortunate to have found Mmj. It helps with the pain, it helps with the nausea, it helps with sleep and nightmares. It's still pretty horrible around here, but Mmj gives me a way forward.
ataxian
In a BLACK HOLE!
THC is great 4 a reason!THC Kills Pain and This New Study Shows Us How
Brain imaging shows where THC takes action to relieve pain perception, even for those with chronic pain. Proof that THC kills pain.
Cannabis is currently one of the most interesting substances to be studied in Western medicine. It has so many medicinal components, including cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes. One of the main medical applications for one of its major cannabinoids, THC, is in the treatment of chronic pain. It is believed that THC kills pain.
Image credit: 271 EAK MOTO
Recent neuroimaging determined that THC was able to reduce pain in healthy participants, and this was associated with the brain region called the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC).
This section of the brain is densely populated with the CB1 receptors, which in turn are activated by THC. The study used a single dose of THC vs placebo for chronic pain as evaluated by a subjective pain rating scale and resting brain state of the ACC. A fMRI (functional MRI) machine was used to measure changes in blood flow throughout the brain.
There were 17 patients participating in the study, with an average age of the 33. The patients had chronic lower limp radicular neuropathic pain that centers around spine and legs. The subjects had to have experienced the condition for at least six months in order to participate in the study.
Image credit: Lightspring
They were all males, since it was determined that hormonal fluctuations due to menstruation can alter pain sensitivity. THC was given sublingually, where plasma concentration was reached maximum after 2-3hrs.
Prior to starting THC treatment, the subjects rated their pain level from zero to a 100. Scientist then scanned their brains using functional magnetic resonance. THC was administered, and after 1 hour, participants again reviewed their pain levels; 2 hours later they scanned their brains again. The meetings were separated by at least 1 week to enable for the possible THC washout, where the treatments were reversed. The patients receiving the THC on the first meeting, were given the placebo one week later and vice versa.
Image credit: Roxana Gonzalez
It was determined that participants receiving the THC experienced less pain (subjectively) 35 out of 100, whereas the group with the placebo treatment rated pain 43 out of a 100. At the base level, without any treatment participants reported pain 53 out of a 100.
Pain is a complex, subjective experience consisting of the sensory and emotional domains. There are 2 major pathways which are interconnected and regulate the pain in the brain: ACC and somatosensory cortex. These pathways are anatomically connected and converge at the ACC. Disrupted functional connectivity between these 2 pathways resulted in the pain relief. Different treatments of the chronic pain seem to modulate ACC in some way and will ultimately alter pain perception.
Image credit: Alila Medical Media
Interestingly, the pretreatment functional connectivity between ACC and sensory motor complex resulted in the improvement of the pain scores induced by the THC. Basically, this means that the higher positive functional connectivity at the baseline, more benefit was gained during the THC administration.
The result of the study was substantial pain relief compared to placebo, which is in agreement with the previous studies reporting the analgesic properties of the THC for chronic pain, particularly in neuropathic pain. The pain relief was associated with reduction in the functional connectivity of the ACC and sensory motor cortex.
Image credit: Swapan Photography
Some limitations of the study include the absence of women due to the menstruation-induced fluctuations in pain sensitivity. Also, larger scale, more statistically relevant studies are required to reproduce those results. Also, additional studies are needed to prove if the results of this study explain the cannabis mechanism of action on any chronic pain or is it unique to the neuropathic pain states.
It should be also emphasized that the cannabis plant contains a multitude of the cannabinoids apart from the THC, and these compounds may play important roles in the clinical properties of the plant through the entourage effect.
CBD by it’s self does not do it 4 me?
Baron23
Well-Known Member
Me either, mate. Everybody raves about CBD and it does nothing for me so far. Its supposed to be particularly good for radicular neuropathy which is ME!! But nada...sigh.
I don't think we have anything even close to a handle on what an effective dose of CBD is for varying conditions. Ok, we see very small doses works like magic for pediatric epilepsy of some sorts.
But I suspect that effective doses for various types of pain may well be in the 300 mg range which we ain't getting vaping CBD flower (well, unless you are killing an 1/8th at a sitting).
Cheers
I didn't have a chance to respond to this earlier.... had too much going on in the house.
It's such a wonderful thing that you find as much relief as you do from cannabis. And it is no wonder that you have PTSD after everything you've been put through in your lifetime. It takes a very strong person to survive and thrive after all of that. It's humbling.
Diggy Smalls
Well-Known Member
I still haven't found much pain relief from Cannabis, but it helps my mindset when dealing with pain. It helps me with my pain tolerance perhaps, but not directly diminishing the pain.
As for CBD, I'm no longer sure about it. Who knows what was really in the concentrates I've bought. My sister grew a high CBD strain once and it was nice. Never had a bad strain of weed, other than brick weed that's all full of seed. With all these reports of deception in CBD products, I no longer have faith to buy any of it, honestly. I still have some CBD crumble I bought a month ago that I never got around to finishing. CBD concentrates made me feel relaxed and did seem to dull body pain some, but I'm going to stick with whole plant vaporization only. Maybe someday I'll be able to get legal and regulated CBD and THC concentrate that I can use to augment my flowers for help with pain, but until that day, I'll stick to flowers and an adjustment to my pain tolerance.
As for CBD, I'm no longer sure about it. Who knows what was really in the concentrates I've bought. My sister grew a high CBD strain once and it was nice. Never had a bad strain of weed, other than brick weed that's all full of seed. With all these reports of deception in CBD products, I no longer have faith to buy any of it, honestly. I still have some CBD crumble I bought a month ago that I never got around to finishing. CBD concentrates made me feel relaxed and did seem to dull body pain some, but I'm going to stick with whole plant vaporization only. Maybe someday I'll be able to get legal and regulated CBD and THC concentrate that I can use to augment my flowers for help with pain, but until that day, I'll stick to flowers and an adjustment to my pain tolerance.
Killick
Well-Known Member
A buddy on the forums game me some great pointers when I was learning how to grow. His big point was that when you grow your own you are after quality over quantity. I took this to mean that I controlled every aspect of what goes into the plant and can therefore control everything outside of the seed genetics, and only use nutrients and such I would feel comfortable ingesting. If you can't grow yourself try to find a reputable source, and if you can't find that there are millions of stories of people using seed-full brick weed to successfully treat chronic health issues, plus the seeds are full of nutrients. This means that, if you don't have the luxury of selecting the perfect strain, use whatever you can find.
So I started my med cannabis journey as a pain patient fortunate enough to have a medical plan that includes cannabis. In Canada 'legal' meant dried bud. After a bunch of complaints (how can a 'health agency' suggest that children are only allowed to smoke or vape medications?) they added a weak infused oil to the list of 'legal' products. So a bunch of us started a group and began teaching each other how to process dried herb into, well, anything. The secret, in my mind, is in the extraction process - with a good extraction you can then make absolutely anything at all. More importantly, for medical patients, it gives you the latitude to experiment with dose amounts and different combinations of strains to see what your issues respond to. You experiment with ultra high doses of different strains, decarbed and fully activated, and get quick feedback on whether it's working or not.
A couple of maybe helpful tidbits:
- The ratio to have less psych effect from THC is to combine it with CBD. A starting ratio is 7:1 CBD:THC, therefore more CBD means you can also add more THC, and at higher doses you may experience the effects you didn't get from your current dose.
- For pain management topicals are important to add. It doesn't really matter what strain you use, but the CB2 receptors in your skin be appreciative. Put topicals on pain points until you notice an effect.
Combined intake methods may help you. There is no one right way to medicate, but several different methods will help ensure that your body gets what it needs. Vaping, sublingual oils, edibles, topicals, and supps all reach different parts of your body in different ways, and using all of these methods will help ensure that your body is fully saturated with meds. ABV, or Already Been Vaped bud works great for topicals, and it's already decarbed.
- Every single item for sale in a dispensary or online can be made at home using normal kitchen equipment. While c02 extractions are out of the home hobbyist grasp there are many other ways that work great. My current fave is screened sift, which is pre-pressed hash. It can be decarbed as a powder and then scooped with a spoon into whatever you like. I started with 1/2 teaspoon of Kosher Kush into coffee for brekkie.
- I'm not a doctor, and this isn't medical advice. I'm just a pain patient who has managed to displace an awful lot of meds. I became a pill-popping pain patient in 85, and in early 2018 I took my last pill. It's not perfect, I still see pain specialists for treatments, but there is no longer any pharmaceuticals in my toolbox. While it may not work for everyone it does work for some. My whole plan when I first started cannabis was to displace 1/2 of pain meds. Starting with a realistic goal helped, and when that worked it was interesting to see how many meds I could stop.
Celebrate your successes when you find them. They don't have to be large, but every step in the right direction is a success.
So I started my med cannabis journey as a pain patient fortunate enough to have a medical plan that includes cannabis. In Canada 'legal' meant dried bud. After a bunch of complaints (how can a 'health agency' suggest that children are only allowed to smoke or vape medications?) they added a weak infused oil to the list of 'legal' products. So a bunch of us started a group and began teaching each other how to process dried herb into, well, anything. The secret, in my mind, is in the extraction process - with a good extraction you can then make absolutely anything at all. More importantly, for medical patients, it gives you the latitude to experiment with dose amounts and different combinations of strains to see what your issues respond to. You experiment with ultra high doses of different strains, decarbed and fully activated, and get quick feedback on whether it's working or not.
A couple of maybe helpful tidbits:
- The ratio to have less psych effect from THC is to combine it with CBD. A starting ratio is 7:1 CBD:THC, therefore more CBD means you can also add more THC, and at higher doses you may experience the effects you didn't get from your current dose.
- For pain management topicals are important to add. It doesn't really matter what strain you use, but the CB2 receptors in your skin be appreciative. Put topicals on pain points until you notice an effect.
Combined intake methods may help you. There is no one right way to medicate, but several different methods will help ensure that your body gets what it needs. Vaping, sublingual oils, edibles, topicals, and supps all reach different parts of your body in different ways, and using all of these methods will help ensure that your body is fully saturated with meds. ABV, or Already Been Vaped bud works great for topicals, and it's already decarbed.
- Every single item for sale in a dispensary or online can be made at home using normal kitchen equipment. While c02 extractions are out of the home hobbyist grasp there are many other ways that work great. My current fave is screened sift, which is pre-pressed hash. It can be decarbed as a powder and then scooped with a spoon into whatever you like. I started with 1/2 teaspoon of Kosher Kush into coffee for brekkie.
- I'm not a doctor, and this isn't medical advice. I'm just a pain patient who has managed to displace an awful lot of meds. I became a pill-popping pain patient in 85, and in early 2018 I took my last pill. It's not perfect, I still see pain specialists for treatments, but there is no longer any pharmaceuticals in my toolbox. While it may not work for everyone it does work for some. My whole plan when I first started cannabis was to displace 1/2 of pain meds. Starting with a realistic goal helped, and when that worked it was interesting to see how many meds I could stop.
Celebrate your successes when you find them. They don't have to be large, but every step in the right direction is a success.
t-dub
Vapor Sloth
Pure CBD works for me, its gentle but effective. Not effective as THC, however, after some big pharma changes and some serious life changes I have experienced lately I just can't vape THC any more. I am burnt out. CBD helps with my pain, anxiety, and sleep in a very gentle way that doesn't flip me out. I have been vaping pure, anhydrous, CBD isolate crystals from Isodiol. I either use my Do-You-Dab nail or my Loto Labs Lux. Neither solution is portable or even convenient. That's why I am excited that I will be testing the Hanu Stone which I should receive in late January. Its a Pod based system from VapeXhale and the Hanu Stone has been offered to the Beta Test Crew.
Anyways, I'll try and not be such a stranger, I miss you guys and hope you all have a happy new year . . .
Last edited:
Baron23
Well-Known Member
Welcome back, stranger. Good to see you here!Pure CBD works for me, its gentle but effective. Not effective as THC, however, after some big pharma changes and some serious life changes I have experienced lately I just can't vape THC any more. I am burnt out. CBD helps with my pain, anxiety, and sleep in a very gentle way that doesn't flip me out. I have been vaping pure, anhydrous, CBD isolate crystals from Isodiol. I either use my Do-You-Dab nail or my Loto Labs Lux. Neither solution is portable or even convenient. That's why I am excited that I will be testing the Hanu Stone which I should receive in late January. Its a Pod based system from VapeXhale and the Hanu Stone has been offered to the Beta Test Crew.
Anyways, I'll try and not be such a stranger, I miss you guys and hope you all have a happy new year . . .
Cannabis could be used to treat chronic pancreatitis pain
Barlowe TS, et al. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2019;doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2019.01.018.
January 22, 2019
Medical cannabis could be an effective adjunctive therapy for the treatment of pain associated with chronic pancreatitis, according to research published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Timothy B. Gardner, MD, MS, of the section of gastroenterology and hepatology at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and colleagues wrote that pain is the most troubling aspect of chronic pancreatitis.
“Clinical management of painful chronic pancreatitis includes abstinence from alcohol and tobacco products, analgesic medications (including opioids), antidepressant medications, and pancreatic enzyme replacement,” they wrote. “Medical cannabis has been proposed as a therapy for chronic pain and has shown some efficacy in neuropathic and cancer pain.”
Researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study comprising 53 patients who were enrolled in active opioid contracts for painful chronic pancreatitis. They separated patients into groups based on whether they were in a state-sponsored medical cannabis program.
Investigators used objective measures of pain — like hospital admissions and current opioid used converted into morphine equivalent dose (MED) — to assess differences in pain control in the two groups.
Patients in the medical cannabis group (n = 34) experienced decreased mean daily opioid use (126.6 ± 195.6 MED) compared with patients who were not using medical cannabis (183.5 ± 284.5 MED). They also experienced decreased hospital admissions and emergency department visits in the past calendar year. However, the differences did not reach statistical significance.
Gardner and colleagues wrote that limitations in the study, including the small sample size, contributed to the non-significant differences and called for further investigation.
“Given the limitations and small sample size, this study should serve as a platform for future investigations on this topic,” they wrote. “However, these findings suggest that medical cannabis may be an effective adjunctive therapy in treating the pain associated with chronic pancreatitis and either replace or minimize the need for chronic opioid therapy.” – by Alex Young
Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
Barlowe TS, et al. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2019;doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2019.01.018.
January 22, 2019
Medical cannabis could be an effective adjunctive therapy for the treatment of pain associated with chronic pancreatitis, according to research published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Timothy B. Gardner, MD, MS, of the section of gastroenterology and hepatology at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and colleagues wrote that pain is the most troubling aspect of chronic pancreatitis.
“Clinical management of painful chronic pancreatitis includes abstinence from alcohol and tobacco products, analgesic medications (including opioids), antidepressant medications, and pancreatic enzyme replacement,” they wrote. “Medical cannabis has been proposed as a therapy for chronic pain and has shown some efficacy in neuropathic and cancer pain.”
Researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study comprising 53 patients who were enrolled in active opioid contracts for painful chronic pancreatitis. They separated patients into groups based on whether they were in a state-sponsored medical cannabis program.
Investigators used objective measures of pain — like hospital admissions and current opioid used converted into morphine equivalent dose (MED) — to assess differences in pain control in the two groups.
Patients in the medical cannabis group (n = 34) experienced decreased mean daily opioid use (126.6 ± 195.6 MED) compared with patients who were not using medical cannabis (183.5 ± 284.5 MED). They also experienced decreased hospital admissions and emergency department visits in the past calendar year. However, the differences did not reach statistical significance.
Gardner and colleagues wrote that limitations in the study, including the small sample size, contributed to the non-significant differences and called for further investigation.
“Given the limitations and small sample size, this study should serve as a platform for future investigations on this topic,” they wrote. “However, these findings suggest that medical cannabis may be an effective adjunctive therapy in treating the pain associated with chronic pancreatitis and either replace or minimize the need for chronic opioid therapy.” – by Alex Young
Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
Scientists Find Cannabis Compound More Effective Than Aspirin for Pain Relief
The recent discovery of how cannabis plants synthesize them could transform how we treat pain.
Despite the hundreds of compounds Cannabis sativa plants produce, just two cannabinoids—THC and CBD—have dominated discussions about the medicinal and therapeutic properties of cannabis. And for good reason. THCA and CBDA, the inactive acidic forms of THC and CBD, are the most abundant chemicals produced by cannabis plants, making them both the most commercially viable and the easiest to research. Studies that investigate the potential medical applications of these cannabinoids continue to link their versatile therapeutic effectiveness to their ability to reduce inflammation throughout the body. But the reality is that THC and CBD aren’t the only compounds with anti-inflammatory properties.
In fact, they may not even be the most potent pain-relievers cannabis has to offer. That honor might actually belong to a different family of cannabis compounds altogether: flavonoids. You may have heard of flavonoids before if you’ve ever looked into the health benefits of certain “superfoods.” Several studies have shown how plant flavonoids offer humans (and other animals) antioxidant, anticancer and neuroprotective properties.
But identifying the health benefits of of cannabis flavonoids is only part of the equation. The other part is figuring out to make medicines with them. And the fact that flavonoids exist in such low quantities in cannabis plants makes that next step particularly hard. Thanks to an exciting recent breakthrough, however, researchers have figured out how cannabis plants produce those pain-killing compounds, which means drug manufacturers are one step closer to developing what could be the safest and most effective pain reliefmedicines in history.
Meet Cannflavin A and Cannflavin B: Pot’s Most Potent Painkillers?
In addition to THC, CBD, and other major cannabinoids, cannabis plants produce a plethora of specialized chemicals researchers believe contribute to the plant’s astonishing array of medical and therapeutic uses. Of those chemicals, one group in particular appears to produce substantial anti-inflammatory effects in animals. Scientists call that group “flavonoids.”
Flavonoids exist in virtually every plant. But in 1981, researchers discovered two flavonoids that are specific to Cannabis sativa. Their names are cannflavin A and cannflavin B, and they immediately prompted a wave of interest among plant researchers. In a 1985 study, researchers found that cannflavins A and B provided anti-inflammatory benefits that were approximately thirty times more effective than aspirin. That’s right, thirty times more effective than one of the most common over-the-counter pain relievers.
Nearly two decades later, in 2014, researchers published a study explaining that better-than-aspirin effectiveness. They found that cannflavins A and B worked to block the production of two chemicals that promote inflammation in animal cells. But despite these important findings, almost no one was paying attention to how Cannabis sativa actually synthesized these non-psychoactive cannflavins. Except, that is, for a team of researchers with the University of Guelph in Canada.
Research Breakthrough Could Revolutionize Pain Relief Medications
Now that barriers to cannabis research are falling in the wake of expanding legalization, researchers are more able than ever to explore the vast unknowns of Cannabis sativa. Compared to our understanding of other plants and their medicinal properties, our knowledge of cannabis is seriously behind. For decades, researchers have been studying the benefits of flavonoids and how different plants produce them. But we’re only now beginning to understand the unique and complex metabolic pathways that give cannabis such pharmacological potential.
And one of the most important recent breakthroughs in that field of research is the elucidation of the biosynthetic pathway for cannflavin A and B. In other words, researchers finally had a chance to figure out how cannabis plants make these more-potent-than-aspirin compounds. And they did exactly that.
Next, of course, they filed a patent. And after that, medical cannabis company Anahit International licensed the patent to begin exploring how to produce commercial pain relief products with cannflavins A and B. Such medicines could completely transform the way we treat pain. “What’s interesting about the molecules in cannabis is that they actually stop inflammation at the source,” said Tariq Akhtar, Assistant Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Guelph and co-author of the study that discovered how cannabis plants produce cannflavins A and B. “And most natural products don’t have the toxicity that’s associated with over-the-counter pain relief drugs.”
Cannabis: Better than Aspirin, Safer than Aspirin
Amid the ongoing devastation of the opioid crisis, finding a viable alternative pain medication without the risks and deleterious side effects of many prescription pain medications is an urgent challenge facing the healthcare industry. But even over-the-counter pain medications like aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen, when used daily or in combination with alcohol, can lead to kidney disease and stomach and liver problems. Cannflavins, as far as we know, don’t damage organs; rather, they treat inflammation at the source. And based on the available research, they do it safer and more effectively than aspirin.
The recent discovery of how cannabis plants synthesize them could transform how we treat pain.
Despite the hundreds of compounds Cannabis sativa plants produce, just two cannabinoids—THC and CBD—have dominated discussions about the medicinal and therapeutic properties of cannabis. And for good reason. THCA and CBDA, the inactive acidic forms of THC and CBD, are the most abundant chemicals produced by cannabis plants, making them both the most commercially viable and the easiest to research. Studies that investigate the potential medical applications of these cannabinoids continue to link their versatile therapeutic effectiveness to their ability to reduce inflammation throughout the body. But the reality is that THC and CBD aren’t the only compounds with anti-inflammatory properties.
In fact, they may not even be the most potent pain-relievers cannabis has to offer. That honor might actually belong to a different family of cannabis compounds altogether: flavonoids. You may have heard of flavonoids before if you’ve ever looked into the health benefits of certain “superfoods.” Several studies have shown how plant flavonoids offer humans (and other animals) antioxidant, anticancer and neuroprotective properties.
But identifying the health benefits of of cannabis flavonoids is only part of the equation. The other part is figuring out to make medicines with them. And the fact that flavonoids exist in such low quantities in cannabis plants makes that next step particularly hard. Thanks to an exciting recent breakthrough, however, researchers have figured out how cannabis plants produce those pain-killing compounds, which means drug manufacturers are one step closer to developing what could be the safest and most effective pain reliefmedicines in history.
Meet Cannflavin A and Cannflavin B: Pot’s Most Potent Painkillers?
In addition to THC, CBD, and other major cannabinoids, cannabis plants produce a plethora of specialized chemicals researchers believe contribute to the plant’s astonishing array of medical and therapeutic uses. Of those chemicals, one group in particular appears to produce substantial anti-inflammatory effects in animals. Scientists call that group “flavonoids.”
Flavonoids exist in virtually every plant. But in 1981, researchers discovered two flavonoids that are specific to Cannabis sativa. Their names are cannflavin A and cannflavin B, and they immediately prompted a wave of interest among plant researchers. In a 1985 study, researchers found that cannflavins A and B provided anti-inflammatory benefits that were approximately thirty times more effective than aspirin. That’s right, thirty times more effective than one of the most common over-the-counter pain relievers.
Nearly two decades later, in 2014, researchers published a study explaining that better-than-aspirin effectiveness. They found that cannflavins A and B worked to block the production of two chemicals that promote inflammation in animal cells. But despite these important findings, almost no one was paying attention to how Cannabis sativa actually synthesized these non-psychoactive cannflavins. Except, that is, for a team of researchers with the University of Guelph in Canada.
Research Breakthrough Could Revolutionize Pain Relief Medications
Now that barriers to cannabis research are falling in the wake of expanding legalization, researchers are more able than ever to explore the vast unknowns of Cannabis sativa. Compared to our understanding of other plants and their medicinal properties, our knowledge of cannabis is seriously behind. For decades, researchers have been studying the benefits of flavonoids and how different plants produce them. But we’re only now beginning to understand the unique and complex metabolic pathways that give cannabis such pharmacological potential.
And one of the most important recent breakthroughs in that field of research is the elucidation of the biosynthetic pathway for cannflavin A and B. In other words, researchers finally had a chance to figure out how cannabis plants make these more-potent-than-aspirin compounds. And they did exactly that.
Next, of course, they filed a patent. And after that, medical cannabis company Anahit International licensed the patent to begin exploring how to produce commercial pain relief products with cannflavins A and B. Such medicines could completely transform the way we treat pain. “What’s interesting about the molecules in cannabis is that they actually stop inflammation at the source,” said Tariq Akhtar, Assistant Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Guelph and co-author of the study that discovered how cannabis plants produce cannflavins A and B. “And most natural products don’t have the toxicity that’s associated with over-the-counter pain relief drugs.”
Cannabis: Better than Aspirin, Safer than Aspirin
Amid the ongoing devastation of the opioid crisis, finding a viable alternative pain medication without the risks and deleterious side effects of many prescription pain medications is an urgent challenge facing the healthcare industry. But even over-the-counter pain medications like aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen, when used daily or in combination with alcohol, can lead to kidney disease and stomach and liver problems. Cannflavins, as far as we know, don’t damage organs; rather, they treat inflammation at the source. And based on the available research, they do it safer and more effectively than aspirin.
Madri-Gal
Well-Known Member
This is exciting to read. As someone who is allergic to aspirin and NSAIDS, I'm glad there is an alternative that seems both effective and safe. I do use cannabis for pain relief, and hope others will be able to benefit as much as I have. Bring on the science, and let people get relief.
Bcbud
Cannabis enthusiast
This is interesting.
internationalhighlife.com
New Research: Pain Relievers from Cannabis Are 30 Times Stronger Than Aspirin - International Highlife
Imagine a pain reliever 30 times stronger at reducing inflammation than Aspirin. Researchers at the University of Guelph in Canada are the first to uncover the pain-relief potential of cannabis, demonstrating just how strong the plant could be. What makes this discovery so interesting is that by...
I've used cannabis medicinally for various ailments over the years and for me it's been about finding the best strain for the job. I suffered from monthly pancreatic attacks over a 28 month period that resulted in a weeks stay in the hospital every month with IV dilaudid. Back at home I tried several strains to help with pain, nausea and insomnia. A home grown high CBD strain called Remedy helped to minimise the amount and frequency of dilaudid needed to control pain and it totally melted away the nausea.
A month ago I came down with a weird debilitating neurological leg pain; my skin became extremely hypersensitive to touch. It has been very painful and fabric touching my leg has been unbearable. I've tried all kinds remedies from using a tens unit to various OTC pain killers to my stash of Dilaudid which didn't touch it. I tried various topical pain killers and I finally found a combination that has given me some relief.
I made some canna oil using @momofthegoons recipe. I added anti inflammatory essential oils and arnica to the mix and applied it to my screaming skin. I apply it every few hours and it numbs the pain.
I tried several strains of flower and finally found that the high CBD flower of Charlottes Web enhanced the pain killing properties of the topical cannaoil.
In the evening I've been eating a good glob of high THC Pheonix Tears and it's allowed me to sleep through the night and seems to further help with pain suppression.
For me, a multi pronged approach has been the most effective.
A month ago I came down with a weird debilitating neurological leg pain; my skin became extremely hypersensitive to touch. It has been very painful and fabric touching my leg has been unbearable. I've tried all kinds remedies from using a tens unit to various OTC pain killers to my stash of Dilaudid which didn't touch it. I tried various topical pain killers and I finally found a combination that has given me some relief.
I made some canna oil using @momofthegoons recipe. I added anti inflammatory essential oils and arnica to the mix and applied it to my screaming skin. I apply it every few hours and it numbs the pain.
I tried several strains of flower and finally found that the high CBD flower of Charlottes Web enhanced the pain killing properties of the topical cannaoil.
In the evening I've been eating a good glob of high THC Pheonix Tears and it's allowed me to sleep through the night and seems to further help with pain suppression.
For me, a multi pronged approach has been the most effective.
Baron23
Well-Known Member
Ah, sorry to hear that, Miss Squibs. I have never had pancreatitis but I do understand it is VERY painful.
Wrt to the sudden pain and skin sensitivity....I urge you to pursue a firm diagnosis of this if possible as these things don't just arise out of nothing...there must be some underlying malfunction or condition.
Cheers and best of luck...hope you are feeling better soonest.
deep_meditation
Well-Known Member
Have any of you been prescribed Meloxicam? I realize experiences will vary from person to person but I thought I’d ask anyway.
Edit: Im finally “really” starting to address the pain I’ve been experiencing. I’m trying to avoid opiates. The ortho-onc said most of his patients who have my condition become accustomed to dealing with pain that would put anyone else in the ER. I’m trying to get away from that. I won’t vape or use before work (that’s just me) so I’m hoping a combo of cannabis at night and prescription meds will work.
Edit: Im finally “really” starting to address the pain I’ve been experiencing. I’m trying to avoid opiates. The ortho-onc said most of his patients who have my condition become accustomed to dealing with pain that would put anyone else in the ER. I’m trying to get away from that. I won’t vape or use before work (that’s just me) so I’m hoping a combo of cannabis at night and prescription meds will work.
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