Chronic Pain is #1 condition treated with medical cannabis

A recent study by the University of Michigan, published in the February 2019 edition of Health Affairs, reports that 62.2% of medical cannabis patients were issued medical cards due to their chronic pain. This study also found that there is substantial evidence to support cannabis as a treatment for chronic pain in addition to nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy as well as multiple sclerosis muscle spasticity symptoms. A large number of scholarly articles support this claim as well.

I’ve already been asked what a treatment plan for chronic pain might look like. This could depend on a lot of factors (e.g. height, weight, age, other medications) and even some personal preferences. We’ll also need to have potential treatment plans verified by licensed physicians and/or pharmacists.

Our preference is to effectively treat the patient’s symptoms with a minimal dose. This keeps costs low for patients, avoids psychoactivity, and keeps tolerance low (which translates back to lower cost).

A good starting point would be a 2:1 ration of CBD:THC. Something on the order of 5mg:2.5mg. Delivery by sublingual drops every 3-6 hours as needed. We would probably leverage a 2:1 ratio edible around bedtime if sleep is an issue due to pain. We’ll advise doubling that dose every few days until the most effective dose is found.

This 2:1 ratio of CBD:THC should ensure that the intoxicating effects of THC are minimal. CBD tends to block, or moderate those effects in THC. Those two cannabinoids both have pain relieving and anti-inflammatory effects. However, when combined, these compounds generally have a much higher effectiveness against pain and inflammation.

Finally, although most patients will want to avoid the mind-altering effects of THC, those effects can have therapeutic value on their own. Those suffering with chronic pain often have indications of depression as well. After all, living with pain sucks! With this in mind, feeling ‘uplifted’ by a small extra dose of THC probably won’t hurt anything when work is done for the day.

Whatever path you choose, we plan on being here to help you try to achieve a higher quality of life.

Further reading:
Dr. Russo
University of Michigan
Cannabis and Pain: A Clinical Review

Published by Eric

Lit Naturals founder, Eric McSwain, serves as Chairman of the Board for the Missouri Cannabis Industry Association. He is also a certified caregiver and patient. Eric's wife is also a caregiver and he also mentors several other caregivers in the state of Missouri. Eric's passion is for educating patients in the use of cannabis as well as at-home cultivation.