While many people use marijuana purely for a recreational buzz, it’s also commonly used to tackle a range of issues. Some people use cannabis to deal with chronic stress, anxiety, sleep problems, or even appetite issues. However, one of the most common uses for marijuana is to deal with pain. So how does cannabis help with pain?
Many people find the experience of smoking a pre-roll, eating a cannabis edible, or taking a dose of cannabis tincture particularly relaxing. THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids interact with your body in all kinds of ways, including making you feel more physically relaxed. Here’s a guide on how cannabis can help with pain and how you can use it.
Cannabis Has Physically Relaxing Effects
If you ask someone to describe the effects of cannabis, the first thing you’ll usually hear is that it helps relax the body. The physically relaxing effects of marijuana are extremely noticeable – using weed, concentrates, edibles, tinctures, or other cannabis products can send relieving waves all over your body that make it much easier to relax.
Many cannabis users use these relieving effects as a way to kick back and unwind after a long day. However, it can also help you tackle pain. Users often find that the physically soothing effects of cannabis can be helpful for pain, inflammation, headaches, migraines, and other forms of physical distress.
Research on marijuana and pain suggests that the cannabinoids in cannabis may help block peripheral nerve pain. Cannabinoids interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system, a system linked to pain sensation as well as various other important functions. What’s more, research on using medical cannabis for cancer pain suggested it helped safely relieve cancer pain while reducing opiate use in patients.
Cannabis Heightens Euphoria
While more research is still required on the analgesic properties of cannabis, there’s no doubt that cannabis heightens euphoria in users. Marijuana users often notice a powerful sense of happiness and well-being while high on cannabis. Not only is this great for your overall mood, but it might also help reduce pain sensation.
People often notice pain more when they’re stressed or unhappy. Trying to ignore their pain can be tough, especially if they find it hard to snap out of a bad mood. By heightening euphoria, cannabis could effectively help take your mind off the pain you’re experiencing while simultaneously offering physical relaxation.
This may be part of the reason why cannabis users find marijuana helpful for pain. Instead of focusing on their pain, they experience an enjoyable wave of euphoria that makes it easier to enjoy all kinds of activities. Some people find cannabis a much safer option than pain medications for providing a relieving sense of euphoria.
Cannabis Relieves Stress And Anxiety
One of the most interesting effects of cannabis is that many users report that it relieves their symptoms of chronic stress, anxiety, and even depression. A study on the perceived effects of cannabis on negative affect found that even a few puffs of a joint helped lower perceived symptoms of stress, anxiety, and other mood problems.
Since stress and anxiety can heighten the perception of pain, relieving these symptoms may help lower the perception of pain. What’s more, high levels of stress can raise your cortisol levels, leading to heightened pain and inflammation. Stress can also make recovery from painful symptoms longer and less pleasant.
Pain and stress can also make it harder to sleep, which in turn can slow down the recovery from these symptoms. Many users find that the physically and mentally relieving effects of cannabis make it much easier to sleep. Not only can sleep distract users from painful symptoms, but it can help speed up their recovery from various forms of pain and inflammation.
How To Use Cannabis For Pain
Whether you’re using cannabis for pain, stress, anxiety, or even just recreational effects, consumers now have tons of choices. Not only can you find a huge range of cannabis products, but there are various methods of consumption to choose from.
Cannabis flower comes in a huge range of strains. Indica strains are generally recommended for pain due to their body-focused effects. However, sativa and hybrid strains can still offer relieving effects. You can roll cannabis flower into a joint, smoke it in a bowl or pipe, or even buy cannabis pre-rolls.
Edibles are a good option for those who want a convenient way to get the effects of cannabis. These tasty products often take 30 to 90 minutes to kick in, but they offer powerful effects that last for many hours. Tincture oils can be applied under the tongue for faster-acting effects.
Other options are also available. Cannabis vapes offer swift effects and you can even apply cannabis topicals to the body for soothing relief. The best way to find these products is to buy cannabis online from a trusted dispensary.
Does CBD Help With Pain?
CBD or cannabidiol products are often used as an alternative to marijuana. Cannabidiol is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid that’s abundant in cannabis plants. While it doesn’t get you high or offer any psychoactive effects, studies show that people often use CBD for a range of reasons, most commonly to help with pain.
Research suggests that cannabidiol has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties. For example, a 2021 study found that patients perceived less pain when using CBD. What’s more, CBD is very safe to use, even in high amounts, making it a helpful option for those who want to avoid the side effects of THC.
Like THC, CBD can be used in various forms. CBD tincture oils are particularly popular – these can be applied under the tongue or added to foods and drinks. CBD edibles and capsules are also convenient options for those looking for a quick and easy dose of cannabidiol. You can also find CBD vapes, topicals, and more.
Conclusion
Many users find that cannabis helps with a range of painful symptoms. Cannabinoids are said to possess analgesic and anti-inflammatory qualities. What’s more, cannabis can relieve stress and improve sleep to help reduce pain sensation and improve recovery.
You can take cannabis for pain in various ways, such as smoking indica strains, eating cannabis edibles, or even enjoying cannabis vapes. You can find all of these products and more online at My Green Solution.