Use of Cannabis in Pain Management

By Pharmacology University

Pain is one of the main reasons for consultation in health centers around the world. It is an unpleasant symptom that develops from a neurological response to physical or chemical stimuli representing actual or potential damage to tissues and can affect various aspects of the sufferer's life, deteriorating their quality of life.
Man's search for pain relief is almost as old as his existence. The ancient shamans, the first physicians in history, dedicated their studies and practices to alleviate pain. Trying with different plants and performing rudimentary and potentially deadly surgical procedures, an endless number of processes whose purpose was nothing more than to relieve pain in all its forms and intensities. One of the most remarkable findings in ancient medicine is the discovery of the analgesic properties of the cannabis plant. This observation was made at least 6,000 years ago and is still valid today.

The liberation boom regarding legal restrictions in cannabis use and research has permitted the scientific exploration of the plant's properties, applied to medicine, health, and wellness. This has led to new modern studies exploring the effectiveness of cannabinoid treatment for pain as an adjuvant in the company of other analgesics and by itself. The future of medical cannabis looks promising according to this research. Especially for patients with chronic pain conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, or neuropathic pain, especially considering that the adverse effects are considerably less and the many administration methods available, many of which are minimally invasive, convenient, and easy to use.

In this book, we explore the effects of cannabis on pain relief. We begin defining the concept of what pain is and its function in the body. Then investigate the role of the endocannabinoid system in the part of the nervous system responsible for the transmission of pain, as the scientific basis of the findings described throughout this text. Once this is understood, we focused on the most outstanding aspects concluded by those studies related to using cannabis and its derivatives in pain treatment. Likewise, we discuss how the properties of cannabinoids when applied to the management of this condition with a scientific approach and using testimonies from various patients with different diseases with pain as the main symptom. We can see how the use of the plant helped these people improve their lives. Finally, we study some homemade cannabis-based products which might be beneficial in managing certain types of pain and even some conditions where the use of the plant could be contraindicated.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pharmacology University
• Release date: Dec 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005366193

Pharmacology University

Pharmacology University is a company with more than 12 years of experience in educational systems focused on medicinal cannabis. We were born in Texas and since then we have had the challenge of transforming the social stigma of medicinal cannabis with the best tool in the world: Education.

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Introduction

Pain is a subjective sensory response, localized and of variable intensity, which can be uncomfortable or unpleasant for the sufferer. It occurs due to stimulation of the sensitive nerve endings in the affected area. The perception of pain can manifest itself in different ways, to the point of limiting or preventing activities of daily living. The Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with an actual or potential injury or caused by such trauma.

Pain is a defense mechanism. The actual function of pain is to detect and locate processes that damage body structures. However, this defense mechanism does not always work correctly. Thus pain may occur without pathology or organic lesion, or it can have intensities that do not correlate with the severity of the stimulus that produces it. As a result of the alteration of the pain mechanism, the following may come about:

Hyperalgesia: Extremely high response to a not very intense painful stimulus. Considered as increased pain perception or disproportionate response to stimulus in terms of pain.

Hypoalgesia: Decreased sensory response to a painful stimulus.

Neuropathic pain: Pain of neurological origin, triggered in the absence of a painful stimulus.

Sustained pain over time or chronic pain becomes detrimental to the quality of life, which can be associated directly or indirectly with the aggravation of psychological or psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, and even alterations of the immune system or skin diseases.

Man's quest for pain relief is as old as his very existence. Shamans, the first physicians in human tribes, practiced multiple procedures to relieve different types of pain, such as trepanation to relieve post-traumatic headaches or neurological diseases. Trepanation consists of opening a hole in the skull to relieve pressure inside the skull. It is still practiced today by some indigenous cultures in uncivilized societies. Do you think this is too extreme? The reality is that the early physicians were not so wrong.

Nowadays, some neurosurgical procedures are standard. Such as decompressive craniectomy, used when there is inflammation of brain tissue causing its expansion. The process removes a portion of the skull to allow the drainage of liquids such as blood. Archeologists have found prehistoric trephined skulls, making this one of the oldest surgical procedures in history. The code of Hammurabi formally established it as a medical procedure, recognizing it as one of the most widely used procedures for pain management.

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