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Chronic Pain can lead to depression, addictions, anxiety, stress, isolation, and even suicide. Finding relief from pain is critical to having the quality life you deserve. Avoiding surgery and being over medicated should be at the forefront of most people’s minds when dealing with chronic pain. However, many of these individuals would do almost anything to relieve their agony.
Over 116 million people suffer from various types of chronic pain disorders ranging from fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, neuropathy, back, hip and neck pain just to name a few. Whether trauma or degenerative diseases have caused your pain, the consensus is usually the same; people want their pain to go away. But how do you know that the options you’ve been given are right for you?
The most common treatment for chronic pain is to mask it with narcotic prescription pain medications. Narcotics like Opioids are highly addictive, and our state is currently leading the country in abusing the drug and overdose episodes.
The CDC reports that nearly half of all opioid-related deaths are due to the narcotic being prescribed for pain related circumstances such as lower back pain, nerve, and joint disorders, arthritis and spinal injury. They also estimate that 42,249 deaths annually are related to opioid overdose, and that number is on the rise.
Physical therapists are trained to administer flexibility and strengthening tactics along with body mechanics and awareness techniques to get your body moving and creating a much less painful range-of-motion. With ongoing therapy, most people see remarkable outcomes and lasting results. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) also launched new guidelines recently, recommending the use of physical therapy for chronic pain over painkillers like opioids.
Medical Marijuana for Chronic Pain
Medical Marijuana has significantly helped countless individuals with chronic pain. Our brain and nerve cells have cannabinoid receptors, so our bodies naturally react to cannabis (medical marijuana). The structure of cannabis interacts directly with our cells. Our natural endocannabinoid system
works synergistically with medical marijuana (MM), creating a multitude of beneficial reactions in the body. The endocannabinoid cells have tiny receptors that take in chemicals and produce responses. This natural system in our bodies regulates things like pain-reception, mood, sleeping, immunity, pleasure, memory and much more.
Medical marijuana is made up of THC, CBD, and terpenes. The CBD is known to bind to receptors and is thought to regenerate cells and brain function, while THC helps to relax and alleviate the physical symptoms of pain and apprehension, and terpenes have healthy healing properties There are different levels of MM, some with higher THC, some with very low THC depending on the disease being treated.
The advantage of MM in treating a wide array of conditions from multiple disorders is hard to dispute. Many patients who have suffered for years with chronic pain and have become dependent on narcotics have not only had improvement in their pain but have also been able to stop narcotic use altogether. Many states where medical marijuana was legalized, report upwards of 1,800 fewer pain medications being prescribed each year.
How Cannabis and Physical Therapy (PT)
Work Together
Although cannabis can alleviate pain, if the underlying issues are not dealt with in a more synergistic approach through combining physical therapy, the chronic pain and musculoskeletal issues will lessen, but might still be in vivo. In combination, cannabis, and PT address the actual complications or disorders associated with pain and discomfort. Whether you are seeing a physical therapist or medical marijuana expert for acute pain or a long-standing issue, combined therapies are proven to be the most beneficial. When physical therapy is performed on a relaxed, less painful body, the overall therapy penetrates deeper into the muscles, and the joints are less inflamed. This synergistic approach is much more beneficial to the patient’s pain relief and improved condition.
The Canadian Medical Association Journal printed a study by Canadian Professor, Dr. Wares and his team at McGill University in Montreal. Their clinical trial intensely studied the effect of three varying doses of cannabis and one placebo. The men and women in the trial had chronic neuropathic nerve pain and were given all four strengths of the marijuana and placebo throughout a two-month
period without their knowledge of what they were inhaling. The patients rated their pain levels and all showed marked pain relief with the highest dosage of THC cannabis at three times per day. Dr. Wares and his team believe that cannabis is truly a powerful analgesic.
Omni Medical Services will work with you and your physical therapist to get you the pain relief and results you desire.
You must visit a Physician that is licensed to recommend medical marijuana. It’s crucial for patients to seek out a highly qualified physician. The physicians at Omni Medical Services are the best in class for recommending medical marijuana for treatment. Having the right doctor will make the difference and help you get your Florida certification. Omni has over 7 years in the medical marijuana certification industry. In addition to Florida Omni has offices in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Pennsylvania.
Omni has helped many patients that are suffering from chronic pain and medical marijuana has helped many people become pain-free without the use of narcotics. To find out more, please call 866-417-2002, or visit their website at OmniMedicalFL.com.