Research Shows Neuropathic Pain Decreased with Medical Marijuana
Studies have shown that medical marijuana can reduce the problem that happen when someone has what is known as chronic pain syndrome which is when a burning sensation occurs and a simple touch can feel like pain.
chronic pain syndrome is unique because the condition is unaffected by aspirin type drugs and is extremely resistant to stronger analgesics such as opiates.
A study on neuropathic pain related to HIV infection had 50 patients smoked medical marijuana cigarettes three times a day or medical marijuana cigarettes from which active ingredients had been extracted in a study done in 2007 .
They were then instructed to rate their pain on a scale from “no pain” to “worst pain imaginable.”
The results indicated a 34% reduction in ratings of pain in the medical marijuana group compared with 17% in the placebo group over five days of treatment as was published in the journal Neurology.
Another study in 44 patients reported that they found medical marijuana helped reduce neuropathic pain arising from a variety of conditions, including spinalcord injury and diabetes and was published in in June in the Journal of Pain.
The study was conducted by having the participants smoke medical marijuana on a set schedule of the first two puffs, three puffs an hour later, followed by four puffs an hour after that — and the product from a single cigarette containing either 0%, 3.5%, or 7% THC.
Prior to smoking medical marijuana the average rating of pain was around 55 on a 100-point scale and decreased by 46% in both treatment groups and by 27% in the placebo group one hour after the last smoke.
It is quite normal for analgesic drugs are often tested against experimentally induced pain. Such studies have been conducted for medical marijuana too.
One such example is when 15 healthy volunteers received skin injections with capsaicin which was done in 2007 and published in the journal Anesthesiology.
capsaicin is the chemical behind that fiery spice in chile peppers and then smoked different strength medical marijuana cigarettes.
The medium dose, with a 4% THC concentration, lessened the burning pain.
The research concluded that smoking marijuana can bring relief to sufferers of neuropathic pain comparable to other analgesic drugs.
As with all pain pills you have to keep taking it to continue gaining the benefits.
