Have you been experiencing pain for 3 months or longer?
Chronic pain is pain that is ongoing and lasts for 3 months or longer. This type of pain can continue after the illness or injury has healed. The reason for this is that pain signals remain active in your nervous system for months and even years.
According to the CDC, an estimated 20.4% of US adults have chronic pain, while 8% had high impact chronic pain. Both are common among adults with less than a high school education and those living in poverty.
Chronic pain is a distressing problem, and researchers have noted the disease is a leading cause of disability. More than 1 in 5 US adults experience chronic pain. It’s more prevalent in women than in men.
If you suffer from chronic pain and choose cannabis as a treatment option, you need a California medical marijuana card.
Does Chronic Pain Qualify You for Medical Marijuana in California?
Everyone experiences occasional pain. This is a common body reaction meant to alert you of possible injury. When injured, the pain travels from the affected area via the nervous system to your brain.
If you take pain-relieving meds, you will not experience relief. Even as the injured area continues to heal, the pain becomes severe. However, the body may continue sending pain signals to the brain.
This is common with chronic pain. So does chronic pain qualify for medical marijuana? Yes, it does. According to Prop 215 and Senate Bill 420, chronic pain qualifies for medical cannabis. This is alongside other serious medical conditions such as arthritis and insomnia.
What Are the Most Common Types of Chronic Pain?
Chronic pain is more than the typical pain. It may feel like a dull or sharp, aching sensation around the injured area. If efforts to relieve the pain are not taken, the sensation can last for weeks.
Examples of chronic pain include:
- Lower back pain
- Arthritis pain
- Cancer pain
- Headache
- Post-trauma pain
- Neurogenic pain
- Post-surgical pain
- Psychogenic pain
What Causes Chronic Pain?
The common cause of chronic pain is an initial injury. For example, it can be an injury such as a back sprain. When such an injury occurs, nerves become damaged, making the pain long-lasting. It also makes the pain intense.
Taking pain-relieving meds will not offer any sort of relief. Besides an injury, chronic pain may start due to an underlying condition.
- Fibromyalgia - this is a widespread pain in the muscles and bones.
- Interstitial cystitis - this is a chronic disorder brought by bladder pain and pressure.
- Endometriosis - this is a painful disorder brought by the uterine lining growing outside of a woman’s uterus.
- Chronic fatigue syndrome - this pain is characterized by prolonged weariness.
Who Is at Risk?
Chronic pain affects people of all ages, but it affects older adults more. Other factors that may increase the risk of chronic pain are:
- Obesity
- Post-surgical operation
- Injuries
Is Chronic Pain a Chronic Disease?
According to experts, chronic pain may be a sign or symptom of an underlying condition, but its not a chronic disease. This chronic condition outlasts the typical healing process.
Chronic pain is neither a disability. To diagnose chronic pain, a doctor will carry out lab tests. Your blood, rune, and fluids from your brain and spinal cord will undergo analysis. You may also undergo an MRI of the spinal cord and brain.
What you need to know is that chronic pain can keep you from doing things. It can make you angry, frustrated, anxious, and depressed. Due to this link, it will affect your mental health.
Does Cannabis Work for Chronic Pain?
Yes, cannabis works for chronic pain. Several studies revealed evidence that medical cannabis is an alternative for opioids. It’s believed that medical marijuana is useful for treating chronic pain and several medical conditions.
One of those studies was undertaken in 2000. In the study, 10 patients with advanced cancer pain participated. They each received THC pills in four doses and a placebo. The pills were identical in appearance.
On the days they received high doses of 15 mg and 20 mg, the patients reported significant pain relief, unlike days they took 5 to 10 mg.
In a subsequent study, researchers compared the effects of THC dose with a pain reliever, codeine. They discovered that 10 mg of THC has the same pain relief as 60 mg of codeine.
They also found out that patients had less anxiety and a greater sense of well being after taking THC.
In 2015, another group of researchers wanted to find out the effects of marijuana on chronic pain. The study included 325 patients examined for chronic pain. After the clinical trial, researchers discovered that medical marijuana can treat chronic pain.
Medical marijuana activates CB1 receptors in the body. They elevate cyclic adenosine monophosphate. Basically, the receptors suppress the pain signals providing relief from chronic pain
How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card for Chronic Pain in California
If you are suffering from chronic pain, and want to escape the cornucopia of medications, get yourself a California medical marijuana card online. At HappyMD, we offer an easy and secure way of applying for a California medical marijuana card.
As a group of licensed, telemedicine cannabis doctors, you can trust us to provide you with quality medical marijuana cards. To get started, visit our website, fill out the online registration form, and submit it.
Our qualified medical marijuana doctors will go through your application. You can schedule an appointment at any of our cannabis evaluation clinics for assessment.
Assessment is free even if your condition does not qualify. If your signs and symptoms are synonymous with chronic pain, you will receive a written recommendation.
The written recommendation allows you to buy cannabis from your local dispensary. Don’t forget to carry the letter with you to the dispensary. Also, the letter expires after a year. After your medical card evaluation, a copy of the recommendation letter and card are mailed to your address.
Apply for a medical marijuana card with HappyMD today!
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