How Medical Marijuana Helps Treat Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Medical Marijuana has many uses
One of those uses is to treat a medical ailment called carpal tunnel. This illness causes pain, tingling, and numbness in both your hands and fingers. However, there is some good news. Medical marijuana has cannabinoid elements that relieve those conditions and make your hands feel better.
But that is not all that medical marijuana does for sufferers of this disease. When taken properly, medical marijuana helps moderate those pain signals you get along with preventing the progression of the nerve damage when people suffer from carpal tunnel.
Plus, the many medical marijuana dispensaries across the country will have in stock many different types of this drug that will work for your level of carpal tunnel.
Can patients suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome benefit from the use of medical marijuana?
There is a lot of evidence from different studies that support medical marijuana’s anti-inflammatory and pain-killing prowess. Armed with this information more and more CTS patients are turning to medical marijuana to find relief from pain and damage to their hands' nerve system.
Those suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome experience a wide range of issues including sharp pain, numbness, a tingling feeling as well as slow nerve impulses, and loss of strength or coordination.
These symptoms are the result of the pressure placed on the median nerve. This nerve goes from the wrist to the fingers. There are many different causes for this disease and it is thought that repetitive motion is the main source.
Examples of the type of repetitive motions would be typing too much, playing an instrument for long periods of time, and using those tools that require the same motion.
Treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome can vary. Sometimes a reduction in the repetitive motion activities is prescribed or your doctor may provide you with a more ergonomic motion to use instead. In some cases, surgery is the prescribed treatment.
Then steroids or opioids are often prescribed to help relieve the pain but these medications come with side effects that are not very enjoyable to endure. One side effect is an addiction that is hard to break.
Those people suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome are turning more and more to medical marijuana. It is a safe and effective alternative that helps with pain relief and reduces inflammation.
How does medical marijuana help carpel tunnel syndrome patients?
This is not a miracle cure for CTS but those suffering from this disease get relief from pain, and numbness that comes with having this ailment. Plus, it helps many patients sleep better at night.
How does medical marijuana treat carpal tunnel syndrome?
There are what are called cannabinoids in the flower of certain marijuana plants that are good at reducing any inflammation experienced by CTS sufferers. It is thought that these cannabinoids are effective in reducing the pain signals that are caused by the nerve damage created by this ailment.
These cannabinoids are called phytocannabinoids and their duties include stimulating the receptors found in the human endocannabinoid system. They do this work in much the same way as naturally produced endocannabinoids work.
Learn more about the human endocannabinoid system
The studies conducted so far have only focused on the effect of medical marijuana has on carpel tunnel syndrome. These studies have looked at several issues surrounding this topic and since 2012 5 have stood out as promising research.
There was a 2013 study done by Tongji University School of Medicine, a 2012 report in the European Journal of Pharmacology, and 3 other studies done in 2017, 2018, and 2019 that all give promising conclusions and results in other studies are still researching this question.
The links to these studies can be found here, here, here, here, and here.
How is medical marijuana used to treat carpal tunnel syndrome?
Some of the best options available for treatment include topical creams and ointments. These products are filled with different levels of both CBD and THC and when applied correctly, they do offer some pain relief as well as fight inflammation.
If the patient wants to sleep better at night, systematic use of cannabis can be the answer to their sleepless nights. Cannabis is known to act as a sedative. The delivery method can vary as well. It is possible to get relief through smoking, vaping, and using concentrates. Some inhalers provide a very fast reaction time when it comes to the relief of pain.
if that is not enough applications, you can also try oil tinctures, capsules, and edibles. Their drawback though is a slower reaction and delivery time and their positive attributes include a more discreet way of administering relief.
When looking for the right product to apply medical marijuana, look for those strains that come with specific medical benefits for carpal tunnel When you have the right combination of cannabinoids and terpenes you should find relief from your pain, etc.
There are different levels of cannabinoids, the more well-known versions are THC and CBD. But there are other ones that are not as well-known such as CBG & CBN. depending on which one you get, will determine your level of relief.
The drawback with THC is that it is the intoxication element that makes most marijuana strains illegal. It can be used in small amounts avoiding the intoxicating factor but it is better to use THC acid which is non-intoxicating.
You will probably need to buy the THC-induced medical marijuana at the legal dispensaries while the hemp version having the CBD and CBG ingredient can be purchased over the counter.
It is possible that you will find the CBD version all that you need for relief of your CTS symptoms. Each ingredient in medical marijuana will affect different patients in different ways. It will be by trial and error that you will find the right strain and dosage
Conclusion
It seems that to find relief from carpal tunnel syndrome, you can turn to some variations of medical marijuana. Topical creams may be your best option for pain and inflammation relief.
If those products do not help you sleep better at night, you can try inhaling or edibles to get that night's rest you need. But this is not a given as every patient reacts differently to this treatment option.
To get the best results, talk to your doctor and follow his or her instructions.
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