Chime in if MJ is truly pain-killing medicine for you - I'm confused

[wreck]

I used to work in a labor intensive job, and I've had pretty regular pain in my knee since high school from playing basketball. I never injured it, I just played A LOT of basketball.

Now, the pain becomes fairly uncomfortable for no reason, so I use MJ to ease the pain, or at least not remember my knee(s) is hurting. I've never liked taking asprin or tylenol or anything for pain, because I don't enjoy taking pills. I don't enjoy being uncomfortable either.

I also have a really sensitive stomach - MJ helps with that as well.

 

[Trees McGee]

I was recently vaporizing some fine grade cannabis when I remembered this thread and just had to respond to it. I don't personally use cannabis for pain relief, I've found that its benefits for me are negligible at best; I agree with the original poster that I find it allows me to more acutely focus on the pain. I can say, although, that I've also experienced the redirection of the mind, if you will, away from the idea of the pain by the use of cannabis. Which is a pain-killing positive, in my opinion.

I have friends, however, who use medical cannabis (which is, by my vote and others, legal in my state), on the sole basis of pain reduction and elimination. Apparently, they experience quite positive results with its use. I believe its a simple matter of different people are affected by drugs in different ways. Perception is reality so to speak, without discounting the utterly obvious medical benefits of cannabis use for a myriad of health concerns.

Also, when I wrote this, I had not read NiteTiger's post regarding the proper medical use of cannabis. I agree with this opinion wholeheartedly, not only on its own merit but in its proper placement of the importance of moderation and correct dosage. I agree, that if the medical use of cannabis is to be a fully realized issue, this type of approach must be taken to secure its legitimacy. Which is entirely NOT A BAD THING! lol

peaceloveandsmoke
tmcg

 

[EatMoGrass]

As I stated in earlier posts eating cannabis helps me manage my pain, but there are many other plants that can also relieve pain without killing pain. My second favorite behind cannabis is jalapenos, cayenne, and other hot peppers. The capsaicin in the peppers seems to act as a natural muscle relaxer and helps with my pain. I also get some pain relief from drinking green tea. Not a tremendous amount of pain relief, but enough to make it worthwhile to drink it. And again, eating cannabis is far more effective for pain relief that smoking or even vaporising it. Its nearly as effective as my prescribed Oxycontin.

 

[Holdin']

It takes away pain for me similar to the feeling of coming home from a hard day's work, laying down and relaxing on the couch. You feel much better and relieved until someone needs you to get up. Then you have the peel yourself off the couch, and it SUCKS.

So to me, if I have some sort of ache or pain, and I smoke, if I just lay on the couch, and don't move around a lot, it helps. I think it just helps relaxation as a whole. It's not exactly something (to me) that just numbs and takes the pain away so that under severe pain, can achieve a normal lifestyle. But it does have pain related benefits for sure.

To me, personally, the benefits that I get out of MJ are mostly to help insomnia, anxiety, nausea and migraines. Which when it comes to people who use MMJ for terminal illness, such as cancer, an insomnia, nausea, and a lack of appetite cure, is a miracle drug IMO.

As far as a severe pain cure... helpful, but not a cure to me.

 

[intel2000]

Thanks for all the responses - this thread has been one of the most civil I have seen LOL.

 

[K.J]

Check out the following page concerning how cannabis helps to improve the efficacy of opiates for chronic pain (some great video there too):

Opioid Sparing Effect of Cannabis as Adjunct Medication


An excerpt:

Pain is the number one reason people seek medical attention, and patients seeking pain relief are the most prevalent group employing cannabis medicines. Chronic pain seriously interferes with the quality of life for many patients. For some, strong prescription pain medications (opioids) have provided them relief. Unfortunately several problems can follow with the use of opioids on a long term basis. Patients may soon develop a tolerance to the analgesic effects, thus requiring ever increasing doses. Chronic use of opioids also causes unwanted side effects that include such problems as constipation, feeling drugged, nauseated, and depressed. Countless self-reports from chronic pain patients who use cannabis for pain management show a common theme. These patients report that they are able to either significantly decrease their dose of opioids or discontinue opioid use completely. They also report the benefit of no longer having to deal with opioid side effects such as constipation, nausea or depression. A typical observation by patients is that their use of cannabis doesn't necessarily take away the pain, but that they are no longer preoccupied with the pain; they are able to ignore it. Research is beginning to show that there is a synergy between cannabinoids and opioids and thus, a patient could decrease the amount of opioids necessary to manage pain due to the opioid sparing effect of cannabis. Since opioids carry the risk of overdose along with other unwanted side effects, adding cannabis to their treatment regime allows patients to achieve more comfort with a lower amount or no opioid medication.

 

[Hydro-Soil]

It takes away pain for me similar to the feeling of coming home from a hard day's work, laying down and relaxing on the couch. You feel much better and relieved until someone needs you to get up. Then you have the peel yourself off the couch, and it SUCKS.

Wrong strain for you then.... What you're toking has too much of an indica cannabinoid profile for you. What strain is it??

 

[GryphN]

I broke my back (T7 compression fracture)... MMJ helps a ton... Maybe your "looking" to much for pain.. Just let the pot do its thing and let yourself get distracted, not think about what hurts so much... I find if I sit here and think about my back hurting, it hurts alot more... but if I smoke a bowl... then go and do something, even watch a TV show or movie, I don't have nearly as much pain...