Learn about Cannabis
Cannabis in Chronic Pain

Pain is one of the most common complaints for which patients seek medical help. Acute pain occurs after an injury and then goes away. An example of acute pain is the pain that occurs after a cut or a burn. The other type of pain is chronic pain. Chronic pain is pain that persists even after the agent that caused the pain has been removed. Chronic pain can persist for months or years. As a result, many patients rely on non-steroidal medications or opioid medications to relieve chronic pain.

Studies have shown that even in patients who have been on long-term opioids for their pain, cannabis not only helps improve the pain but also allows patients to stop opioids altogether. In fact, in states with a medical cannabis program, the prescriptions for and overdoses from opioid medications have decreased.

The use of cannabis may help to alleviate chronic pain, especially pain that is not alleviated with opioid medications. Be sure to talk with your physician to see if medical cannabis is right for you.

Additional Resource

Cannabis-based medicines for chronic neuropathic pain in adults