Back pain

[Hantuguila]

I've been suffering from a back injury for months now, and been dosing my self with a lot of pain relievers. I'm starting to think that I might take away the pain of my back with the meds but at the same time punishing my liver slowly. So I started reading articles about marijuana and it's medical aspect and found this along the way

Medical Before buying cannabis at South Jersey's only medical marijuana dispensary, patients must circle one of six animated faces that stare out from a clipboard.

The row of smiling, wincing, frowning, and sobbing cartoon faces is being used to rank the degree of pain that patients experience due to cancer, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and several other conditions the state deems treatable by cannabis.

When the patients return to the Compassionate Care Foundation dispensary in Egg Harbor Township for a refill, they again are handed the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale so that the effect of the marijuana can be assessed.

The results so far are "absolutely dramatic," said Suzanne Miller, a researcher with a Ph.D. who sits on the dispensary's board of trustees. Miller is also a professor and the director of behavioral medicine at Fox Chase Cancer Center/Temple Health in Philadelphia. About 80 percent of the 145 CCF patients who completed the rankings at least twice over the last two months have charted significant improvement, she said.

Still being collected and analyzed, the data show that on average, most patients are reporting their pain levels decreased by 30 to 50 percent, Miller said. "You usually see smaller results, about 10 percent, or 20 percent," she said.

An author of four books and a contributor to more than 100 academic articles, Miller will be the lead researcher on a report she plans to submit to medical journals for publication possibly this fall. The dispensary has 600 registered patients and expects to have more data by that time.

On a gloomy, wet morning last week, several patients walked into the dispensary to purchase cannabis, which is packaged in plastic bottles and sold at $428 an ounce. Two patients who agreed to be interviewed afterward said the marijuana they bought had changed their lives. Three other patients who were reached by phone said it markedly eased their pain.

'Zero' pain

"I was addicted to Vicodin," said Gary Carnevale Sr., a multiple sclerosis patient from Bayville, Ocean County, shortly after he picked up an ounce of "Red Cherry Berry" marijuana from an employee behind a glass window at the dispensary. Carnevale, 57, a former licensed practical nurse, said increasing amounts of prescribed Vicodin, OxyContin, Percocet, and other narcotics did not relieve the throbbing pain shooting up his back and legs, and he then had to be hospitalized for two weeks early last year.

Carnevale was among the first patients to come to CCF, which opened six months ago inside a cavernous warehouse just outside Atlantic City. Marijuana plants are also grown at that location under special purple, red, blue, and yellow lights.

"I took three or four hits. I laid in bed, and I could not believe the pain slipping away," Carnevale said, recalling the first day he smoked it using a vaporizer. "My pain was like ten. . . . But when I smoke marijuana, I swear it's zero," he said. While he previously spent most of his days in bed, he said he now is able to function and even took a recent vacation with his family, including his two grandchildren.

Jacqueline Angotti, a nurse-practitioner from Robbinsville, began sobbing when asked the effect the marijuana had on her 9-year-old son, Miles, who had suffered multiple, daily seizures since he was 2. "He's been seizure-free; he's had none for the past 31 days and has had no side effects," she said. "And he's better cognitively."

In the past, Miles was forced to wear a mask to protect his face and teeth from frequent falls caused by the violent seizures, she said. And, for the same reason, he had to eat meals from a tray while sitting on the floor. Angotti turned the marijuana buds into a tincture, which she gives to Miles in tiny doses three times a day, and he no longer needs his mask, she said. "He eats dinner at the table now," she added.

Bill Thomas, the dispensary CEO, said the frequent hugs that grateful patients bestow on staff and the tears he has witnessed in the waiting room convince him of marijuana's medical worth. "To us, this is medicine. To everyone else, it's something else. It's pot. . . . But this is not Colorado," he said. His staff wear white medical jackets, and only patients who have a doctor's approval may buy the drug.

Those afflicted with seizures, multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and glaucoma are reporting the greatest benefit, Thomas said. One patient who had Crohn's disease experienced a "total reversal" and was able to return to work, he said.

Because there is a dearth of scientific studies, anecdotal evidence is practically the only proof available at this time, Thomas said. Marijuana's status as a federally prohibited Schedule I drug, ranking it more dangerous than opium, has blocked studies on its medicinal value, he said.

Though the federal government still considers marijuana illegal, the Obama administration recently announced it will not enforce the ban in states that have legalized it for medical and for recreational use except in egregious trafficking cases and when it is being marketed to minors.

New Jersey is one of 22 states that have legalized medical marijuana, and many others are weighing it. Its strictly regulated program calls for doctors to write "recommendations" — not prescriptions — authorizing patients to obtain cannabis. But they are not required to provide dosing information, leaving patients to use marijuana on a trial-and-error basis.

Thomas said he looks forward to having an analysis of the patient surveys completed and having a more detailed questionnaire for patients developed so that CCF can determine what doses and strains are most helpful for its patients. "This is the drug that needs to be studied," he said.

Adjusting doses

One in five patients initially told staff that they did not get relief by taking the cannabis they had purchased, Thomas said. But when the strain and dose were modified, he said, half of those patients reported their pain had lessened. Marijuana contains 60 chemicals, he said, and the various strains have different ratios of the ingredients. CCF currently sells six strains and is planning an expansion next month.

Back in the dispensary waiting room, a 60-year-old Brigantine woman who suffers from multiple sclerosis was busy gathering up her one-quarter ounce of marijuana and her umbrella as she prepared to head home. "I had pain every day in my feet and occasionally in my face," she said, declining to be named. "It's debilitating, and when it's in my face it's like lightning."

After baking marijuana brownies with the cannabis, she said, her pain improved 80 percent. "It's a valid medicine," she said. "And it is time it's seen that way."

Source: Weedfinder

I am already 34 years old and haven't tried smoking or any other means of using marijuana and I have nothing against it. My question is that if i try it would I be dependent at the same time addicted to it? And will it really ease the pain? Thanks in advance to those who'll answer

 

[SweetSue]

There isn't a single case on record of anyone becoming "addicted" to cannabis. One of our biggest goals at 420 Magazine is to help you understand that cannabis can be a perfectly acceptable method of pain relief and healing, without the nasty side effects the pills our medical professionals prescribe so willingly.

One can certainly become dependant on cannabis, given the level of pain relief and wellbeing one can experience. For someone originally swimming in non-stop pain such a dependency can be like a breath of fresh air. I'd much rather be dependant on cannabis, a medicine I can stop at any time, than opioids that can destroy my life and the lives of everyone around me.

Sorry, I don't need pain meds myself, but what I've witnessed........

It's possible to treat pain, to manage chronic pain, with a balanced ratio of CBD to THC. This balancing of the major components will also have the effect of muting the euphoric effects of the THC, allowing one to medicate the pain away and still function as a responsible member of society.

If you live in a legal state with medical cannabis you may be able to find a product that has the balanced ratio you'd need. Otherwise, you can grow your own. A small closet and some basic equipment and within six to seven months you can process the plant into oil and make some capsules that have the potential to move your pain into the realm of ancient history.

We can help you with all of that, if you need. It's what we do around these parts. We don't like hearing our members are in pain, when we know so many ways to counter pain. What can we help you with?

 

[AinWA]

FWIW: I have been smoking weed since 1975. Yet, after all those years - decades of daily use, I can put it down any time. NO side effects. Oh I'll miss it like I miss "The Expanse" or another good TV show once the current season wraps up, but that is hardly indicative of addiction, just great affection. I have more withdrawal symptoms from our Comcast going out or running out of coffee (headache).

With regards to back pain, it can help it from getting worse. I have issues from an old bike accident - broken collarbone that healed all weird. Pain will start in my mid/upper back, that will cause tight muscles in my neck, next thing you know, I have a headache as well. If I partake of a good therapeutic strain, I can head off the tight neck/headache combo.

Good luck. Having taken other painkillers, I think THEY make me more dulled and dopey than weed does. Try it - if you don't like it no harm no foul.

 

[Domicern]

What about CBD oil for back pains? Has anyone tried it?

 

[BooMtoLate]

I just received my acmpr medical licence to grow here in Canada. I have also have a back injury and cannabis does help with the pain.

 

[marijuanaguy420]

What about CBD oil for back pains? Has anyone tried it?

Yup, it does help me. However, I don't think it has the same effect to everyone. You should try it though.

 

[HighZenBerg]

I've been suffering from a back injury for months now, and been dosing my self with a lot of pain relievers. I'm starting to think that I might take away the pain of my back with the meds but at the same time punishing my liver slowly. So I started reading articles about marijuana and it's medical aspect and found this along the way


I am already 34 years old and haven't tried smoking or any other means of using marijuana and I have nothing against it. My question is that if i try it would I be dependent at the same time addicted to it? And will it really ease the pain? Thanks in advance to those who'll answer

I have chronic back pain as well. I’m using THC (smoked and vaped dry flower) and CBD (sublingual and topicals) to help with the pain and inflammation. But I’m also doing core strengthening exercises, stretching, massage, meditation, etc. I don’t think becoming dependent would really be an issue. It’s more important to view medical use of marijuana as you would any other medication and realize that there are probably other things you should be doing in conjunction with using your medication to receive full benefit. My opinion is basically to be sure that you are also addressing the cause of the pain to the extent that it is possible. I hope this helps!

 

[HighZenBerg]

I've been suffering from a back injury for months now, and been dosing my self with a lot of pain relievers. I'm starting to think that I might take away the pain of my back with the meds but at the same time punishing my liver slowly. So I started reading articles about marijuana and it's medical aspect and found this along the way


I am already 34 years old and haven't tried smoking or any other means of using marijuana and I have nothing against it. My question is that if i try it would I be dependent at the same time addicted to it? And will it really ease the pain? Thanks in advance to those who'll answer

...one additional thought. If you are only considering medical use, and have no interest in recreational use, you should look into micro dosing. That approach uses the smallest possible dosages to achieve the medical benefits while minimizing the high. Micro dosing dry flower in a vaporizer would be an option to consider.

What about CBD oil for back pains? Has anyone tried it?

Yes, and it definitely helped me. It does, however, work better In combination with THC (just based on my personal experience). I use drops of a aqueous CBD concentrate, sublingual, in the evening before bed nightly. I also use topicals as needed in conjunction with massage and heat compresses.

 

[Greenleef]

I am 33yrs old , i started smoking joints with my older cousins when i was 13 . I have smoked almost every day since then . I am at an 8th per day . 3.5 grams . I never crave it , i quit once cold turkey for a job . No smoke for 2 weeks . Never had any withdrawals. I get blood wrk done every 3 months with my primary doc bc its free so why not check . And my doc says im perfectly healthy . Try it out , it will not hurt one bit . I also suffer from back pain . Ddd , spinal stenosis, herniated disc, pinched nerve , i have 2 rods 6 bolts and a stimulator implant, mj helps with all of it . Unfortunately i do need pain meds . But i am trying to find a way to quit. I think its time i tried rso . Good luck to you . I hope for the best .

 

[HugePeckerhead]

What particular strains are we suggesting to help with pain? Id assume it's something with higher value of cbd but it seems studies are showing THC now aides as well? So is it better finding a high cbd strain or something close to equal in cbd and thc?

 

[Remystemple]

What particular strains are we suggesting to help with pain? Id assume it's something with higher value of cbd but it seems studies are showing THC now aides as well? So is it better finding a high cbd strain or something close to equal in cbd and thc?

if you're not a regular user i'd say almost anything is gonna help your pain for a while. I've had 3 smushed disks in my lower back for years. started smoking weed at 16 yo. back went out the first time at 21. by then my tolerance was too high to help with pain at all.

one of my customers is an old guy who started using for meds, now he just limps around smoking to get high LMAO.

I really don't believe it to be a long term solution, not until they figure out how to stop our tolerance from increasing. but if you used it sparingly when you really need it, it WILL work.

I'd say anything Blue or purple is gonna be helpful.

 

[Althegardener2]

Microdosing with a good quality vaporizer is a lifesaver. I was just diagnosed with degenerative disc disease and even though they are prescribing pain meds I'm not filling the scripts. Even my Indian doctor nods and says mj is a natural gift from the gods. Just spend time dialing in the right strain.

 

[HighZenBerg]

What dosing level is working for you? Do you also use any CBD?

 

[CADBOY]

What particular strains are we suggesting to help with pain? Id assume it's something with higher value of cbd but it seems studies are showing THC now aides as well? So is it better finding a high cbd strain or something close to equal in cbd and thc?

My wife has chronic pain syndrome and its also in her back. She personally finds strains that are equally 50/50 thc/cbd, she has tried 100s of strains and only cbd or only thc doesn't do it alone.

Most strains ive seen work for her so far;
Most Kush strains
Some Sativa-dominant strains
Red Congolese strain, made her laugh
Most Indices just made her sleep
Rockstar strain, for pain/sleep
Blueberry strain for pain

Honestly we just try any strain we can and take notes, untill something works in the direction you wish it to work

 

[Remystemple]

My wife has chronic pain syndrome and its also in her back. She personally finds strains that are equally 50/50 thc/cbd, she has tried 100s of strains and only cbd or only thc doesn't do it alone.

Most strains ive seen work for her so far;
Most Kush strains
Some Sativa-dominant strains
Red Congolese strain, made her laugh
Most Indices just made her sleep
Rockstar strain, for pain/sleep
Blueberry strain for pain

Honestly we just try any strain we can and take notes, untill something works in the direction you wish it to work

there are also some blue rhino strains that are half and half. tasty too.

 

[Nunyabiz]

I find a mixture of strains to work best.
Such as a high CBD strain like Hiydrow at 16% CBD 8%THC or Honey Peach at 12%CBD 9%THC mixed with a high THC strain.
Also a strain like Nightingale or Candida can give you 20+% CBD.
That way you get a really good % of both CBD/THC plus two terpene profiles.
No single strain can give you what amounts to about a 15/15% of THC/CBD and a double load of terpenes.

 

[Althegardener2]

I haven't tried anything CBD specifically. My back fell apart just in time for our state to legalize, so I'm still looking for the best strain. I don't like heavy sleepy strains except for night time, I prefer cerebral. Now I'm learning to use both at the correct times. Still haven't found my ideal, but I have a feeling a good balanced combo of cbd/thc would be pretty effective.

 

[CADBOY]

I haven't tried anything CBD specifically. My back fell apart just in time for our state to legalize, so I'm still looking for the best strain. I don't like heavy sleepy strains except for night time, I prefer cerebral. Now I'm learning to use both at the correct times. Still haven't found my ideal, but I have a feeling a good balanced combo of cbd/thc would be pretty effective.

If you can find it, try charlottes web. Great for pain and just makes ya feel all around good.

 

[Chew]

I suffer with lower back problems. Mine all started with slipped discs around 15 years ago. To date the most effective treatment I have found is Cajuns Bio Bomb recipe. I used CBD Crews Critical Mass which is 1:1 THC-CBD 3-4 times per day as suppositories. I found ratios of 20:1 very effective providing you dose regularly.

 

[Spectre]

I've been suffering from a back injury for months now, and been dosing my self with a lot of pain relievers. I'm starting to think that I might take away the pain of my back with the meds but at the same time punishing my liver slowly. So I started reading articles about marijuana and it's medical aspect and found this along the way


I am already 34 years old and haven't tried smoking or any other means of using marijuana and I have nothing against it. My question is that if i try it would I be dependent at the same time addicted to it? And will it really ease the pain? Thanks in advance to those who'll answer

No addiction problems. Most who use marijuana know that. The only thing I've noticed when I don't medicate is a bit of grumpiness first day. But think that is mostly pain level rising. Have had compression fracture at C 4. All disc's from base of skull to T 3 is ruptured C 4 has been removed, fused three impingements, 4 inclusions that press on spinal cord, 3 ruptures in lower thoracic with impingements slip disc at L 3, impingements at L 1 and L 2./degenerative disc disease. Allergic to codeine and opioids. Have used marijuana for many years to relieve my pain. And now it's legal where I live. Have even better success since. Have found high THC low CBD Sativa's for day use it relieves pain with an upbeat energetic experience. Then high THC and CBD Indica at night to sleep when needed. This is my personal experience what works for me may not necessarily work for others. Best advice I could give is start out small. To much for first time use can for some be stressful. Ease into it make sure it's right for you. "Only fools rush in."