Causalgia?

[eandrade92]

Sorry if this isn't the right forum, this is my first time posting. Allow me to introduce my self, I am an Illinois resident that suffers from sciatic and lower back pain as a result of a herniated disc. I've seen my doctor for a few years already for my condition. My pain has recently become worse and I became curious to see if my condition was listed as qualifying in Illinois yet or not. While looking at the list of qualifying conditions I noticed causalgia, and according to the free dictionary "causalgia Neuralgia is defined as an intense burning or stabbing pain caused by irritation of or damage to a nerve. The pain is usually brief but may be severe. It often feels as if it is shooting along the course of the affected nerve."
So my question is, does my condition sound like causalgia? Might I qualify for medical marijuana?

 

[Richard Richardson]

Causalgia is just the old-fashioned word for CRPS, which means Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.

What you are describing sounds like Sciatica. You should ask your doctor about MMJ for it

Can you get medical marijuana for sciatic nerve?

 

[eandrade92]

It is sciatica as a result from a herniated disc at L5-S1, it causes me lower back and leg pain. What is the difference between that and CPRS/causalgia?

 

[Richard Richardson]

Honestly; I don't think there is any real difference, Sciatica is specific because the nerve has a cool name.

Your condition could be (re)classified as "Type II" CRPS, which develops after a nerve injury. But it is up to your doctor to diagnose it.

From Wikipedia:

No specific test is available for CRPS, which is diagnosed primarily through observation of the symptoms.

According to the IASP, CRPS II (causalgia) is diagnosed as follows:

The presence of continuing pain, allodynia, or hyperalgesia after a nerve injury, not necessarily limited to the distribution of the injured nerve.
Evidence at some time of edema, changes in skin blood flow, or abnormal sudomotor activity in the region of pain
The diagnosis is excluded by the existence of any condition that would otherwise account for the degree of pain and dysfunction.

 

[eandrade92]

Thank you so much for your help. I may try discussing the possibilities of mmj with my doctor. I'm tired of taking prednisone, it scares me after reading all the horror stories about how bad it is for you, and my pain meds don't do much for me anymore. I'm hoping to find more relief from mmj.

 

[Richard Richardson]

I think cannabis would definitely help you

Cannabinoids as novel anti-inflammatory drugs