Marijuana and pain

Joshua BenNun

New Member
I've used it for post-surgical pain and it didn't do much to diminish either the perception of pain or the anxiety it engendered. The euphoria of cannabis is quite different from that imparted by opiates. While opiates (in my experience) are far less reliable and predictable in effect than weed is, when they do work they impart a steady, non-specific feeling of well-being that is very effective at distancing pain. Cannabis euphoria, on the other hand, is more of a specific rush easily detachable from underlying rational preoccupations (such as pain). With cannabis I get a succession of instants of euphoria, but not the steady non-specific mood buoying that opiates at their best afford. As a result, with cannabis the pain and its emotional concommitants seem to continue independently, just on a different level. I can repeatedly surrender momentarily to the euphoria, but the pain repeatedly brings me back quickly enough. "Distancing" is not the same as "distraction." Distancing implies emotional control, or better, detachment. The pain, though still felt, simply seems irrelevant. Distraction implies a kind of emotional whipsawing, from distress to relief to distress, etc. The pain is still relevant, it's just somewhat broken up in the flow of time. Perhaps that's pain relief of a kind, but not all that good.

Nor does marijuana help much with muscle tension, a principal reason I've used it. I get an overall body warmth and numbness, but if I concentrate on specific muscle groups I find they're just as locked up as they were. I can relax them (to a degree) consciously, but then I can do that without marijuana, too--and often better, because my concentration is, to put it mildly, better.
 
Interesting Joshua. Thanks for sharing this with us.

I would be curious to learn how extensive your experience is with attempting to moderate pain with Cannabis? You mention post-operative pain specifically and parhaps incorrectly I tend to associate that specific situation with infrequent, short lived pain lasting a couple days or so.

Have you had the misfortune/opportunity to experiment with different strains with different levels of THC, CBD, and CBN?
 
Interesting Joshua. Thanks for sharing this with us.

I would be curious to learn how extensive your experience is with attempting to moderate pain with Cannabis? You mention post-operative pain specifically and parhaps incorrectly I tend to associate that specific situation with infrequent, short lived pain lasting a couple days or so.

Have you had the misfortune/opportunity to experiment with different strains with different levels of THC, CBD, and CBN?

My experience isn't extensive--only five attempts so far. I had dental surgery and refrained from taking opiates to see how cannabis would do. Not well, it turned out. Got somewhat better relief of muscle pain, but as I noted, not really superior. On the other hand, I'm inexperienced with this, so maybe I'll get better results with time.

The only strain I've tried so far is called Dinafem Diesel, which is supposedly tilted more toward sativa than indica. I have a few others on the way--White Russian, Northern Lights. I'll see if those are any different.
 
Joshua,

I hope you find the relief you seek without needing to rely on the opiates. Recently heard a short segment on NPR (National Public Radio) on the topic of how over utilized opiates have historically been. Unfortunately, I didn't get to hear the entire segment, but the bit I heard suggested that many times, opiates were masking symptoms that medical practitioners could/would have used to diagnose complications or additional conditions/ailments had they been aware.

Good luck friend.
 
Opiates are objectionable for several reasons--mortality risk, addiction, and last but far from least--constipation. You gotta say that for pot--it won't prevent you from taking a shit.
 
Opiates are objectionable for several reasons--mortality risk, addiction, and last but far from least--constipation. You gotta say that for pot--it won't prevent you from taking a shit.

Nice! :rofl::laughtwo:
 
Sativa will make your pain worse because it enhances the thought process, whereas Indica will dull your pain because it slows the communication from the brain to the pain area. What you did was like drinking a pot of coffee right before bed, no wonder it didn't work well for you. Try a nice strong Indica strain with high CBD and you'll see a world of difference brother. :thumb:
:Namaste:
 
Sativa will make your pain worse because it enhances the thought process, whereas Indica will dull your pain because it slows the communication from the brain to the pain area. What you did was like drinking a pot of coffee right before bed, no wonder it didn't work well for you. Try a nice strong Indica strain with high CBD and you'll see a world of difference brother. :thumb:
:Namaste:

Exactly what he/she said! I suffer from Restless Leg Syndrome and Indica has been the BEST thing to help me feel numb enough to sleep. Strains I favor: Pakistani Kush, Skywalker, Yoda OG, Granddaddy Purple. I would also keep a journal so you can reflect on what strains works best for you, how it makes you feel, etc.
 
you have said that you haven't tried many ways to medicate, and you said you were smoking sativas, indicas are better for pain relief and for someone with moderate to severe pain I always recommend to my patients a concentrate you can also use a vaporizer for either the herb or a concentrate as well, when vaped you don't get all that burned plant matter it just vaporizes the THC and CBD off and out of the material and that's what you inhale. I would recommend trying those other methods and other type of strain before committing to opiates, they cause up to 12% liver and kidney function failure in a year of full time use, don't harm the rest of your body just because some parts of it are in pain. Please find an alternative to opiates, I am a physician and a medical marijuana advocate and I do not endorse opiates for long term pain control. This is just my 2 cents
 
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