Managing pain can become a challenge, especially if you experience any ailments that cause chronic pain. Taking over-the-counter medicines can be mildly effective for pain management, but sometimes you require something stronger. Opioids have been largely the main way to effectively treat various forms of pain over the years, but they come with substantial risks to your health. Let’s see about the best medical marijuana strains for pain management.
As effective as opioids are for pain relief, they can also carry a huge risk of opioid addiction. Medical marijuana has recently started becoming popular as a way to manage pain. Several clinical studies have demonstrated the cannabis plant’s potential in helping us fight several types of pain.
However, most people think that cannabis is only used for recreation to get the euphoric high. There are several types of cannabis strains out there, and not all of them are used as a recreational substance. Some of them have higher cannabidiol, or CBD, content than tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.
THC is the compound found in marijuana that makes a person feel intoxicated and high. CBD is typically the second-most common compound found in the plant, and it is responsible for offering a relaxing and non-intoxicating effect that lends itself to medicinal uses.
Different Types of Pain that Cannabis Can Relieve
There are various types of pain that you can experience, and the three main types are:
- Pain caused by injuries, also called nociceptive pain, is a common type of pain. Many people treat this type of pain with anti-inflammatory medicines that reduce inflammation and provide you with reduced pain or complete pain relief.
- Neuropathic pain can also be a result of an injury, but it is specific to nerve injuries. Anti-inflammatory medicines are typically not effective in treating neuropathic pain.
- Central pain or mystery pain can arise without physical injuries. It can be caused by various health issues. Fibromyalgia is one of the well-known examples of a health condition that can cause central pain.
CBD lacks the high-inducing side effects of high-THC strains, and that is why it can be a fantastic choice for patients needing to keep a clear head while treating pain, nausea, headaches, stress, anxiety, and various other ailments.
With so many different types of cannabis strains out there, there are a few high-CBD strains that offer you pain relief instead of making you feel high.
The Best Cannabis Strains for Pain Management
Just like there are different types of pain, there are various cannabis strains for pain management that can help you. The right strain of cannabis can be effective in helping you deal with specific types of pain. We will discuss the best cannabis strains for pain management for each type.
Best cannabis strains for pain from physical injuries
Cannabis has well-documented anti-inflammatory properties that are quite effective. Both THC and CBD have anti-inflammatory properties and fight pain in different ways. That is why the best strains for pain management often contain a more even proportion of both compounds.
Additionally, there are other compounds in cannabis called terpenes and flavonoids that can elicit anti-inflammatory effects. Two of the best strains for nociceptive pain include:
- ACDC: The highly-CBD-centric strain is a powerful medical marijuana strain that is popular for pain management. It does deliver slightly intoxicating effects, but it mostly gives you a body high than a mental high that can help alleviate pain and anxiety while maintaining a clear head.
- White Widow: It is a high-THC cannabis hybrid strain that delivers an optimal amount of CBD to mitigate the effects of THC. It is suitable for daytime and nighttime use, and it is very effective for managing pain because of its anti-inflammatory properties.
Best cannabis strains for neuropathic pain
Neuropathic pain derives from nervous injuries in the brain. It can cause a lot of discomfort and requires a stronger solution for relief. THC can be useful in mitigating neuropathic pain by stimulating CB1 receptors in the brain and providing a sense of mild euphoria.
There are debates regarding THC’s effectiveness for pain relief. However, a 2012 study proved that CBD can be effective against some forms of neuropathic pain. Two of the best strains for neuropathic pain include:
- CBD Sour Cyclone: As its name suggests, this cannabis strain has a higher CBD to THC ratio. At a nearly ideal 2:1 CBD to THC ratio, it instills fewer psychoactive effects while delivering pain relief with a clearer mind.
- Shurman: This is a versatile cannabis strain for pain management that is appropriate for both daytime and nighttime use. The cannabis strain provides pain relief while alleviating anxiety to make you feel more relaxed and motivated.
Best cannabis strains for central pain
Central pain is called mystery pain for a reason. There is no clear reason for exactly why people can experience central pain. For many years, the medical community did not even consider fibromyalgia as a condition.
With nociceptive and neuropathic pain, it is relatively easier to address the problem because there can be a clear cause for the pain. However, pain for conditions like fibromyalgia is tough to treat through conventional medication.
A study involving over 20 patients suffering from fibromyalgia found that every patient using cannabis saw their condition improve. Half of the patients began using medical cannabis as an alternative to other medications for pain relief. Two of the best strains known for alleviating central pain include:
- CBD Critical Mass: Known to be effective in treating inflammation, muscle pain, muscle spasms, alleviating stress, and other pain-related conditions, CBD Critical Mass is also effective for alleviating central pain due to its high-CBD content.
- Harlequin: The Harlequin is one of the most popular cannabis strains for pain management, anxiety, inflammation, and cramps, among several others. It is known to provide users with an uplifting effect while providing pain relief without making your head hazy.
Final Thoughts
Getting medical marijuana for pain relief is not as simple as walking into a dispensary and asking the store for the ideal strain you have decided on for the type of pain you are feeling. You might need to get a medical cannabis card from the corresponding medical authority in your state. The process can differ depending on the state you are in, and it can become challenging to get your medical marijuana card if you do not have the right information.
Fortunately, there are various effective companies offering guidance for getting your medical marijuana card. Working with these companies can help you get the proper access to physicians who can recommend the best cannabis strain for pain relief. Additionally, the best service providers for medical marijuana cards can help you with the process from start to finish to help you get your card quickly.
We hope that this post helped you understand that there are better ways to treat and manage pain than opioids. Be sure to contact a trusted physician if you ever decide to seek medical marijuana as an alternative to prescription drugs for pain management.