Chronic Pain
Medical Marijuana as Treatment of Chronic Pain
Anyone suffering from chronic pain knows how debilitating it can be. Frankly, it can undermine every aspect of your life. Trying to cope with chronic pain daily can devastate your physical and emotional health, making it extremely hard to conduct normal activities.
Effects can vary among patients. In some cases, however, it can lead to a complete loss of independence. Not surprisingly, almost 50% of those with chronic pain also have depression.
Chronic pain is certainly a pervasive issue in the U.S. In 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a research report showing that an estimated fifty million Americans have some type of ongoing pain.
Medical marijuana treatment has become more mainstream in the US – now legal in 37 states despite federal laws opposing it. Its popularity has surged because it has found to be an effective and safer alternative to traditional pain medications for conditions such as inflammation and nerve damage.
If you’re suffering from an agonizing injury that simply will not heal, such as neck pain from a car accident, medical marijuana could help alleviate your symptoms, improving your quality of life.
Dr. Fabricio Alarcon — Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Addiction Medicine – may be able to make a significant difference for you.
Opioids vs. Medical Marijuana for Chronic Pain
Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that drug overdose is the primary cause of injury-related deaths in the United States. 70% of the cases involve illicit or prescribed opioids. Also, the National Institute of Drug Abuse documented a considerable increase in the number of overdose deaths involving pain medicines, especially opioids.
Medical marijuana is becoming widely known as an efficient and safe treatment for chronic pain in the U.S.
People with chronic pain can benefit from cannabis as an oral spray, a vaporizer, a pipe or joint (not recommended), or even include it in recipes. It can decrease side effects and enhance the quality of life for people who live with severe aches and pains.
Evidence-based Results for Chronic Pain
The effects of medical marijuana on chronic pain are supported by numerous credible clinical studies. Did you know that the most frequent use of marijuana and cannabis in the US is to treat chronic pain conditions — not for recreation?
Actually, 62% of individuals who use medical marijuana use it for treating chronic pain. Studies also indicate some efficacy for migraines, cancer-related pain, fibromyalgia, and many other pain conditions.
Cannabis is considered a safer alternative to pain pills (e.g., opioids) available by prescription. While one may become habituated to marijuana, it is not addictive so one can curtail use more easily.
Cannabis also lacks the known side effective of prescription pain pills. What’s more, with consumption methods better-tolerated than smoking, such as vaping and edible products, cannabis is considered more desirable than many other options for pain treatment.
How Cannabis Provides Pain Relief
Marijuana is an effective pain reliever because it interacts with receptors in the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS).
This remarkable system interacts with cannabis to offset any imbalance, as such, it is one of the most important physiologic systems involved in establishing and maintaining human well-being and health. It has receptors in your brain, organs, glands, connective tissues, and immune cells.
As a result, medical marijuana can be effective in the treatment of pain associated with:
- Migraines and headaches
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Multiple sclerosis
- Muscle spasms
- Inflammation
- Fibromyalgia
- Joint pain
- Back and neck pain
- Cancer symptoms
- And More
If you or your loved ones are experiencing the above conditions, you can benefit from working with Dr. Alarcon, based in Georgetown, Delaware.
Affordable and Safe
Medical marijuana is now considered an affordable and safe treatment. While it does present some undesirable side effects, it often lacks more severe side effects of conventional medications. What’s more, marijuana is very desirable for lowering pain in people who are not able to take pills and receive injections.
As there’s also little risk of dependency and overdose, marijuana is considered a safer and better option than pain pills.
Popular Medical Marijuana Strains for Chronic Pain
There are many medical marijuana strains for chronic pain and inflammation, making daily life more comfortable; some are available from time to time in Sussex County. These strains vary in CBD and THC content, providing plenty of choices for all users.
White Widow
White Widow is a popular hybrid marijuana strain. It is derived from two different strains: South American sativa and South Indian indica. This cannabis strain provides excellent pain relief and an uplifting, energetic, positive, and euphoric feeling. Many patients also use this cannabis strain for depression, stress, and lack of appetite.
Harlequin
Harlequin is an excellent sativa marijuana strain well known for its reliable expression of CBD. The strain offers clear-headed effects and helps you relax without intoxication or sedation.
Harlequin is very popular because you will experience the pain-relieving effects of this strain quickly. The CBD makes this marijuana strain powerful, reducing your pain and discomfort for sustained pain relief.
Blue Dream
Blue Dream is another hybrid marijuana strain ideal for chronic pain. It contains sativa Haze and Blueberry indica. Because of its sweet flavor, it is favored by many smokers.
Patients have reported that this strain has amazing pain-relieving properties, and many also use it for stress relief and depression.
Are You a Candidate?
If you are suffering from chronic pain and want to steer clear of pain management that depends heavily on prescription medications, such as opioids, marijuana can help lower your dependence or even eliminate the need for these harmful and addictive painkillers.
Dr. Alarcon and his professional team in Delaware will review your medical history and perform an examination in order to assess your chronic pain symptoms. If pain management is your best option, Dr. Alarcon will discuss the merits of using marijuana as part of your treatment plan.
Dr. Alarcon can also guide you in selecting various products sold locally at State-supervised stores in the Georgetown/Lewes/Rehoboth Beach area.
A Well-qualified Medical Marijuana Doctor
According to the CDC, chronic pain, such as back pain, is prevalent in the US, with an estimated 8% of the population having high-impact chronic pain. You or a loved one may be among them. So, to whom should you turn for help?
In many cases, medical marijuana may by itself be a suitable solution for chronic pain. In other instances, it might be recommended to temporarily manage various pain symptoms while other medical treatments are considered.
After an initial consultation, Dr. Alarcon will determine whether you’re a good candidate for medical marijuana and, if so, how it can fit into your treatment plan.
Dr. Alarcon is one of the few local physicians who work closely with a local associate who has been certified as a Medical Cannabis Wellness Advisor. Earning this certification requires comprehensive knowledge and expertise, including completion of an in-depth program encompassing a cannabis core curriculum, dosage protocols and methodologies, and CBD essentials and applications.
With the assistance of his advisor, Dr. Alarcon can direct patients toward products currently available locally or online that can be confidently recommended.
As a patient of Dr. Alarcon, you or your loved one suffering from chronic can benefit from the insight and expertise he possesses about medical marijuana products available in Sussex County, Delaware.
Dr. Alarcon’s goal is to bring comprehensive, expert, safe and effective chronic pain care to his patients.
Know Your Treatment Options
At our practice, you can learn what alternatives you might have to your existing medical treatments. It’s a smart place to start a pain-relieving journey that may benefit you for years to come.
We’ll discuss how many of our patients choose medical marijuana as a natural remedy instead of opioids and painkillers, and have found considerable success in alleviating pain.
Contact Atlantic Family Physicians Today
Atlantic Family Physicians treats patients suffering from various types of chronic pain with different therapies, including medical marijuana, when suitable for you. Dr. Alarcon and his team will carefully assess the severity and intensity of your pain. They can recommend the best medical marijuana products and strains to treat painful conditions, such as arthritis, back pain, and other chronic conditions.
Atlantic Family Physicians is fully qualified to help patients understand the potential benefits of using medical marijuana, which medical conditions and disorders qualify for its medicinal use, and how you can navigate the Delaware Medical Marijuana Program. Dr. Alarcon is currently accepting new patients.