Medical Marijuana vs. Opioids — Which Is Better For Treating My Chronic Pain?

Here at Nature’s Way Medicine, one of the most frequent reasons patients visit our office for medical marijuana evaluations is that they suffer from chronic pain. In most cases, doctors and physicians across our region will recommend surgery, injections, or even addictive opioid narcotics for patients suffering from chronic pain. Unfortunately, for some patients who are prescribed medications like oxycodone, Vicodin, or Percocet, they can become dependent on this medication leading to further issues down the road.

There is no denying that we are going through a serious opioid epidemic in the United States. To put things in perspective, in 2017, there were more than 72,000 deaths in America due to drug overdose (with opioid overdose deaths accounting for more than half of those). Nature’s Way Medicine wants to do all we can to make sure patients seeking alternative treatments for chronic pain can find the relief that they need.

How Medical Marijuana Works With My Chronic Pain

The spinal cord region is the part of your body where pain signals are moderated by interneurons. These interneurons are responsible for the sensations we feel each day. Our central nervous system is an incredibly complex system and is able to send suppressed or intensified signals to our brains. When chronic pain signals bombard your brain, your body will do its best to suppress the pain so you can focus on the task at hand. If pain continues to get worse, medical marijuana could be a course of action. Medical marijuana alleviates pain by affecting the nerves that run in and out of your spinal cord.

How patients feel relief is by either inhaling or consuming medical marijuana due to its ability to reset the interneurons in your brain to their default value, causing you less pain. With the pain you once experienced now less magnified, you can then decide how you want to manage your pain and dosage amounts over the course of time.

To learn more about medical marijuana and how it can help you treat your chronic pain, or to book a consultation, feel free to contact our offices today.