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Can You Get A Medical Card For Chronic Back Pain

How Medical Marijuana Helps Treat Muscle Spasms

Delaware Medical Marijuana Cannabis Card Chronic Neck & Back Pain Fibromyalgia,Cancer,Stress Anxiety

Researchers have revealed that marijuana works against muscle spasms by reducing inflammation, which is by the way known to cause the condition. According to a study that was carried at the University of South Carolina, the immune systems response to muscle injury is reduced and the system inflammatory proteins are deactivated by THC, a major compound in medical cannabis.

A Muscle spasm, which is alternatively known as muscle cramp, is a sudden and involuntary contraction of one or more muscles. This condition occurs when a muscle involuntarily and forcefully contracts and is unable to relax. Muscle spasms are quite common and even though they typically involve part or all of a muscle or several muscles in a group, they could as well affect just about any muscle. However, he most common sites for muscle spasms are the calves, foot arches, thighs, arms, hands, abdomen and sometimes along the rib cage. Muscle spasms that occur in the calves are known as charley horses.

Some individuals are more prone to muscle spasms and such people get them regularly with any physical exertion. However, infants, older people above 65 as well as individuals who overexert during exercise are at greater risk of muscle spasms. Muscle spasms are caused by a variety of factors, including muscle fatigue, dehydration, exercising in heated temperatures, insufficient stretching before physical activity, as well as electrolyte imbalances in potassium, calcium and magnesium.

Causes Of Chronic Pain

There are many reasons for chronic pain. For instance, lifestyle habits, traumatic injury, or illness. Some types of chronic pain may be a combination of several factors at the same time.

For example, lower back pain may result from poor posture, being overweight, or an underlying medical condition, all at the same time.

Regardless of the origin, medical marijuana is an effective treatment when it comes to diminishing severe pain. But, before we dive into the specifics lets take a look at the main causes.

Physical injury

Physical injury often happens after an accident, like when you sprain a muscle or it can result from overexertion.

In many instances, chronic pain develops when there is significant damage to the nerves. So, even after the physical injury heals, you may continue to experience that pain. Owing to the extent of the damage, the nerves continue to send pain signals to the brain long after the physical recovery.

The solution? Using pain medication that suppresses these pain receptors and stops them from sending these signals, and of course plenty of rest.

Chronic illness

Medical conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, irritable bowel syndrome, and cancer can cause long-lasting severe pain.

In the case of cancer, for example, chemotherapy treatment causes patients to experience awful side effects. Among them chronic pain.

Can Patients With Back Pain Qualify For Medical Marijuana In Louisiana

Some studies have reported a 45% reduction in the intensity of pain after inhaling medical marijuana, which has been proven effective for managing back spasms.

Many states, including Louisiana, have approved the use of medical marijuana for muscle spasms. It can be an alternative medication to pharmaceutical treatments. It is becoming a more preferred medication for patients suffering from chronic pain.

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Am I A Good Candidate For Medical Marijuana

The team at Pain, Spine & Rehab Associates determines if youre a good candidate for medical marijuana during a consultation. The team has received specialized training from MMCC so they know when its appropriate to prescribe medical marijuana.

During your evaluation, the team reviews your medical history, as well as the types of treatments youve tried. The team may not prescribe medical marijuana until after youve failed to get relief from your symptoms with traditional medical treatments, such as medications, physical therapy or injections

Medical marijuana may help reduce the need for some of your pain medications, including opioids.

Medical Marijuana To Treat Back Pain

Can You Get a California Medical Marijuana Card for Back Pain

Sep 17, 2018 | Patient

The popularity of medical marijuana is on the rise. More than ever before, marijuana is being used as an alternative treatment for a host of medical conditionsboth physical and emotional. When it comes to chronic pain, osteoarthritis, back pain, medical marijuana is now being recommended by some physicians and healthcare providers, as well as independently sought out by those living with chronic back pain.

However, the stigma attached to marijuana still hold true. Since marijuana was an illegal substance for most of our adult lives there simply isnt a ton of information about marijuana as a treatment for back pain. Those seeking pain treatment alternatives for prescription pain medication have a lot of unanswered questions about medical marijuana and how to use it for pain management.

Common questions about medical marijuana: Is medical marijuana safe? Does marijuana always get you high? Can marijuana really help with back pain? Can I use it alongside prescription pain medication? Is it legal?

Read on as we break down facts about marijuana and back pain, discuss how medical marijuana can reduce back pain and symptoms, share the different types of marijuana and administration methods, and explain the legality of marijuana by US state.

Curious about what causes lower back pain and how to treat it? Read this before we get into medical marijuana as a solution.

First things first:

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Does Medical Marijuana Relieve Back Pain

Cannabis has been shown to have a potentially positive-impact in treating back pain and chronic pain. Medical marijuana has become a pivotal tool in pain management, allowing patients to experience relief while moving away from addictive opiates. Medical cannabis can both relieve pain and reduce inflammation, a key component of chronic back pain. Patients who experience back pain and treat it with medical marijuana have reported less pain, less reliance on addictive pain relievers, improvement in mood, decrease in depression, improvements in insomnia and anxiety derived from chronic pain, and overall, a much better quality of life.

Where To Get Medicinal Marijuana

Having a medical marijuana card allows you to buy marijuana from approved dispensaries in your state. Depending on the state, having a card can allow you to buy products with higher levels of THC or buy larger quantities of cannabis products. Depending on your condition and the state, you may even be permitted to grow marijuana plants in your home for personal use.â

Having a card lets you buy medicinal marijuana in the form of:

  • Oral solutions
  • Dried out leaves for smoking
  • Sprays

Once you have your medicinal marijuana products, you can either administer them yourself or your caregiver can help you if this individual is listed as your caregiver on your medical marijuana card. How long it takes to feel the effects depends on the form of the marijuana and the severity of your symptoms.

Show Sources

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment: âHow to apply for a Colorado medical marijuana card.â

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: âGetting Medical Marijuana.â

Department of Cannabis Control California: âMedicinal cannabis.â

Harvard Health Publishing: âMedical Marijuana.”

Mayo Clinic: âMedical marijuana.â

National Institute on Drug Abuse: âIs marijuana safe and effective as medicine?â

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How Can I Manage My Symptoms

  • Apply ice for 15 to 20 minutes every hour, or as directed. Use an ice pack, or put crushed ice in a plastic bag. Cover it with a towel before you apply it to your skin. Ice decreases pain and helps prevent tissue damage.
  • Apply heat for 20 to 30 minutes every 2 hours, or as directed. Heat helps decrease pain and muscle spasms.
  • Use massage to loosen tense muscles. Massage may relieve back pain caused by tight muscles. Regular massages may help prevent this kind of back pain.
  • Ask about acupuncture for pain relief. Back pain is sometimes relieved with acupuncture. Talk to your healthcare provider before you get this treatment to make sure it is safe for you.

Speak To A Cannabis Doctor

The Treatment for Your Back Pain and How to Prevent it

Despite recommending the best strains for pain and dosing options for patients we highly recommend speaking to a cannabis doctor. Why?

To experience the full benefits of marijuana treatment for pain as mentioned earlier, consulting with a qualified cannabis doctor is crucial. Find out how to get prescribed medical marijuana.

In states where medical marijuana is legal, patients can get a cannabis recommendation from a qualified cannabis doctor, then apply for a medical marijuana card to have access to medicinal cannabis.

Many providers offer the service of dishing out cannabis recommendations but only QuickMedCards offers a personalized treatment plan besides the MMJ recommendation.

Our doctors are not only compassionate and professional but also skilled and experienced in using marijuana to effectively treat chronic pain.

Moreover, this service is not provided at an extra cost. Far from that, QuickMedCards consistently offers the lowest price for a medical marijuana card depending on the state you come from. Thats because we believe in putting patients before profit.

Patients from the following states have access to medical marijuana for their chronic pain:

  • West Virginia
  • Each state has a unique process when applying for a medical marijuana card. So, depending on your state weve made the application process simple and straightforward.

    Most importantly, getting your medical marijuana card has never been easier due to the convenience of telemedicine. What does this mean?

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    Do Your Research On Cbd And Thc And Be Honest About Why You May Want To Try Cannabis For Pain

    Doctors and patients alike may feel unsure of how to approach the subject of medical marijuana, or cannabidiol , as part of a pain management strategy during a clinical visit. While many physicians believe that cannabis can offer a legitimate medical therapy, one-half of primary care physicians surveyed in a new study either were not ready to or did not want to answer questions from patients on this topic.

    Given the current concerns about overprescribing of opioids and efforts at all levels to reduce the number of individuals who may misuse, abuse, or overdose from these drugs,¹ clinicians and patients are looking for other treatment options when it comes to managing chronic pain and related symptoms. In February 2019, the World Health Organization proposed rescheduling cannabis within international law to take account of the growing evidence for medical applications of the drug, reversing its position held for the past 60 years that cannabis should not be used in legitimate medical practice.²

    Despite this move, many knowledge gaps remain around marijuana for medical use, including how the bodys endocannabinoid system works . Other knowledge gaps include the actual benefit of cannabis on a range of conditions the optimal dosing and delivery methods and potential side effects, interactions, and toxicities, including long-term use of the substance.

    Catch Up on Cannabis Research for Pain

    Move Forward with Caution

    Related

    Why You Should Consider A Cannabis Doctor/card For Your Medical Condition

    Cannabis doctors tend to be:

    • more compassionate and like-minded about cannabis.
    • less of the opinion that MMJ is a last resort medicine.
    • more familiar with and educated about medical marijuana, and therefore more comfortable with it.

    These attributes arent because of anything shady. It simply comes down to understanding and education. Think about it: A cannabis doctor that is comfortable certifying a patient for medical marijuana is actually way less shady than a doctor who has become so comfortable with opioids that a whole addiction pandemic was fueled. Or, so comfy with benzos that practically every person who asks for them has a prescription. Or, that indiscriminately prescribes sleeping pills that have people unknowingly baking Thanksgiving dinners and taking long drives in the middle of the night without recollection. See what we mean?

    Above all, were not saying that your regular family practitioner will refuse you or is uneducated about medical marijuana. But a medical marijuana doctor is a safer bet for understanding.

    Legitimate, licensed cannabis doctors are prone to compassion and are familiar with the landscape. They likely dont judge a vet, for example, because theyre reluctant to get themselves all set up in a system that is slow and doesnt work for them. They recognize that peoples symptoms can be debilitating and that its cruel to make patients who are suffering jump through hoops so that the prescribers can feel comfortable signing off on MMJ.

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    Can You Get Medical Marijuana For Back Pain

    Haroutounian S, Ratz Y, Ginosar Y, Furmanov K, Saifi F, Meidan R, et al. The effect of medicinal cannabis on pain and quality-of-life outcomes in chronic pain: a prospective open-label study. Clin J Pain. 2016 32:103643. https://doi.org/10.1097/AJP.0000000000000364. Conditions That Cause Chronic Pain For Busse, the guidelines limitations underline the need for additional research on medical cannabis. Although medical marijuana has shown some promise and cannot be fatally overdosed, he wants to avoid repeating history.

    Utah Medical Marijuana For Pain Treatment

    Can You Get A Medical Card For Chronic Back Pain : The 9 Best Medical ...

    More than 100 million Americans live with chronic pain a hidden epidemic that disrupts lives and costs billions every year in lost productivity. Chronic pain has many causes, but most conventional pain treatment relies heavily on highly addictive opioids and other medications for managing pain-related symptoms, such as depression or insomnia. But, a growing number of chronic pain sufferers are turning to cannabis for safe, effective relief from pain and its associated conditions.

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    Muscle Strain And Ligament Sprain

    Back pain can be caused by a low back sprain or strain that can happen suddenly, or develop slowly over time from repetitive movements, according to Spine-Health.

    Strains happen when a muscle is stretched too far and tears.

    Sprains occur when overstretching and tearing affects ligaments, which connect the bones together.

    Strains and sprains are caused by:

    • Lifting a heavy object or twisting the spine while lifting
    • Sudan movements that place too much stress on the low back, like a fall
    • Poor posture over time
    • Sports injuries that involve twisting or large forces of impact

    Back Pain Patients In Louisiana

    The Health Policy Institute reported that a large portion of adults suffering from any type of back pain takes prescription medications and that they fill more prescriptions on an annual basis than those without back pain.

    In Louisiana, when chronic pain was added to the qualifying conditions for medical marijuana use, one of about 15 doctors who have already been licensed to recommend medical marijuana in the state, said that 75% of the calls he received were from chronic pain patients.

    In a study that involved 200 patients, 89% of patients said medical marijuana reduced their pain moderately and 81% claimed that MMJ worked better than narcotic medications.

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    So Exactly How Does Marijuana Fall Into The Medicine Category

    Lets answer that question with another question: Would you put marijuana in the same bucket as LSD? How about heroin? The federal government says yes to both. In fact, in 1970, the US Controlled Substances Act classified marijuana as a Schedule I drug, due to its addictiveness and propensity for abuse. Fifty years later, its still illegal on the federal level. But its legal for medicinal use in 33 US States and the District of Columbia. California was the first state to permit legal access to and use of botanical cannabis for medicinal purposes under physician supervision with the enactment of the Compassionate Use Act.²

    That schism makes navigating marijuana potentially confusing for consumers, and the federal classification creates many obstacles in the scientific study of marijuana for medicinal use.

    Luckily, researchers have found some ways to get the science done. Data demonstrates, and many states support, that for managing symptoms of:³

    • Anxiety

    But understanding how marijuana works and how to use it for maximum benefit requires more information, and sometimes a bit of trial and error. Theres still a lot we dont know, but we do know that medical marijuana is a beneficial option for many.

    Chronic Lower Back Pain

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    Chronic lower back pain occurs as a stabbing sensation or a dull ache in the lower back region and lasts for more than 3 months.

    If your question is, Can you get a medical card for chronic back pain? Then the answer is a resounding YES!

    According to Georgetown Universitys Health Policy Institute, 16 million adults in the U.S. experience chronic back pain. That is a staggering 8% of adults in the country plagued with a persistent aching back.

    Additionally, chronic back pain is an expensive condition. Health care costs plus indirect costs due to back pain top $12 billion a year.

    Moreover, patients experiencing back pain are severely limited in both their personal and work lives.

    All these factors put together qualify patients suffering from back pain for medical cannabis.

    Common causes of lower back pain

    Job: If your job involves heavy lifting or pushing. Then, you are at risk of developing lower back pain since there is a lot of pressure on your spine. However, people who work on their desks may also develop lower back pain if they sit long hours without proper lumbar support and they begin to slouch.

    Bags: Perhaps the most unlikely reason for lower back pain since most people carry their bags over their shoulders. Even so, the upper body is supported by your lower back. Therefore carrying a heavy bag may increase the pressure on your spine, especially if you carry it on one shoulder. Eventually, this may cause lower back pain.

    The best marijuana for back pain

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    Can You Get A Medical Marijuana Card For Chronic Illness

    If you happen to live in one of the states with legalized medical marijuana, you can definitely get a medical marijuana card for chronic illness.

    Despite federal law prohibiting the use of cannabis, several states in the US allow medical marijuana for specific medical conditions. However, each state’s medical marijuana program is unique and constantly changing, so you must keep yourself updated on the medical marijuana laws in your state.

    On top of that, to get a medical marijuana card for chronic illness, you need to have a condition that qualifies you for the card. Every state has a different list of qualifying conditions, but the most commonly approved ones are:

    • ADHD

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