Back pain is a common ailment, and usually, the problem is resolved within weeks. However, many people are not so lucky. Medical treatment may be required. Let’s take a closer look at cannabis as an alternative to opioids and surgery when treating back pain.
HAVE A BAD BACK?
If you’ve got a bad back, you’re certainly not alone. According to a recent WebMD analysis, “540 million people worldwide” are affected by lower back pain. But back pain is not limited to lumbago or lower back problems. Plenty of people also suffer from upper back pain and/or experience side back pain.
Back ache and pain is arguably the leading cause of disability in the world, and studies evidence a rising trend since the 1990s. For most people, it is a sudden and temporary health problem that works itself out. Unfortunately, others experience episodic occurrences and some even suffer from chronic, persistent back pain.
The good news is cannabis is becoming increasingly recognized and recommended as an effective treatment by medical professionals. Well, in the US and Canada at least. New York has allowed back pain patients access to the state’s medical marijuana program since 2016.
Furthermore, the latest WHO data indicates some 2.5% or 147 million people on the planet use cannabis. This number could swell significantly with new medical cannabis users seeking relief from back pain.
HOW CANNABIS CAN HELP
Cannabis has been used as a kind of cure-all for centuries. The anecdotal evidence of millions of cannabis users can attest to the pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties of the sacred herb. With the rising tide of cannabis legalization these days, we can be more specific. Today, we have solid medical evidence that proves cannabis to be an effective treatment. Patients are already on legally prescribed medical cannabis to treat back pain in the US. We can go further still and say cannabis is the preferential natural medicine in comparison with Big Pharma pain pills.
Cannabinoids, as usual, are the key to the effectiveness of the treatment. We already know that THC and CBD have critical roles to play. THC is best known for its blissful qualities, and if your back pain is linked to depression, a high-THC sativa could be enough to boost your mood and re-energize you.
