Dealing with pain, no matter how mild or severe, can make your day miserable. Whether you suffered a sports injury or you have chronic pain, one thing’s for sure; you want relief. Conventional medications can be hard on the body or have unwanted side effects. There’s also the risk of dependency, particularly from prescriptions. Cannabis provides a unique alternative that offers relief without the side effects of traditional pharmaceuticals. In fact, pain is one of the most common reasons why people seek cannabis. Here’s what you need to know about cannabis for pain.
Relief from Many Types of Pain
Cannabis can treat a variety of different types of pain, such as:
- Chronic pain
- Peripheral neuropathy from cancer treatment
- Sports injuries
- Muscle aches
- Headaches
- Arthritis pain
If you have pain all over or pain in a centralized location, cannabis can provide you with the relief you’ve been looking for without the need for conventional OTC or prescription medications.
Ways to Use Cannabis for Pain Relief
When cannabis enters your system, the cannabinoids bind with cannabinoid receptors. The cannabinoids bind with the receptors to “unlock” them, which then trigger different effects, including reducing inflammation and pain.
There are several different forms of cannabis that you can use to help alleviate your pain. Methods include:
- Smoking
- Vaping
- Tincture
- Edibles
- Topicals
When it comes to selecting a method, choose what works best for you. Each option has advantages and disadvantages. Smoking and vaping both provide fast-acting relief. Smoking, however, can be harsh on the lungs. Tinctures provide fast-acting pain-relief without inhalation. Edibles take longer to take effect, but they provide longer-lasting pain relief. Topicals give you targeted relief from your symptoms.
Best Strains for Alleviating Pain
There are hundreds of cannabis strains out there, and new ones are being developed all of the time. There’s no one perfect strain for pain. Instead, there are several that can give you the relief you’ve been seeking.
Sour Diesel. One of the most popular strains for pain, Sour Diesel provides a mindful, uplifting high that doesn’t leave you couch-locked. Instead, you can work and function normally, except with less pain.
ACDC. ACDC is high in both THC and CBD. You can get pain relief without getting too high in the process. Instead, you’re more likely to feel focused and productive.
Blue Dream. Blue Dream is a hybrid strain that gives you full-body relaxation. While it produces a mild euphoria, it’s not so strong that you can’t go about your day as usual.
White Widow. White Widow is a cross between a pure Indica and a pure Sativa. It’s a fairly well-balanced strain that also contains linalool, a terpene with anti-inflammatory properties that can further help to alleviate your pain.
CBD Critical Mass. CBD Critical Mass is another strain with a well balanced CBD to THC ratio. It produces only a mild euphoria, but can significantly reduce both pain and inflammation, leaving you feeling substantially better.
If you’re dealing with pain, whether it’s from an injury, illness, or a chronic condition, cannabis provides you with an alternative to conventional treatments. If you’re unsure of where to start, your local dispensary can help to guide you in the right direction and get you some much-needed relief.
