Cannabis can be a very powerful tool in use as a pain reliever for those suffering with chronic pain and illness. Cannabis works alongside our nervous system to block certain pain receptors. This is key to living a good life with chronic pain. It may not be the way for everyone, but it was a game changer for me.

What is our Nervous System?

Our nervous system is a complex collection of nerves and specialized cells known as neurons. These neurons send signals between different parts of our body, telling them what to do. Our nervous system is like our body’s electrical wiring.

Within our nervous system we have our endocannabinoid system. The job of the endocannabinoid system is to make sure that everything is working right. When your stomach is growling, it is your endocannabinoid system telling your to feed yourself. When you sweat it is because your endocannabinoid system is trying to cool you off.

We have at least 2 kinds of cannabinoid receptors in our bodies.

CB1 which is in the central nervous system (our brain and nerves of the spinal cord)
CB2 is the peripheral nervous system (our arms and legs), the digestive system and specialized cells in our immune system

Our endocannabinoid system relies on these cannabinoid receptors to act as synaptic circuit breakers by binding specific receptors and blocking the release of neurotransmitters. It has been found that cannabinoids regulate neurotransmission in many circuits, including pain, and to regulate many vital functions like:

Appetite
Digestion
Immune Function
Inflammation, including neuroinflammation (inflammation in the nervous system)
Mood
Sleep
Reproduction/fertility
Motor Control
Temperature regulation
Memory
Pain
Pleasure/reward

Since neuropathic pain stems from abnormal neuronal activity, it explains the analgesic or pain relieving affect of cannabis. In layman’s terms, cannabinoids work like a dimmer switch by limiting the amount of neurotransmitter that gets released which affect the way messages are sent, received and processed by the cell.

Cannabis sativa is subspecies of the cannabis plant. Sativa contains more than 60 compounds, the 2 main ingredients are a psychoactive cannabinoid called delta9-tetrohydrocannabinol or THC and the non-psychoactive cannabidiol (CBD). In 1985 the US Federal Drug Administration approved purified THC to treat nausea. Most cannabinoid-based therapies are approved to treat cancer, HIV related anorexia, nausea and pain. In other countries it can be used to treat pain and spasticity (muscle stiffening that restricts movement) related to Multiple Sclerosis.

The development of cannabinoids has been patient-driven. Many patients self-medicate with herbal cannabis to ease the discomfort of pain, spasticity, seizures and anxiety.

8 Ways CBD Can Help People with Chronic Illness

Muscle, join and organ health support
Anxiety and depression
Increase appetite in patients going through chemotherapy or other treatments that cause reduced appetite
Support brain health
Anti-psychotic effects
Slow brain aging
Increase brain activity
Anti-bacterial

Cannabis was used many years ago to help with pain, however pharmaceutical companies are not interested in working with cannabis and the success of this medication was squashed and we were all taught to believe that cannabis was bad and dangerous.

Many researchers and doctors belief there is not enough long-term consequences of smoked or inhaled cannabis to support that the therapy is safe. Doctors believe that smoking cannabis can cause lung damage. Many users prefer smoking because absorption of THC and CBC in cannabis through other oral forms like edibles are inconsistent. Some people have found that by using vaporizers (vape pens) to deliver the THC and CBC just as effectively as smoking but the cannabis doesn’t burn at all; the vaporizer heats the herb just enough to convert cannabis into a vapor. Vaporizer users are 40% as likely to have respiratory symptoms as those who smoke it if they are using products that are safe.

It is recommended that you purchase cannabis products from a dispensary. In Washington State we have a lot of rules to help ensure we get quality products with consistent benefits. Cannabis is not legal in all states in the U.S. but we are lucky that cannabis is legal in Oregon and Washington.

Why I Use Cannabis for Pain

I started writing this article a few years ago. I wasn’t sure I was going to share it with anyone but I was sure that I was in a lot of pain and it was making my life miserable. I figured that if I was going to use cannabis for pain, I should learn a bit about it because my minimal experimentation experience in my 20’s was not enough to know what to expect…and it was 20 years ago…since I am a writer at heart, it made sense to treat my research as a writing assignment…and here we are.

Presently I live with several chronic illness that bring pain with them: Fibromyalgia, Psoriatic Arthritis, Lymphedema, Hiatal Hernia, Gastrointestinal Reflux Disease, and even Generalized Anxiety Disorder can bring some pain into the mix. I am also unable to use over-the-counter pain medications and not interested in taking narcotics. My conditions also make sleeping hard to accomplish because of pain. Since sleep is when our body heals, I was really miserable back when I started considering using cannabis.

I have a friend, who lives in Walla Walla, with several conditions that give her chronic pain. One day, while we were chatting, she raved about how her life had improved after going off her pain meds and only using a tincture and a vape pen. When she started using her tincture, she would take a dose two times per day. She was using the vape pen for anxiety, intermittently. As she kept using cannabis, she noticed she needed less of it.

Cannabis tinctures are basically a liquid form of cannabis. A quick Google check tells me that many tinctures are made with alcohol, some are made of olive oil, the one I use is a water-based and water soluble tincture. Water-based and soluble tinctures can be administered in your favorite beverage or by placing a dropper full under the tongue for about a minute which is called sublingually.

After a time, my friend had quit using her vape pen because she wasn’t using it within the month and she had heard that you had to use the cartridge within 30 days. Instead she bought a pipe and a bud and took a hit as needed. Her anxiety had almost gone away but she was having bouts of nausea that she found a small amount of cannabis was effective in alleviating. She was also down to 1 dose of her tincture per day.

Around this time, I had decided that I wanted to try a tincture and if that wasn’t enough I would also start vaping. My pain levels were at top levels more often than not. I wasn’t sleeping. The pain had gotten so bad I was wanting to end my situation. I happened to be talking to her around that time and she gladly talked about the brands she used and she mailed her vape pen to me since she wasn’t using it.

…Just to let you know, every person is different and their body responds differently to cannabis, both my friend, and Josh, at Longview Freedom Market, agreed that I might have to try several tinctures before I found the one that worked for me. They were right.

First I tried Green Revolution Beauty Sleep since I thought it would help me sleep. This blend contains 80 mg of THC, 40 mg of CBD and 20 mg of CBN in the whole bottle…divide that into 20 servings and that is how much I was getting per dose. It didn’t work. I was wrong…my pain was bigger than my insomnia.

Next I tried Green Revolution Relief. Each dose had 50 mg of CBD to every 1 mg of THC…my goal was not to get high but to have pain relief…but it was not touching my pain. For people who don’t have nerve pain, this product is probably perfect for pulled muscles or cramps…

Finally I tried Green Revolution CBD 5:1. Each dose has a ratio of 5 mg of CBD per 1 mg of THC. Apparently the nerve pain I experience is pretty heavy duty and for me, more THC was needed to overcome my pain on a regular day…but during a fibromyalgia flare is was still miserable…

That is when I pulled out the vape pen that my friend had sent me and charged it up. Again Karen and I went over to Longview Freedom Market and they were so helpful! They showed me MFUSED Balance High CBD Vape Cartridge (that is the part that attaches to the end of the vape pen). This cartridge has a 3:1 CBD to THC ratio. I bought this in September 2019 and I am still using it…so apparently what my friend heard about needing to use it in a month was not true. I did notice that unlike my tincture, the vape pen did make me high, so high I would pass out when I used it. It was great for helping me sleep and eventually I learned how much I could use without becoming high. I did notice that for me, if my anxiety disorder is giving me trouble, that cannabis doesn’t help me emotionally, so it helps me not over-use cannabis.

On October 4, 2019 the FDA put a ban on vaping products for awhile. People were experiencing injury from vaping products. After 1 month of using my vape pen I was starting to get scared, but my new friends at Longview Freedom Market assured me that the product I was using was safe…but I also noticed that, like my friend, I was using less and less cannabis to manage my pain.

There are many ways to deal with pain and my most used is distraction. I am very good and thinking about or doing other things until I can’t bear my pain anymore. A lot of times, if my pain hasn’t gotten too big, a nap is all I need. I also use dōTERRA Certified Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils when I can. I have also made changes to my diet and exercise routine, my self-care goals and I am sleeping better than ever. I am sure all of these reasons lend to less pain for me. I honestly don’t remember the last time I touched my vape pen; even though I only used about 3/4 of the cartridge. Most days I don’t even need my tincture, however during a flare I can take more than one dose in a day. I know some of this is that I am lucky to not have to work. I do work but being self-employed I am able to make my own hours. Many people can’t say this so my story is very lucky.

For people who are not interested in getting high, but having relief from pain, I totally recommend using cannabis for medical reasons. You do have to be careful while you learn what works for you. Your story is your own so it may be different than mine.

BTW…Happy 4:20!

Ask Dear Jamie

Resources and Start Learning More:

Here’s What Actually Happens When You Smoke Weed by Amy Eisinger, medically reviewed by Healthline Medical Network for Greatist
Indica vs sativa: What’s the Difference Between Cannabis Types by Bailey Rahn for Leafly
Lung Injuries Associated with Use of Vaping Products by U.S. Food & Drug Administration Staff
Marijuana Legalization: 8 Ways CBD Can Change Your Life by Clifford Genece for Honey Colony
Nervous System: Facts, Function & Diseases by Kim Ann Zimmerman for Live Science
The Science of the Endocannabinoid System: How TCH Affects the Brain and the Body by Scholastic Staff
Treating Neuropathic Pain With Cannabis: Pro and Con by Pat McCaffrey for Pain Research Forum
The trusted source for cannabis & cannabinoid research and evidence-based education by Canadian Consortium for the Investigation of Cannabinoids (CCIC): Vaporization
Water Tinctures by Green Revolution Staff
What Happened When I Used Medical Marijuana to Treat Chronic Pain by Ellen Lenox Smith for The Mighty
What is Marijuana? by National Institute on Drug Abuse

I hope this article helps Fuel Your Wellness. Please leave your comments below.

Summer D Clemenson co-owns Clemenson Enterprises and Wellness Works NW with her wife, Karen G Clemenson. Their personal motto is Creativity, Honesty & Positivity are a must! This mantra helps them stay community and wellness minded in all they do. Summer is an Independent Wellness Advocate at dōTERRA. Summer also writes poetry and inspirational blogs @ ClemensonEnterprises.com. Her crochet art can be viewed and purchased @ KnottyWares.com & she loves special orders!