Use of Cannabis in Pain Management

Man's search for pain relief is almost as old as his existence. The ancient shamans, the first physicians in history, dedicated their studies and practices to alleviate pain. Trying with different plants and performing rudimentary and potentially deadly surgical procedures, an endless number of processes whose purpose was nothing more than to relieve pain in all its forms and intensities. One of the most remarkable findings in ancient medicine is the discovery of the analgesic properties of the cannabis plant. This observation was made at least 6,000 years ago and is still valid today.

The liberation boom regarding legal restrictions in cannabis use and research has permitted the scientific exploration of the plant's properties, applied to medicine, health, and wellness. This has led to new modern studies exploring the effectiveness of cannabinoid treatment for pain as an adjuvant in the company of other analgesics and by itself. The future of medical cannabis looks promising according to this research. Especially for patients with chronic pain conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, or neuropathic pain, especially considering that the adverse effects are considerably less and the many administration methods available, many of which are minimally invasive, convenient, and easy to use.

In this audiobook, we explore the effects of cannabis on pain relief. We begin defining the concept of what pain is and its function in the body. Then investigate the role of the endocannabinoid system in the part of the nervous system responsible for the transmission of pain, as the scientific basis of the findings described throughout this text. Once this is understood, we focused on the most outstanding aspects concluded by those studies related to using cannabis and its derivatives in pain treatment. Likewise, we discuss how the properties of cannabinoids when applied to the management of this condition with a scientific approach and using testimonies from various patients with different diseases with pain as the main symptom. We can see how the use of the plant helped these people improve their lives. Finally, we study some homemade cannabis-based products which might be beneficial in managing certain types of pain and even some conditions where the use of the plant could be contraindicated.