Marijuana has been used as a pain-reliever for about as long as it’s been used at all, but just exactly how does it affect the pain center in our brains? There have been a number of studies performed, though research is limited due to marijuana’s federal drug scheduling classification. At Cannaleaf Health, we’ve been working with medical marijuana patients for a long time, and have a great deal of knowledge regarding cannabis. We wanted to take a little bit of time today to talk about how cannabis affects the brain’s pain center.
Can You Find Relief from Pain Using Cannabis?
There are a variety of pains and afflictions suffered by people across the United States, many of them suffer from persistent or chronic pain. People have smoked marijuana for centuries primarily for two reasons. One, to receive pleasure from the “high” sensation, and two, to receive relief from the pain that is ailing them. There is a great amount of pain relief that can be found through cannabis usage, though the drug affects everyone differently.
What is the Pain Center of the Brain?
When triggered, pain will stimulate your brain’s neuromatrix center, which will in turn affect six different areas of your brain: the primary and secondary somatosensory cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, thalamus, prefrontal cortex, and insular cortex. This system is extremely complex, and is responsible for all pain neuron activation patterns. It is still being studied to discover how it fully interacts with the body to this day.
THC vs. CBD
There are two primary cannabinoids known for their therapeutic properties, THC and CBD. How do these different cannabinoids affect your brain’s pain center? THC is primarily what gives people the “mind high” feeling commonly associated with cannabis usage, while CBD is what gives people the “body high” feeling. If you’re looking for pain relief, you should definitely lean more towards marijuana strains that have more CBD. THC may help you with mental issues, but if you’re suffering from physical pain, CBD is the way to go.
Different Methods of Consumption to Help Pain Relief
Marijuana can be consumed by smoking or vaporizing it, eating it, using a tincture or oral supplement, or applying it using a topical solution. No matter which method of cannabis usage you prefer, you can recieve pain relief from it. We would recommend potentially staying away from smoking marijuana if you’re looking for pain relief, as this can lead to health problems by itself.
Work with a Trusted Medical Marijuana Doctor in Maryland
Interested in learning some more about how cannabis can affect the pain center of your brain? Have some other questions about general marijuana usage? At Cannaleaf Health, we employ a team of professional Maryland cannabis doctors, all of whom have years of experience working in the medical marijuana field. No matter what you’re interested in learning more about, we encourage you to reach out to us either through our website, or call us at 443-800-0670.
