Questions that you may be asking when it comes to Medicinal Cannabis or Medical Marijuana are; Is it safe? Should it be legal? Decriminalized? Has its effectiveness been proven? What conditions is it useful for? Is it addictive? How do we keep it out of the hands of teenagers? Is it really the “wonder drug” that people claim it is? Is medicinal cannabis just a ploy to legalize marijuana in general?

These are just a few of the excellent questions around this subject, however ones that we most want to focus on for the scope of this article is why do patients find it useful, and how can they discuss it with their doctor?

Currently, 37 states have passed the Medical Marijuana Law, making it legal to use cannabis for medical reasons in these states, including Maryland. There are also 19 states (plus the District of Columbia) where using cannabis recreationally is legal. About 85% of Americans support legalizing medical marijuana, and it is estimated that at least several million Americans currently use it.

Medicinal Cannabis may not be strong enough for severe pain such as post-surgical pain or a broken bone, however, it is quite effective for the chronic pain that troubles millions of Americans, especially as they age. Part of its attraction is that it is clearly safer than opiates as it is impossible to overdose on and far less addictive. It can also take the place of Advil or Aleve, if people can’t take them due to problems with their kidneys or ulcers or GERD.

Medical Marijuana appears to ease the pain of multiple sclerosis and nerve pain in general. This is an area where few other options exist, and those that do, such as Neurontin, Lyrica, or opiates are highly sedating. Patients claim that marijuana or cannabis allows them to resume their previous activities without feeling completely out of it and disengaged.

Medicinal Cannabis is said to be a great alternate muscle relaxant, and people swear by its ability to lessen tremors in Parkinson’s disease. There are also reports of successful use for fibromyalgia, endometriosis, interstitial cystitis, and most other conditions where the final common pathway is chronic pain. Marijuana is also used to manage nausea and weight loss and can be used to treat glaucoma. A highly promising area of research is its use for PTSD in veterans who are returning from combat zones. This is not intended to be an inclusive list, but rather to give a brief survey of the types of conditions for which medical marijuana can provide relief. As with all remedies, claims of effectiveness should be critically evaluated and treated with caution.

Once you call our friendly staff for an appointment, they will help you to make a timely appointment that fits your schedule. Our staff will take the time to answer your questions and provide you with all the necessary information that you will need prior to your initial appointment. We understand and recognize that chronic pain impacts the whole person both physically and psychologically.  At our pain management clinic in Bowie, MD we promote several different treatment plans that will best serve our patients.