Medical Marijuana for Patients with Back Pain
Many states, including Louisiana, have approved the use of medical marijuana for muscle spasms. It can be an alternative medication to pharmaceutical treatments. It is becoming a more preferred medication for patients suffering from chronic pain.
Can Patients with Back Pain Qualify for Medical Marijuana in Louisiana?
In the U.S., back pain is one of the most common reasons for missing work. In fact, 50% of all working Americans admit to having back pain symptoms each year.
Some studies have reported a 45% reduction in the intensity of pain after inhaling medical marijuana, which has been proven effective for managing back spasms.
Apply for a Medical Marijuana Card in LA
If you’re seeking to use medical cannabis as an alternative option to alleviate your back pain, you can apply for a medical marijuana card.
Visit our Louisiana page to learn more about the process of getting a recommendation from a licensed cannabis doctor and the application.
Back Pain Patients in Louisiana
The Health Policy Institute reported that a large portion of adults suffering from any type of back pain takes prescription medications and that they fill more prescriptions on an annual basis than those without back pain.
In Louisiana, when chronic pain was added to the qualifying conditions for medical marijuana use, one of about 15 doctors who have already been licensed to recommend medical marijuana in the state, said that 75% of the calls he received were from chronic pain patients.
In a study that involved 200 patients, 89% of patients said medical marijuana reduced their pain moderately and 81% claimed that MMJ worked better than narcotic medications.
What is Back Pain?
Back pain is discomfort or sometimes debilitating suffering associated with an injury, and affliction on the back or a disease. The pain extends from the shoulders to the hips.
Causes of Multiple Sclerosis
A torn or pulled muscle and/or ligament is the single most common cause of lower back pain.
The most common causes of lower back pain are mechanical issues and soft-tissue injuries that can include:
Muscle Strain and Ligament Sprain
Back pain can be caused by a low back sprain or strain that can happen suddenly, or develop slowly over time from repetitive movements, according to Spine-Health.
Strains happen when a muscle is stretched too far and tears.
Sprains occur when overstretching and tearing affects ligaments, which connect the bones together.
Strains and sprains are caused by:
Chronic Lower Back Pain
When back pain lasts more than three months, the common causes are:
The list of causes of back pain is endless. It can even be caused by infection, a tumor, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, or an autoimmune disease. Correct clinical diagnosis is the best way to identify the underlying cause.
Benefits of Medical Marijuana for MS Patients
Eases sleep problems: Some evidence suggests that marijuana or its active compounds (cannabinoid) may ease sleep problems in some people with MS, fibromyalgia, and certain other medical conditions.
Symptom relief: The University of Rochester MS Center in New York showed that medical marijuana appears to have a role in managing the symptoms of MS through direct symptom relief.
Impact on Lifestyle of Back Pain
Daily activities can be impacted and disrupted by chronic back pain. The pain makes it hard for patients to complete daily tasks and sometimes, even move. These limitations can further cause lowered self-esteem, depression, and anxiety.
Types of Back Pain Treatments
Traditional treatments for back pain include anti-inflammatory pills, pills to treat nerve pain, and medications such as narcotics, antidepressants, and injection therapy. Other patients will also need to undergo surgery to have the problem fixed.
Medical marijuana is becoming a popular choice to manage back pain because pharmaceutical medicine can often have severe side effects like ulcers, gastric bleeding, and addiction.
Medical marijuana helps treat back pain by:
Medical Marijuana as an Alternative Treatment
Patients with back pain can qualify for medical marijuana in Louisiana. If you want to get a recommendation for medical marijuana in LA, TeleLeaf can help you get started.
