Pain is never welcome, whether it happens once in a while or on a regular basis. Unfortunately for many of us, pain often increases with age. By the time we’re enjoying our golden years, many of us are faced with pain as a chronic condition.
Seniors in Virginia with medical marijuana cards have something to look forward to in combating this frustrating condition. Medical marijuana has been proven to be a great solution for chronic pain and is enjoyed by everyone from veterans to grandparents here in the Commonwealth!
Causes of Pain in Seniors
What are some of the common causes of pains in seniors? Degenerative spine conditions and arthritis lead the way, causing the majority of chronic pain in the elderly. Senior women, in particular, often experience pain due to compression in the vertebrae. Some other common causes include neuropathic pain and pain due to cancer and its treatment.
Why Pain Becomes Chronic in the Elderly
You wouldn’t be faulted for assuming that the musculoskeletal changes to the body that happen as we age are the only reason seniors experience chronic pain. There is another mechanism at play, however— changes to the neurotransmitters in the central nervous system that process pain.
Key neurotransmitters such as serotonin and noradrenaline decrease as we age, as do our peripheral nociceptive neurons (that’s a mouthful!) and our natural analgesic responses. All of this combines to make the pain that we feel all the more intense.
When you put this together with decreased muscle mass and an increase in frailty that can lead to falls and injuries, it might almost seem like a miracle if a senior were not to experience chronic pain! Fortunately, medical science has come a long way in treating chronic pain, and one of its most significant steps is the introduction of medical marijuana into the mix!
How Medical Marijuana Helps Chronic Pain
The research is in and cannabis provides some real relief for pain! Medical marijuana does this by addressing certain receptors in the CNS. Theories vary as to what exactly happens, but cannabis’ interaction with CB1 and CB2 receptors results in a serious decrease in pain.
How ‘serious’ a decrease? The American Academy of Neurology revealed in 2019 that a preliminary study conducted at the Dent Neurologic Institute found that elderly patients experienced significant relief from pain symptoms when using cannabis; what’s more, they found relief from many of the comorbid conditions that impact seniors and can make pain worse, including insomnia, anxiety, Parkinson’s and spinal cord damage.
And that’s just to name a few! Making this study even more impactful was the fact that medical marijuana was well-tolerated by senior patients, meaning it delivers a lot of good with few unwanted side effects!
Medical Marijuana— A Natural Alternative to Opioids and NSAIDs!
Of course, one of the most appealing aspects of medical marijuana as a treatment for pain is in how it contrasts with more traditional medications. As we all know at this point, opioids are effective pain killers, but they are also enormously addictive and dangerous. Even non-opioid pain medications can cause long-term issues.
In one state where medical marijuana was legalized as a treatment for pain, 82 percent of those who used cannabis in this way reduced or flat out stopped their OTC pain medications, including opioids. As a natural alternative to these pharmaceuticals, medical marijuana may well be appealing to seniors who already need to take a slew of medications.
Certainly in the US population at large, interest in medical marijuana as an analgesic is increasing because of just how much it diminishes the need for opioid dosing.
More importantly, it works!
How Seniors Can Enjoy Medical Marijuana
For seniors who have never smoked marijuana, it may be an intimidating thought to consider using cannabis. Fortunately, there are many easy ways that today’s medical marijuana patients can enjoy medical cannabis.
Edibles are one such solution. Seniors might also enjoy the ease of use that comes with tinctures, too. Finally, many elderly patients might get a good deal of benefit out of topicals that can be used in tandem with ingested cannabis to treat chronic body and muscle pain.
Get Your VA Marijuana Card for Chronic Pain Relief Now!
Seniors experiencing chronic pain can benefit greatly from the healing, all-natural effects of medical marijuana. Whether you are experiencing pain related to arthritis or neuropathic pain, cannabis may well be the answer to your needs! Our compassionate and informed experts can help you make the right choices for your health that integrate well with your lifestyle.
Schedule an appointment with an online medical marijuana doctor in Virginia today, to start gaining access to safe, legal cannabis products, including tinctures, flower, concentrates and more.
Doctors Who Care.
Relief You Can Trust.
At Virginia Marijuana Card, our mission is helping everyone achieve wellness
safely and conveniently through increased access to MMJ. Our focus on
education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce the stigma for our patients by
providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.
Call us at (888) 633-5808, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!
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Check out Virginia Marijuana Card’s Blog to keep up to date on the latest medical marijuana news, tips, and information.