{"componentChunkName":"component---common-build-tags-template-js","path":"/tag/chronic-pain/2","result":{"data":{"allArticle":{"edges":[{"node":{"id":"Article_3111-markdown","title":"Ketamine: An Effective Treatment for Depression?","slug":"ketamine-an-effective-treatment-for-depression","content":"COVID-19, the global pandemic that keeps growing, is causing another pandemic: anxiety and severe depression. As the pandemic continues, and social isolation becomes more prevalent, more than one in three adults in the U.S. have reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder. In comparison, from January to June 2019, more than [one in ten (11%) adults](https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhis/earlyrelease/ERmentalhealth-508.pdf) reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder.\n\nAs a result, the use of traditional antidepressants is on the rise. “In the survey, titled [“America’s State of Mind Report,”](https://www.express-scripts.com/corporate/americas-state-of-mind-report) researchers highlighted that from February 16 to March 15, prescriptions filled per week for antidepressant, antianxiety, and anti-insomnia medications increased by 21%. \n\nWe also know that cannabis can be useful for some people when treating anxiety and depression. Many people [use medical marijuana](https://hellomd.com/blogs/articles/how-cannabis-can-help-manage-anxiety-and-stress-during-covid-19-pandemic) to ease anxiety and stress; for some, it works better than medications like antidepressants. Yet, it's not always right for everyone. In fact, for some, cannabis can worsen anxiety or depression.\n\nThere are other options available. Currently, ketamine is becoming a well known alternative for treating major depressive disorders in clinical settings across the United States. \n\n### Everything You Want to Know About Ketamine\n\nIf you've ever had a general anesthetic, you may have heard of ketamine. The [commercial use of ketamine](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4258981/) began in the 1970s, and it's now commonly used for various clinical applications, including anesthesia, palliative care, and, most recently, for the treatment of depression. Ketamine is also well known for being a \"recreational\" drug and for its potential for abuse. \n\n### What Is Ketamine?\n\nKetamine's chemical makeup is similar to phencyclidine (PCP), nitrous oxide, and dextromethorphan (DXM). It has been used widely as an anesthetic for surgery in humans and animals. Ketamine provides complete sensory detachment and produces hallucinogenic-like effects. Street names for ketamine are VitaminK, Super K, K, Green and Donkey Dust.\n\n### What are the Effects of Ketamine?\n\nKetamine is a dissociative drug with sedating effects and may cause numbness, memory loss, and unconsciousness while maintaining respiratory reflexes and adequate blood pressure. \n\nKetamine has a psychedelic effect and may reduce overall body sensations. It produces an abrupt high that lasts for about one or two hours. [Instant effects of ketamine](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK424847/table/appd.t6/) may include drowsiness, profuse sweating, an irregular heartbeat, confusion, nausea, numbness, and slurred speech. It may also create an overwhelming feeling of relaxation, and consumers may feel \"out of their bodies\" or a dream-like detachment. Ketamine can alter a person's sense of space and time and cause visual or auditory hallucinations. \n\nContinued ketamine use causes a slow heartbeat, elevated blood pressure, behavioral changes, and difficulty breathing. Heavy ketamine use results in urinary tract problems as it may thicken the bladder wall, causing pain during urination. Prolonged use may also cause agitation, panic attacks, reduction of both long and short term memory.\n\nToo much ketamine may cause immobility and a sense of going into \"k-hole,\" an intense feeling of separating from one's body. Withdrawal from prolonged ketamine abuse comes with numerous side effects such as depression, anxiety, lack of appetite, insomnia, and restlessness. It is possible to become addicted to ketamine, and with abuse, more may be needed to feel its effects.\n\nWhen used correctly, ketamine has numerous therapeutic benefits including the following:\n\n### Treatment of Depression & Anxiety\n\nThe FDA recently approved ketamine for \"off label\" consumption, and clinics across the United States are using it for the treatment of depression. Recent studies indicate that up to [70% of patients](https://www.yalemedicine.org/stories/ketamine-depression/) treated with treatment-resistant depression improved when given an oral antidepressant with intranasal esketamine, a nasal spray derived from ketamine. \n\nIt's believed that ketamine works for depression and anxiety as it enhances the transmission of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and triggers the production of glutamate. This, in turn, prompts the brain to create new neural connections. As new bonds form, patients can approach life with more positive associations and behaviors. Ketamine works quickly in the treatment of depression and anxiety, whereas traditional antidepressants may take weeks to take effect, if at all. \n\nKetamine infusions for depression usually take effect within four to seventy-two hours, and patients may feel a lasting impact for 1-3 weeks. Anecdotal reports also indicate ketamine may be a potential treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and other neuropsychiatric disorders.\n\n### Chronic Pain\n\nKetamine is frequently an effective [treatment for chronic pain](https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/news/20180615/first-ketamine-guidelines-for-pain-released), neuropathic pain, and fibromyalgia. Low dose ketamine infusions have had a beneficial effect on the central nervous system, effectively giving a reboot to neurotransmitters within the brain. Patients may fee immediate and sustained relief from pain through a series of low dose ketamine infusions.\n\nWhile surgical operations tend to be very painful, ketamine relieves pain significantly. When your nerves are sending those pain signals to the brain, ketamine cuts them off. You won't feel the excruciating pain after some surgical blades have cut through your body organs. Vietnam War soldiers used these psychedelics to relieve pain from injuries.\n\n### What are the Risks Associated With Ketamine?\n\nConsumption of ketamine within a clinical setting is considered relatively safe. Some patients may feel uncomfortable with the associated effects, such as feeling disassociated from the body or a sense of \"couch-lock.\"\n\nKetamine may cause an increase in blood pressure. People who have the following are not candidates for ketamine treatment:\n\n- glaucoma\n- brain lesions or tumors\n- brain swelling\n- \nThere are [several other conditions](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/302663.php#risks) where ketamine treatments should be used with caution.\n\n### Is Ketamine Legal?\n\nThe FDA has approved [nasal-spray esketamine](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ketamine-for-depression-approved-by-fda-today-2019-03-05/) for the treatment of depression. It is legal in specific states that have legalized its use. Each state has individual regulations on the administration of ketamine. Utah and Texas, for example, have legalized medicinal use of the drug, whereas other states such as California, Delaware, and Wyoming among others have placed ketamine as a schedule III\n\n### Ketamine Drug Interactions\n\n[Ketamine has seven significant drug interactions](https://www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/ketamine.html) and two hundred and fifty-six moderate drug interactions. It is essential to check with a physician on how ketamine may interact with any medications currently in use.\n\n### Where Can I Legally Seek Ketamine Treatment?\n\nMore than 150 clinics in the U.S. offer various forms of ketamine treatment. With the legalization of ketamine spray and infusions, new clinics are continuing to open. While it might not be easy to find a ketamine cline, there are many established providers in legalized states. When looking for a [ketamine clinic](https://doubleblindmag.com/choosing-ketamine-clinics/), conduct due diligence, and check with your local healthcare provider.\n\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.492537313432836,"src":"/static/b606463a8e903db7ad6a63f0a69f71fa/ee604/8d0d368fd05ea530c81edae202b79c46.png","srcSet":"/static/b606463a8e903db7ad6a63f0a69f71fa/69585/8d0d368fd05ea530c81edae202b79c46.png 200w,\n/static/b606463a8e903db7ad6a63f0a69f71fa/497c6/8d0d368fd05ea530c81edae202b79c46.png 400w,\n/static/b606463a8e903db7ad6a63f0a69f71fa/ee604/8d0d368fd05ea530c81edae202b79c46.png 800w,\n/static/b606463a8e903db7ad6a63f0a69f71fa/f3583/8d0d368fd05ea530c81edae202b79c46.png 1200w","srcWebp":"/static/b606463a8e903db7ad6a63f0a69f71fa/58556/8d0d368fd05ea530c81edae202b79c46.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/b606463a8e903db7ad6a63f0a69f71fa/61e93/8d0d368fd05ea530c81edae202b79c46.webp 200w,\n/static/b606463a8e903db7ad6a63f0a69f71fa/1f5c5/8d0d368fd05ea530c81edae202b79c46.webp 400w,\n/static/b606463a8e903db7ad6a63f0a69f71fa/58556/8d0d368fd05ea530c81edae202b79c46.webp 800w,\n/static/b606463a8e903db7ad6a63f0a69f71fa/99238/8d0d368fd05ea530c81edae202b79c46.webp 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_3109-markdown","title":"Top 5 Marijuana Strains That'll Make Your Day Brighter","slug":"top-5-marijuana-strains-thatll-make-your-day-brighter","content":"The recent vaping crisis has injured thousands and killed as many as 52 people. Vaping Associated Pulmonary Illness (VAPI), is now known to be caused by illicit-market vapes that contain Vitamin E acetate. Shockingly, A recent study found [9 out 12 vape pens tested from the illicit market](https://www.businessinsider.com/timeline-of-vape-related-illnesses-and-deaths-2019-9) had high levels of vitamin E acetate and other pesticides.\n\nSince the crisis, there's generally been a lot of fear about vaping, even with vapes purchased on the legal market. For this reason, there is a renewed interest in the old fashioned way - smoking flower.\n\nBelow are 5 cannabis strains we've carefully curated, and we're sure they'll make your day brighter:\n\n**Bubba Kush - Indica**\n\nBubba Kush is an indica strain with a mix of terpenes ranging from peppery, citrus, and herbal. It stands around 23% THC content and is of Afghani descent, but it's origins are not entirely known. If you're looking to calm down after a hectic workweek, Bubba Kush may be the strain for you. It's so calming that some may say it's more akin to a horse tranquilizer. If you have chronic pain, battle with insomnia, or anxiety, this strain may help. Some claim that Bubba Kush creates a dreamy euphoria combined with a happy, albeit a somewhat sleepy, mood. \n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_us/?utm_medium=copy_link/)\n\n**Cannatonic - Hybrid**\n\nCannatonic is a hybrid strain with terpenes ranging from peppery, pine and herbal. The strain has around 25% THC content. It's a cross between Mendocino Purps, Skunk and Afghani. Cannatonic is well known for its balanced, mellow high. The balance between THC and CBD creates a powerfully relaxing strain that may produce a wave a calm over the body. Many people claim that it helps with pain, migraines, and soothes nausea, muscle spasms, anxiety, and depression.\n\n**Grape Ape - Indica**\n\nGrape Ape is an indica strain with a mix of terpenes ranging from herbal, pine, and pepper. It stands around 5.5% THC and 10%-17% CBD content and is a cross between Mendocino Purps, Skunk, and Afghani. The name Grape Ape comes from its grape-like smell. Visually it's distinct, and it yields a complex fruity flavor. Grape Ape's high comes on gradually, creating a weight-like sensation in the arms and legs. Many say the effect is a spacey-calmness which leads to a full-body stone. If you're suffering from muscle aches or pains or need to let go of your day, the strength of this indica may be in order.\n\nDOWNLOAD THE DAILY BONFIRE APP & WIN $420: \n[APPLE IOS](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/daily-bonfire/id1469226668)  l   [GOOGLE ANDROID](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hellomd.appv1)\n\n**Tangerine Dream – Hybrid**\n\nTangerine Dream is a hybrid strain with a mix of terpenes ranging from herbal, pepper, and citrus. It stands around 17%-25% THC content. It's a cross between G13, Neville's A5 Haze and Afghani. Its flavor is bold with a strong citrus and clove-like undertone, while its flowers are forest green and chunky with trichomes. Consumers say that Tangerine Dream creates a clear-headed high that is both calming and fosters a sense of alertness. This strain may create an immediate head rush leaving the body with a sense of warmth and even making you a little wide-eyed. Due to the ability to develop focus, this may be the right strain for those that suffer from ADHD. It also can relax muscles and relieve stress and anxiety.\n\n**Super Lemon Haze - Sativa**\n\nSuper Lemon Haze is a sativa strain with a mix of terpenes ranging from fruity, peppery and minty. It stands around 18%-25% THC and 1% CBG content. It's a cross between Lemon Skunk and Super Silver Haze. Its flavor is bright and fresh with a lemony zing, with an almost candy-like quality. The aroma is citrusy and a little sweet. Super Lemon Haze is known for its happy effects, creating an uplifting and energetic high. Its euphoric effects are known to help with depression, anxiety, and pain. This strain is excellent if you need a boost to clean the house or go out for the night with friends.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.492537313432836,"src":"/static/5ba1164e6c634e03bdd0cab91d097a33/14b42/f59b2daed6a34c802654da97efd40ccf.jpg","srcSet":"/static/5ba1164e6c634e03bdd0cab91d097a33/f836f/f59b2daed6a34c802654da97efd40ccf.jpg 200w,\n/static/5ba1164e6c634e03bdd0cab91d097a33/2244e/f59b2daed6a34c802654da97efd40ccf.jpg 400w,\n/static/5ba1164e6c634e03bdd0cab91d097a33/14b42/f59b2daed6a34c802654da97efd40ccf.jpg 800w,\n/static/5ba1164e6c634e03bdd0cab91d097a33/47498/f59b2daed6a34c802654da97efd40ccf.jpg 1200w,\n/static/5ba1164e6c634e03bdd0cab91d097a33/b99f1/f59b2daed6a34c802654da97efd40ccf.jpg 1345w","srcWebp":"/static/5ba1164e6c634e03bdd0cab91d097a33/58556/f59b2daed6a34c802654da97efd40ccf.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/5ba1164e6c634e03bdd0cab91d097a33/61e93/f59b2daed6a34c802654da97efd40ccf.webp 200w,\n/static/5ba1164e6c634e03bdd0cab91d097a33/1f5c5/f59b2daed6a34c802654da97efd40ccf.webp 400w,\n/static/5ba1164e6c634e03bdd0cab91d097a33/58556/f59b2daed6a34c802654da97efd40ccf.webp 800w,\n/static/5ba1164e6c634e03bdd0cab91d097a33/99238/f59b2daed6a34c802654da97efd40ccf.webp 1200w,\n/static/5ba1164e6c634e03bdd0cab91d097a33/8ea14/f59b2daed6a34c802654da97efd40ccf.webp 1345w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_3102-markdown","title":"Purchasing CBD Products – What's Real and What's Fake?","slug":"purchasing-cbd-products-whats-real-and-whats-fake","content":"The CBD trend has gone global, and currently it seems as if everyone has something to say about the health benefits found within this cannabinoid from the cannabis plant. Maybe you've heard the stories of CBD stopping children from having seizures or your next-door neighbor has told you it's helping her with her crippling anxiety. \n\nDue to the word-of-mouth viral nature of CBD, there's a dizzying array of new products hitting the shelves daily. With this flurry of new products, including such far-flung concepts as a CBD infused clothing line, it's hard to know which CBD product may have real therapeutic benefit vs. a bottle of snake oil jumping on the marketing bandwagon.\n\n### CBD Benefits\n\nCBD, or cannabidiol, is one of the most prevalent cannabinoids within the cannabis plant. This cannabinoid, unlike THC, is non-intoxicating, which is one of the many reasons it's gained mainstream popularity so quickly. Research has shown CBD to be an excellent [anti-inflammatory](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3371734/) \n, an [anti-spasmodic](https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-drug-comprised-active-ingredient-derived-marijuana-treat-rare-severe-forms) \n, and it helps many people combat anxiety effectively. Some new studies have shown it helps combat [chronic pain](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3371734/) \n and may be beneficial for some [neurological symptoms](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22716160l) \n, as well as help in the fight with certain types of [addiction](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23685330) \n, among other positive benefits. To be clear, CBD is not a cure for any health condition, but many people have found CBD to help with symptoms caused by a medical condition. Overall, CBD seems to be a positive therapeutic addition to a wellness routine with minimal, if any, side effects.\n\n### How It Works\n\nWithin our body, we have an [endocannabinoid system](https://hellomd.com/blogs/articles/what-is-the-endocannabinoid-system) full of CB1 and CB2 receptors. These receptors are found in the brain, organs, connective tissue, glands, and immune cells, and are essential to the function of almost all parts of the human body. It's believed that CB1 receptors, which are related to mood, pain, movement, emotions, appetite, and other functions, react more readily to the cannabinoid THC. CB2 receptors are related to inflammation, the immune system as well as also pain, and are thought to interact more efficiently with CBD. \n\nOur body produces endocannabinoids which interact with our CB1 and CB2 receptors, likewise, these same receptors respond to the phyto cannabinoids produced within the cannabis plant. It's believed that cannabinoids, whether created within our body, or from the cannabis plant, help to create homeostasis within our body. When we introduce phyto cannabinoids into our body, we stimulate or mimic our own cannabinoid production, and we may also increase the actual number of receptors within our body. This interaction is thought to be the reason why CBD has such widespread therapeutic benefits.\n\n### What to Look for in a Product\n\nWhen selecting a CBD product for purchase, you need to look at several different factors and be a skeptical consumer. CBD is unregulated almost everywhere in the world, so your first concern should be your safety. When considering a purchase, find out whether the product has been lab tested. A reputable brand or retailer should be able to point you to evidence of lab testing, which indicates whether pesticides or other toxic chemicals are present. If you are unable to see that a product has been lab tested, you should walk away quickly. The hemp plant, where CBD on the market comes from, is a [bio-accumulator](https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/can-hemp-clean-up-the-earth-629589/), which means it soaks in the composition from the ground it's planted within, including any toxins from within the soil.\n\nAnother factor to consider is whether the amount of CBD listed is what is present within the product. A recent study posted on [Leafly](https://www.leafly.com/news/strains-products/cbd-oil-test-results?mc_cid=e33ecaa7bc&mc_eid=4b5505706f)\nshowed that out of 47 CBD products tested, only half contained within 20% of the advertised amount of CBD. Five of the 47 products contained no CBD at all. \n\nBesides the safety issues, if you're looking to gain therapeutic benefit from CBD, you need to assess what you're trying to achieve. If you have a skin condition, such as eczema, a good place to start is a topical, such as a lotion or a soap. If you have an autoimmune condition, such as Chron's disease, a tincture may be more appropriate. There are many different methods of consumption, so you need to think about how each may affect you and what works best for your lifestyle.\n\n### Throwing Money Out the Window\n\nIf CBD is beneficial due to its interaction with our endocannabinoid system, or ECS, then you need to think of how CBD works within the body. To have any positive benefit, CBD needs to be binding to your CB2 receptors which reside within the body's organs and tissue. So, if you're looking at a CBD infused mascara, you're wasting your money. CBD infused shampoo, pretty much the same. CBD candles, clothing, nail polish, and so on, you as the buyer need to beware.\n\n\nPhoto credit: [Pete Moore](https://www.flickr.com/photos/181956921@N04/48118206383/in/photolist-2gj3okZ-APRhFh-Nv8Kww-2h8RcNj-2hjyLa7-vDSiRR-V3w6oH-NePhYo-Ng5ijX-2hP9jxi-NePF9A-2gdZdoE-23sJtEj-NVWFaQ-PgKoy7-29a2fQn-2hhZ7wD-2d3suFe-xfwvn6-2hKkV3Z-2hKkV7B-JrnNR5-25YPQjE-Thkcct-WfmVLY-2g8qNSg-Q6vvFd-2hGnnwm-27SNiFt-S4Zorx-YuvVBq-QkhARj-2hKpEvU-VKonKP-SaBypG-2gtYiXB-2hKkV6e-2hKkV4A-2hiwkAr-JtU5Ah-VXVTf1-RM939L-29BPE4P-HH9S14-2ayL42k-HVgbjw-GVWDA6-NcHZgA-2gk9pb7-2erBy5C/)/Flickr","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.4388489208633093,"src":"/static/d9dd95b0a5f1eec834840b22f5c95e2c/14b42/907425a0067e71ae20480f0b8fceed90.jpg","srcSet":"/static/d9dd95b0a5f1eec834840b22f5c95e2c/f836f/907425a0067e71ae20480f0b8fceed90.jpg 200w,\n/static/d9dd95b0a5f1eec834840b22f5c95e2c/2244e/907425a0067e71ae20480f0b8fceed90.jpg 400w,\n/static/d9dd95b0a5f1eec834840b22f5c95e2c/14b42/907425a0067e71ae20480f0b8fceed90.jpg 800w,\n/static/d9dd95b0a5f1eec834840b22f5c95e2c/47498/907425a0067e71ae20480f0b8fceed90.jpg 1200w,\n/static/d9dd95b0a5f1eec834840b22f5c95e2c/19493/907425a0067e71ae20480f0b8fceed90.jpg 1592w","srcWebp":"/static/d9dd95b0a5f1eec834840b22f5c95e2c/58556/907425a0067e71ae20480f0b8fceed90.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/d9dd95b0a5f1eec834840b22f5c95e2c/61e93/907425a0067e71ae20480f0b8fceed90.webp 200w,\n/static/d9dd95b0a5f1eec834840b22f5c95e2c/1f5c5/907425a0067e71ae20480f0b8fceed90.webp 400w,\n/static/d9dd95b0a5f1eec834840b22f5c95e2c/58556/907425a0067e71ae20480f0b8fceed90.webp 800w,\n/static/d9dd95b0a5f1eec834840b22f5c95e2c/99238/907425a0067e71ae20480f0b8fceed90.webp 1200w,\n/static/d9dd95b0a5f1eec834840b22f5c95e2c/af18f/907425a0067e71ae20480f0b8fceed90.webp 1592w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_3084-markdown","title":"Can Cannabis Relieve TMJ Pain & Soreness?","slug":"can-cannabis-relieve-tmj-pain-and-soreness","content":"If you’re experiencing jaw pain or mysterious headaches, you may be among the 35 million Americans with a temporomandibular joint disorder, or TMJ. \n\nTMJ disorders affect the hinge that connects the jawbone and the skull. And while these conditions typically aren’t life threatening, they can certainly negatively impact someone’s quality of life.  \n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_us/?utm_medium=copy_link/)\n\nTreatment for TMJ disorders can include a variety of prescription medications and even surgery, but these approaches can have serious side effects. Now, though, [TMJ sufferers are turning to cannabis](https://hellomd.com/questions-and-answers/what-are-some-thc-and-cbd-guidelines-for-relief-from-tmj-pain-and-soreness/) as a safer way to relieve the pain and other discomforts of mild to severe TMJ disorders.\n\n### What Is TMJ?\n\n[TMJ is an umbrella term for a collection of conditions](https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/health-info/tmj) that cause pain and dysfunctions in the jaw joint and the muscles that control the movement of the jaw for speaking and chewing. TMJ disorders typically include:\n\n* Internal damage or dysfunction of the jaw joint itself, from causes such as a displaced disk or jaw injury\n* Myofascial pain, which causes pain or discomfort in the muscles that control jaw movement\n* Arthritis, which can cause degeneration and inflammation of the disks and cartilage in the temporomandibular joint that connects the jaw to the skull\n\nAside from injury to the jaw or a systemic disorder such as arthritis, doctors aren’t entirely sure what causes TMJ. But genetics can play a role and so can stress. In particular, stress can cause someone to clench their jaw muscles or grind their teeth—a condition called bruxism that can even happen when someone’s asleep.\n\nThe most obvious [symptoms of TMJ](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tmj/symptoms-causes/syc-20350941) include pain in the jaw itself and soreness in the muscles that control jaw movement. But these disorders can also have other, less obvious symptoms, like:\n\n* Aching or pain in and around the ear\n* Pain or aching in the face\n* Popping or clicking noises when the jaw moves\n* Difficulty chewing\n* Locking of the jaw joint, making it hard to open or close the mouth\n* Misalignment of the upper and lower teeth\n\n[TMJ is also associated with anxiety and depression](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130116102020.htm). And people also often complain of insomnia due to pain and muscle tension. \n\nAlong with these symptoms, TMJ can also make it difficult to eat, drink or speak.\n\n### How to Folks Typically Ease TMJ Pain? \n\nBecause TMJ can have multiple causes and these disorders affect people differently, treatments for TMJ vary widely. Folks with mild TMJ can take over-the-counter pain medications and employ self-care strategies such as massage or heating pads. Some people benefit from counseling, lifestyle changes or physical therapy. \n\nBut for more severe TMJ, doctors may prescribe medications from several different classes of drugs, such as:\n\n* Prescription-strength pain medications\n* Anti-inflammatory medicines to relieve joint swelling and heat\n* Tricyclic antidepressants, which can relieve bruxism and insomnia\n* Muscle relaxants for pain caused by jaw clenching and muscle spasms\n\nWhen self-care and medications don’t provide relief, corticosteroid injections or surgery may be an option. These methods of relieving TMJ symptoms can also have considerable side effects and risks, but some research suggests that [cannabis can ease pain and relax muscles](https://unitedpatientsgroup.com/temporomandibular-joint-disorder-and-marijuana-treat-tmj-with-cannabis) without the risks associated with pharmaceuticals or invasive procedures.\n\n### How Can Cannabis Help TMJ Pain?\n\nCannabis contains over 400 compounds that contribute to the unique profiles of individual cannabis strains—and these substances work together to help ease symptoms of a number of health conditions. \n\nCannabis compounds such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) do this by activating or influencing receptors in the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS).\n\nThe ECS is a network of cell receptors that respond to natural cannabinoids produced by the body and to the nearly identical ones in the cannabis plant. Marijuana can activate ECS receptors in the brain and muscle tissues to relieve the aches and pains of TMJ disorders—and reduce the anxiety and depression that many TMJ sufferers experience.\n\nTMJ disorders of all kinds cause pain, not only in the jaw but also in the:\n\n* Ears\n* Face \n* Neck \n\nNow, a considerable body of research reveals that [marijuana can relieve pain](https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/abs/10.1377/hlthaff.2018.05266) from a variety of chronic conditions, such as arthritis. In many cases, it can be as effective in relieving pain as opioid painkillers can. And as you probably know, opioids are a powerfully addictive class of prescription medications. \n\nRELATED: [THE SCIENCE BEHIND WHY MARIJAUANA IS SAFER THAN OPIOIDS](https://hellomd.com/articles/the-science-behind-why-marijuana-is-safer-than-opioids/)\n\nTMJ muscle tightness and spasms can cause pain and create problems with chewing, drinking, and moving the mouth and jaw. But cannabis can promote muscle relaxation, even in chronic neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. Some research indicates that it can also relax TMJ muscle spasms in the face and jaw and reduce the jaw clenching that causes tightness and pain.\n\nBecause cannabis can promote relaxation and reduce anxiety, it can also help to relieve whole body symptoms of TMJ such as:\n\n* Anxiety\n* Depression\n* Insomnia  \n\nIt’s important to keep in mind, though, that some strains of marijuana, or simply consuming too much of strains that are high in THC, can also produce the opposite effect, namely:\n\n* Anxiety\n* Agitation\n* Racing heartbeat\n\n### How to Take Marijuana for TMJ\n\nCannabis comes in many forms, and just about all of them may relieve symptoms of TMJ. Smoking and vaping cannabis can get cannabis compounds into the bloodstream quickly through capillaries in the lungs. But for some people with TMJ, mouth movements needed for smoking or vaping can worsen an existing TMJ condition.\n\nTinctures are liquid extracts of cannabinoids and terpenes that are typically placed under the tongue. The mucus membranes of the mouth absorb cannabis quickly, so this method of consuming marijuana can provide relatively fast relief for pain, anxiety and other symptoms. Variants that work in similar ways include lozenges and films that folks can place on their tongue or on the inside of their cheek.\n\nCannabis edibles such as gummies or chocolates deliver cannabis compounds more slowly than other methods, since the digestive system must process the cannabis before reaching the bloodstream. But edibles can also help to relieve jaw pain, relax muscles and calm anxiety, particularly if they’re high in calming CBD.\n\nPeople can also apply cannabis topically, directly onto the muscles and joints of the jaw. Creams, oils and ointments can ease the pain of joint aches and muscle strains and sprains because they’re absorbed through the skin, bypassing the digestive route completely. Most of these preparations are high in CBD but contain little or no THC.\n\nA TMJ disorder can be a temporary inconvenience, or a chronic condition that affects many aspects of a person’s life. But cannabis can offer fast and safe relief without the side effects of many of today’s standard treatments for TMJ. \n\nPhoto credit: LightField Studios/Shutterstock.com\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://hellomd.com/articles/cannabis-101-what-you-need-to-know-about-marijuana/) index of articles. And if you have questions about cannabis, [ask them](https://hellomd.com/questions-and-answers/) and our community will answer.\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3793103448275863,"src":"/static/60a6fcd2b80d0d89f8265893686148f3/14b42/2cf17f7ffdf80c271f8dc99cdc74ce32.jpg","srcSet":"/static/60a6fcd2b80d0d89f8265893686148f3/f836f/2cf17f7ffdf80c271f8dc99cdc74ce32.jpg 200w,\n/static/60a6fcd2b80d0d89f8265893686148f3/2244e/2cf17f7ffdf80c271f8dc99cdc74ce32.jpg 400w,\n/static/60a6fcd2b80d0d89f8265893686148f3/14b42/2cf17f7ffdf80c271f8dc99cdc74ce32.jpg 800w,\n/static/60a6fcd2b80d0d89f8265893686148f3/47498/2cf17f7ffdf80c271f8dc99cdc74ce32.jpg 1200w,\n/static/60a6fcd2b80d0d89f8265893686148f3/0e329/2cf17f7ffdf80c271f8dc99cdc74ce32.jpg 1600w,\n/static/60a6fcd2b80d0d89f8265893686148f3/ffa36/2cf17f7ffdf80c271f8dc99cdc74ce32.jpg 1773w","srcWebp":"/static/60a6fcd2b80d0d89f8265893686148f3/58556/2cf17f7ffdf80c271f8dc99cdc74ce32.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/60a6fcd2b80d0d89f8265893686148f3/61e93/2cf17f7ffdf80c271f8dc99cdc74ce32.webp 200w,\n/static/60a6fcd2b80d0d89f8265893686148f3/1f5c5/2cf17f7ffdf80c271f8dc99cdc74ce32.webp 400w,\n/static/60a6fcd2b80d0d89f8265893686148f3/58556/2cf17f7ffdf80c271f8dc99cdc74ce32.webp 800w,\n/static/60a6fcd2b80d0d89f8265893686148f3/99238/2cf17f7ffdf80c271f8dc99cdc74ce32.webp 1200w,\n/static/60a6fcd2b80d0d89f8265893686148f3/7c22d/2cf17f7ffdf80c271f8dc99cdc74ce32.webp 1600w,\n/static/60a6fcd2b80d0d89f8265893686148f3/d1528/2cf17f7ffdf80c271f8dc99cdc74ce32.webp 1773w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_3080-markdown","title":"Meet HelloMD’s New Chief Medical Officer Dr. Patricia Frye","slug":"meet-hellomds-new-chief-medical-officer-dr-patricia-frye","content":"Dr. Patricia Frye has been a practicing cannabis physician for four years—in fact, she was the first doctor HelloMD hired to consult with patients online. Today, she’s HelloMD’s chief medical officer and a regular on our Ask a Doctor livestream series, where she answers audience questions about cannabis every week. \n\nBesides being a part of the HelloMD family, Dr. Frye runs her own thriving cannabis practice in Maryland. And on top of that, she’s recently released a book, “[The Medical Marijuana Guide](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KCMNCFQ/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1),” which draws on her clinical experiences in cannabis medicine. \n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_us/?utm_medium=copy_link/)\n\nWe caught up with Dr. Frye one afternoon to learn more about her background, practice and how she translated her work recommending cannabis into her first book. \n\n### Tell me a little bit about your background. Where did you go to medical school and what kind of medicine did you practice before you got into cannabis? \n\nI went to medical school at University of Maryland, and I graduated from there and then stayed and did a pediatric residency; I'm board certified in pediatrics. And when I finished at Maryland, I moved to Texas, and then I went to Baylor where I studied anesthesiology. \n\nMy goal was to do pediatric intensive care or acute care. But in Houston you really couldn't do just pediatrics, so we ended up moving to southern California. And at that time, I had a young son who was having some difficulties.\n\nSo that type of scheduling really didn't work out, and I ended up back in general pediatrics. And I did that for a number of years, [working with] school and behavior problems as well as taking care of sick kids. And when I was almost retired, I came back to Virginia. \n\nThen in 2015, I got a job with HelloMD, and that was actually my first introduction to cannabis. I never really had any involvement with it—never even thought about it really—the whole time I was in California. So, it was after I got back to the east coast that I was introduced to it.\n\n### And what surprised you most about cannabis once you started to familiarize yourself with the plant? \n\nWhat surprised me the most is that you can use it and not be impaired. I didn't realize that you could use it that way—I learned that from my elderly California patients. And then it surprised me as to how effective it was, and how helpful it was for a lot of patients.\n\n### Did you have any experience in alternative medicine before working with cannabis? \n\nWell, I'm an allopath—I liked doing procedures and using medication and intensive care. I wasn't really on the alternative path, because I worked for Kaiser [Permanente], and so there wasn't really a lot of opportunities to kind of dabble with that.\n\nBut during the time that I was at Kaiser, I saw a lot of school and behavior problems, and I ended up being one of three pediatricians who saw the autistic patients in Orange County. So that was kind of a soft introduction to some alternative things.\n\nAt the time, people were kind of experimenting with gastrin, which is a digestive enzyme, for autism. And I wasn't really on the big alternative bandwagon, but there was one family who had a son who was nonverbal—very limited, a lot of restrictive behaviors—and they wanted to try the gastrin. \n\nSo, I talked with my medical director and first, my department chairman, I got the OK to use it. I gave him about two or three infusions, and low and behold, it really changed a lot for him. He started talking; he started eating things; and so, I saw a big dramatic improvement. \n\nHis response was so dramatic and so impressive that when I was introduced to cannabis, I think because of that experience, I was a little more open-minded to it than I might've been otherwise.\n\n### Given that you come from an allopathic background, what do your previous colleagues say about the work that you do now with cannabis? \n\nI don't see any of my old colleagues from California much, but I do interact with some pediatric colleagues here locally that I trained with in Baltimore. One of them sends me patients and the other one became a patient. I have other classmates who are medical directors of big internal medicine practices, and I've gone and talked [at their practices], and they send me patients.\n\n### So, it seems like the kind of work you do in the cannabis space is pretty well accepted. Can you talk about the work do you with cannabis outside of HelloMD? \n\nI've lectured quite a bit in the area. I've spoken at two of the medical schools and about three or four hospitals in the area. I do continuing medical education for nurse practitioners and for physicians on cannabis.\n\nBy doing this, I've developed quite a referral base from other doctors. I get a lot of referrals from mental health providers, from psychiatrists. There are about six psychiatrists that send patients to me. \n\nI get referrals from Children's National Medical Center, from their pediatric neurologist. Now that Epidiolex is available, I don't get as many, but for a while I got a steady stream of neurology and some oncology patients. I've done hospital visits in the area for children with cancer, where they're not doing well, and we get them on cannabis at least to try to help them feel better.\n\nI get a good number of patients from Johns Hopkins, from the pediatric gastroenterology [division]; I see a lot of Crohn's and ulcerative colitis [patients]. So, I have a fairly good reputation here locally.\n\nI write out treatment plans for these patients, and what I think they should use and what things to avoid or what to try next. It's turned into a very rewarding practice. \n\n### A lot of your book is based on your clinical experience with cannabis. Have you noticed a pattern in the types of conditions that tend to respond best to cannabis? What about conditions or patients that respond the worst?\n\nDefinitely mental health and GI [patients] respond very well. I see a lot of [people with] inflammatory pain, a lot of neuropathic pain. \n\nThe patients I see are generally fairly sick or nothing is working for them or they've experienced a lot of adverse effects from pharmaceuticals. I see a few trickling in that are mainly functional medicine type patients, where nobody can figure out what's wrong. They usually have a lot of pain. I think some of those are autoimmune. I've seen some really good results from autoimmune patients. \n\nThese patients are generally fairly sick or fairly debilitated. And so, for most patients, I do see pretty decent improvement. About 40% are chronic pain. Most of the patients I see are cannabis naive. \n\nI find that some of the patients who do the worst are the older Caucasian women, and they tend to be small. For some reason they say they’re very excruciatingly sensitive to THC—those are the ones who’ve been the hardest to get comfortable, because it seems like they'll just take one drop [of THC] and they're on the floor. \n\nBut the mental health patients seem to respond really well. Chronic pain in general tends to respond really well. I have a good response with autism. Those patients seem to improve, and I would say the seizures are the ones that are kind of hit or miss. Sometimes I'll switch them from CBD to THCA or microdose with THC. \n\nAutism patients tend to do well with CBD. Sometimes we'll add a little bit of THC or THCA and that sometimes can help. Now they're doing studies with CBDV—but it's not really available yet. \n\nI have a fair number of cancer patients who are using cannabis either as an adjunct to their conventional therapy or conventional therapy isn’t helping. I'm not overly impressed with it, but I do have a couple of patients where their tumors have resolved. But considering all of the patients that I've seen, cannabis isn’t as effective as I would hope it would be. Some of that also has to do with product availability in this area. \n\n### Let’s take a few minutes to talk about your book. Who did you have in mind as the audience when you were writing a guide on cannabis? \n\nMy goal was to make it simple enough that most people could understand it, but to have enough interesting science in it so that other providers could read it, understand it, and then maybe open their minds to using cannabis for their patients.\n\n### How's your book different from some of the other cannabis books that are out there?\n\nMost of the other cannabis books are written by nonclinical people, people who aren’t doctors. There are few out there—[Dr.] Bonnie Goldstein's book came out right after I had signed a contract for this book—but most of the other books are mostly written by scientists like [Roger] Pertwee and [Ethan] Russo.\n\nA lot of [these books] are by multiple authors. And a lot of them don't do clinical medicine. I think really of the clinicians that I would say I have a lot of respect for, I think Bonnie Goldstein’s [book] is really the only other one [that’s similar]. \n\n### Is there anything that got left out of your cannabis guidebook that you wish you could’ve included? \n\nSince [the book] has come out, there've been a lot of changes [in the cannabis space]. I almost feel like there should be a second edition. I almost feel like it's going to need to be updated maybe in another year—now with Epidiolex, with the studies that have come out in Israel with autism, new states that are now on board with legalized cannabis, and state regulations have shifted and changed. \n\nIf anything, maybe it would've been fun to put more history. I really think the history of cannabis as a medicine is pretty fascinating. But I’m actually pretty satisfied with what got covered. \n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://hellomd.com/articles/cannabis-101-what-you-need-to-know-about-marijuana/) index of articles. And if you have questions about cannabis, [ask them](https://www.hellomd.com/) and our community will answer.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/8b8a9a79af0254a13db11c3bb8e04e41/14b42/2e668269dc77f1e90bd1c0991dab006d.jpg","srcSet":"/static/8b8a9a79af0254a13db11c3bb8e04e41/f836f/2e668269dc77f1e90bd1c0991dab006d.jpg 200w,\n/static/8b8a9a79af0254a13db11c3bb8e04e41/2244e/2e668269dc77f1e90bd1c0991dab006d.jpg 400w,\n/static/8b8a9a79af0254a13db11c3bb8e04e41/14b42/2e668269dc77f1e90bd1c0991dab006d.jpg 800w,\n/static/8b8a9a79af0254a13db11c3bb8e04e41/47498/2e668269dc77f1e90bd1c0991dab006d.jpg 1200w,\n/static/8b8a9a79af0254a13db11c3bb8e04e41/acffd/2e668269dc77f1e90bd1c0991dab006d.jpg 1435w","srcWebp":"/static/8b8a9a79af0254a13db11c3bb8e04e41/58556/2e668269dc77f1e90bd1c0991dab006d.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/8b8a9a79af0254a13db11c3bb8e04e41/61e93/2e668269dc77f1e90bd1c0991dab006d.webp 200w,\n/static/8b8a9a79af0254a13db11c3bb8e04e41/1f5c5/2e668269dc77f1e90bd1c0991dab006d.webp 400w,\n/static/8b8a9a79af0254a13db11c3bb8e04e41/58556/2e668269dc77f1e90bd1c0991dab006d.webp 800w,\n/static/8b8a9a79af0254a13db11c3bb8e04e41/99238/2e668269dc77f1e90bd1c0991dab006d.webp 1200w,\n/static/8b8a9a79af0254a13db11c3bb8e04e41/0a0ac/2e668269dc77f1e90bd1c0991dab006d.webp 1435w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2854-markdown","title":"4 Hemp-Derived CBD Products to Ease Pain","slug":"4-hemp-derived-cbd-products-to-ease-pain","content":"It’s hard to imagine just how much physical pain Americans experience. [More than 100 million adults in the U.S. suffer from chronic pain](https://www.nap.edu/read/13172/chapter/2), according to the The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. And there’s no one cause—injury, disease, genetics or psychological issues can all bring on debilitating, chronic pain. \n\nSimilarly, there isn’t just one pain treatment. Cannabidiol (CBD), a natural cannabinoid found in hemp and known for its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, has become a major source of hope and promise in the fight against pain. \n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### How Hemp CBD Helps Treat Pain\n\nAll mammals, humans included, have something called an endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is a system of receptors that winds all throughout the body and brain. It serves to [keep the body at homeostasis](https://www.hellomd.com/articles/marijuana-cannabinoids-and-homeostasis-a-balancing-act) via two-way communication with other systems, working together to keep everything happy and balanced. The ECS plays a vital role in the healthy functioning of all sorts of biological processes including:\n\n* Pain\n* Appetite\n* Sleep\n* Digestion\n* Memory\n* Immune function\n \nSo, how does CBD fit into all of this?\n\nECS receptors act like a lock. And cannabinoids, whether naturally produced by our bodies (endocannabinoids) or from a plant (phytocannabinoids), act like a key. When you consume the phytocannabinoid CBD, it activates these receptors. They then begin to communicate specific commands to nearby cells, resulting in particular biological responses. \n\nHow this [relationship between CBD and the ECS works to treat pain is illuminated in one study](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4604191/), published in the _Journal of Neurotherapeutics_. In this study, researchers looked into CBD as a treatment for seizures and concluded that CBD may treat pain by inhibiting the body from absorbing anadamide.\n\n[Anandamide is an endocannabinoid associated with pain regulation and feelings of bliss or joy](https://hellomd.com/articles/eating-anandamide-the-bliss-molecule). So, having more anandamide freely available in the bloodstream can help reduce the perception of pain. \n\nBeyond the perception of pain, [CBD can reduce the cause of pain by employing its anti-inflammatory properties](https://www.hellomd.com/articles/what-is-cbd-and-how-can-it-help-me).\n\n### Hemp CBD Is Available Nationwide\n\nHemp CBD oil is derived, as the name suggests, from hemp rather than marijuana, though on a molecular level, CBD from either type of plant is exactly the same. Legally, hemp is defined as having less than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the cannabinoid most known for its psychoactive high. Because of this, hemp-derived CBD is legally available in all 50 states. \n\nNowadays, there are some hemp CBD companies that produce high-potency, high-quality products that people rely on to treat their pain, whether acute from a headache or chronic from an old sports injury. Here are some of our favorite hemp-derived CBD products.\n\n### 1. Cured Full Spectrum Raw Oil Includes a Range of Healthful Cannabinoids\n\n![Cured Full Spectrum Raw Oil](https://hellomd-development.s3.amazonaws.com/markdown-image-injector-12046cce-997b-48aa-b1c0-4bbef0aa5eae/original.png)\n\nTinctures are one of the most popular ways to consume hemp CBD oil, but not all are created equal. Most of the hemp tinctures on the market are CBD isolates, meaning they’re refined until all components are filtered out except for CBD. But the Full Spectrum Raw Oil tincture by Cured Nutrition is made from whole hemp flower and includes a full spectrum of hemp cannabinoids, terpenoids and flavonoids. \n\nCured prides itself in being the least-refined hemp extract on the market, using all of the components found naturally in hemp for increased efficacy, including [other lesser-known cannabinoids](https://hellomd.com/articles/beyond-thc-and-cbd-what-you-need-to-know-about-cbc-cbn-and-cbg) like:\n\n* Cannabigerol (CBG)\n* Cannabichromene (CBC)\n* Cannabinol (CBN)\n\nTake a dose of this tincture daily for ongoing pain relief. You can put the tincture directly in your mouth or under the tongue. Or you can mix the tincture in coffee or another beverage of your choice.\n\nRELATED: [WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR WHEN BUYING HEMP CBD OIL](https://www.hellomd.com/articles/what-to-watch-out-for-when-buying-hemp-cbd-oil)\n\n### 2. Try Elixinol Hemp Oil Capsules for a Taste- & Odor-Free CBD Experience\n\n![Elixinol Hemp Oil Capsules](https://hellomd-development.s3.amazonaws.com/markdown-image-injector-037ffe2a-5a33-4056-b094-fa2a05308308/original.png)\n\nFiguring out your own tincture dose may sound intimidating, confusing or inconvenient. Or you may just hate the taste of every tincture you’ve tried. If any of that sounds familiar, these [Elixinol hemp oil capsules may become your new favorite product. \n\nElixinol extracts its organic hemp oil using CO2 in a chemical-free process, and the capsules are designed to absorb quickly and efficiently into the body for long-lasting relief. This product is especially good for those with inflammation of the digestive system that leads to cramping and pain. Take one of these pills with a meal in the morning or when you need relief during the day.\n\n### 3. Wildflower CBD+ Healing Stick Provides Targeted CBD Without the Mess\n\n![Wildflower CBD+ Healing Stick](https://hellomd-development.s3.amazonaws.com/markdown-image-injector-1a49c553-2152-47f5-b32d-4f544bce4e34/original.png)\n\nHemp CBD topicals are great for targeted pain relief. This no-mess CBD+ Healing Stick from Wildflower  is easy to toss in a backpack or purse to use as needed during the day—and it’s very discreet to apply. \n\nYou won’t have to worry about getting any cream or oils on your fingers with this product. Apply this healing stick to wherever you feel pain, and you’ll immediately feel a tingle of relief spread through the area. The secret to this product is not just CBD, but a proprietary blend of essential oils like arnica and wintergreen that all work to create long-lasting relief.\n\nCarry this with you throughout the day and use it whenever you need it—at work or out running errands when minor aches and pains start to hit. Or rub it on your temples for natural relief during a bad headache. \n\n### 4. Basic Jane Relieve Pain Spray Harnesses the Power of CBD & Other Soothing Ingredients\n\nIn a similar fashion to the Wildflower Healing Stick, this Basic Jane Relieve Pain Spray is a great option for fast-acting relief. Skip the creams and lotions, and instead spritz this hemp CBD oil blend directly on the problem area. You’ll only wait a second or two for its effects to set in. This product works so fast because it’s designed to penetrate quickly into the skin, bringing all of the relieving power of a range of soothing ingredients like: \n\n* Menthol\n* Peppermint\n* Pink grapefruit oil\n* Eucalyptus oil\n\nThis 2 oz spray bottle with 500 mg CBD is easy to carry in your gym bag. Spray your stiff and achy areas to relieve inflammation and pain. \n\nPhoto credits: [Lucaxx Freire](https://unsplash.com/@lucaxxfreire) (main image); [Basic Jane](https://www.instagram.com/basic_jane_co/) (Basic Jane image)\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/2wBDABALDA4MChAODQ4SERATGCgaGBYWGDEjJR0oOjM9PDkzODdASFxOQERXRTc4UG1RV19iZ2hnPk1xeXBkeFxlZ2P/2wBDARESEhgVGC8aGi9jQjhCY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2P/wgARCAAOABQDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAD/xAAVAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAf/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAABYeBC5Ev/xAAaEAADAAMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMABBIR/9oACAEBAAEFAmmmSOPSfW32FSzKDCfv/8QAFhEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEh/9oACAEDAQE/AYx//8QAFhEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABEB/9oACAECAQE/AYuv/8QAGxAAAgMAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAERISICMZH/2gAIAQEABj8Clo1krl4SnRB0f//EABwQAQACAgMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAESExQVFhgf/aAAgBAQABPyE4tey9/JbdkbKZsAIxMPG4iALi1zcdYrfE/9oADAMBAAIAAwAAABAYD//EABcRAQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAETH/2gAIAQMBAT8QQdtd/8QAGREBAAIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQARITGR/9oACAECAQE/EFOmUYpeT//EAB0QAQEAAQQDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAERACExQXFhkbH/2gAIAQEAAT8QRNitXGhGCSDKTN/PrCIFEi0+YkgcCkFcQRFFgdPeOyHVGx1n/9k=","aspectRatio":1.3793103448275863,"src":"/static/df49f715de86143cbcd81ddc66041e40/14b42/3bfe6733d75ddcfd5465482839631335.jpg","srcSet":"/static/df49f715de86143cbcd81ddc66041e40/f836f/3bfe6733d75ddcfd5465482839631335.jpg 200w,\n/static/df49f715de86143cbcd81ddc66041e40/2244e/3bfe6733d75ddcfd5465482839631335.jpg 400w,\n/static/df49f715de86143cbcd81ddc66041e40/14b42/3bfe6733d75ddcfd5465482839631335.jpg 800w,\n/static/df49f715de86143cbcd81ddc66041e40/47498/3bfe6733d75ddcfd5465482839631335.jpg 1200w,\n/static/df49f715de86143cbcd81ddc66041e40/0e329/3bfe6733d75ddcfd5465482839631335.jpg 1600w,\n/static/df49f715de86143cbcd81ddc66041e40/de2bb/3bfe6733d75ddcfd5465482839631335.jpg 3655w","srcWebp":"/static/df49f715de86143cbcd81ddc66041e40/58556/3bfe6733d75ddcfd5465482839631335.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/df49f715de86143cbcd81ddc66041e40/61e93/3bfe6733d75ddcfd5465482839631335.webp 200w,\n/static/df49f715de86143cbcd81ddc66041e40/1f5c5/3bfe6733d75ddcfd5465482839631335.webp 400w,\n/static/df49f715de86143cbcd81ddc66041e40/58556/3bfe6733d75ddcfd5465482839631335.webp 800w,\n/static/df49f715de86143cbcd81ddc66041e40/99238/3bfe6733d75ddcfd5465482839631335.webp 1200w,\n/static/df49f715de86143cbcd81ddc66041e40/7c22d/3bfe6733d75ddcfd5465482839631335.webp 1600w,\n/static/df49f715de86143cbcd81ddc66041e40/7c06b/3bfe6733d75ddcfd5465482839631335.webp 3655w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2780-markdown","title":"NY Health Dept Allows Medical Marijuana to Replace Opioids","slug":"ny-health-dept-allows-medical-marijuana-to-replace-opioids","content":"Last month, the New York Department of Health filed an emergency measure allowing patients using prescription opioids to replace them with medical marijuana. This measure, which becomes official on Aug. 1, 2018, is an attempt to recognize cannabis “as an effective treatment for pain that may also reduce the chance of opioid dependence,” according to Dr. Howard Zucker, New York state’s health commissioner in a [press release](https://www.health.ny.gov/press/releases/2018/2018-07-12_opioid_replacement.htm). \n\n\"Adding opioid replacement as a qualifying condition for medical marijuana offers providers another treatment option, which is a critical step in combatting the deadly opioid epidemic affecting people across the state,\" Zucker went on to say.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\n### Opioid Overdoses & the Number of Opioid Prescriptions Handed Out Hit All-Time Highs\n\nIt’s estimated that [roughly 115 people die daily from an opioid overdose](https://www.cnn.com/2017/09/18/health/opioid-crisis-fast-facts/index.html). In 2016, a whopping 236 million prescriptions of opioid medications were given out to patients across the country. In 2012, that number topped out at 282 million.\n\nCurrently, chronic pain—which is typically linked with opioid prescriptions, use and abuse—is one of 12 conditions that qualify folks in New York for medical marijuana. However, the addition of opioid replacement as a qualifying condition also allows individuals with severe pain as well as opioid use disorder to qualify for medical marijuana. \n\n\n### No More Waiting-Now Doctors Can Prescribe Medical Marijuana for Severe Pain\n\n“While health care professionals will still have to provide the underlying acute condition that the patient is suffering from, they now won’t have to wait for the three-month qualifying timeframe that defines chronic pain. Instead, patients will be able to use cannabis immediately when injured if their doctor prescribes it to them,” says Dr.  Perry Solomon, HelloMD’s chief medical officer.\n\nDr. Solomon adds, “The awareness that cannabis can help decrease pain has been shown in an observational study with HelloMD and UC Berkeley. In this study, 97% of the nearly 3,000 patients who participated were able to decrease their opioid use with the use of cannabis. If only more states were as progressive as New York is, then deaths caused by opioid use and abuse could potentially be decreased even further.”\n\nOpioid replacement joins 12 conditions that qualify people in New York for medical marijuana. These include: cancer, HIV or AIDS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury with spasticity, epilepsy, inflammatory bowel disease, neuropathy, Huntington's disease, PTSD and chronic pain.\n\nAs of July 10, 2018, there are 62,256 certified patients and 1,735 registered practitioners participating in New York State’s medical marijuana program.\n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://hellomd.com/articles/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online. ","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/2wBDABALDA4MChAODQ4SERATGCgaGBYWGDEjJR0oOjM9PDkzODdASFxOQERXRTc4UG1RV19iZ2hnPk1xeXBkeFxlZ2P/2wBDARESEhgVGC8aGi9jQjhCY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2NjY2P/wgARCAAPABQDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAGQAAAgMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMBAgQF/8QAFgEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgAB/9oADAMBAAIQAxAAAAHQ2Em6JQef/8QAGhAAAgIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQMAAhAREv/aAAgBAQABBQIt1YOBM5EqnH//xAAVEQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABEP/aAAgBAwEBPwFn/8QAFhEAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARAR/9oACAECAQE/ARV//8QAGBAAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARAAIWH/2gAIAQEABj8CyAO1/8QAGhAAAwEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAERIUExcf/aAAgBAQABPyGBEHExPp6KTzSna+CxRH//2gAMAwEAAgADAAAAEAcP/8QAFhEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAREQ/9oACAEDAQE/EESGf//EABYRAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEREP/aAAgBAgEBPxAVXP/EAB0QAQACAgIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAESExQVFhgfD/2gAIAQEAAT8QyAeROmHWs1r7uW0rBMCFjcZX4qgx6jDwAUT/2Q==","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/14b42/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.jpg","srcSet":"/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/f836f/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.jpg 200w,\n/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/2244e/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.jpg 400w,\n/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/14b42/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.jpg 800w,\n/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/47498/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.jpg 1200w,\n/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/0e329/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.jpg 1600w,\n/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/dbe5d/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.jpg 1633w","srcWebp":"/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/58556/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/61e93/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.webp 200w,\n/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/1f5c5/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.webp 400w,\n/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/58556/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.webp 800w,\n/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/99238/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.webp 1200w,\n/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/7c22d/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.webp 1600w,\n/static/b95af0498a6fdb84e8e3ccd90ef8fdf0/a914d/7f5f23b9b22a8b88abc3eeb9aeb917cb.webp 1633w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2727-markdown","title":"Cannabis, not Opioids: HelloMD’s Pamela Hadfield on NowThis","slug":"cannabis-not-opioids-hellomds-pamela-hadfield-on-nowthis","content":"HelloMD’s co-founder Pamela Hadfield is featured in a _NowThis_ op-ed video, “[Medical Cannabis Could Help Solve the Opioid Crisis](https://nowthisnews.com/videos/weed/op-ed-medical-cannabis-could-help-solve-opioid-crisis).” In the video, she shares how cannabis helped prevent the migraines that plagued her for 25 years. And she talks about how marijuana helped eliminate her consumption of opioids—for good.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\nThis experience led her to start HelloMD, where she has seen firsthand how many people suffer from chronic pain and how that chronic pain often results in opioid addiction. She believes cannabis may be the exit drug to a nationwide epidemic of opioid abuse.\n\nIn the op-ed video interview Hadfield cites:\n\n“The National Academy of Science published that adults with chronic pain are more likely to experience clinically significant levels of pain reduction when treated with cannabis or cannabinoids. What's more is when people are given free access to medical marijuana and legal states, prescription rates of opioids go down by about 25 percent overall use of opioids go down and drug related deaths go down. In other words, a lot less people die.” \n\nRELATED: [MEDICAL MARIJUANA A SAFER ALTERNATIVE TO OPIOID PAINKILLERS](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5a5959d4c7e0180007a78271/medical-marijuana-a-safer-alternative-to-opioid-painkillers)\n\n[![Pamela Hadfield on cannabis as an exit drug to the opioid epidemic](https://hellomd-development.s3.amazonaws.com/markdown-image-injector-5d9b5ff4-4e22-4aa3-8c26-765b443a9f09/original.png)](https://nowthisnews.com/videos/weed/op-ed-medical-cannabis-could-help-solve-opioid-crisis)\n_[View the video](https://nowthisnews.com/videos/weed/op-ed-medical-cannabis-could-help-solve-opioid-crisis)._\n\nShe also talks about the benefit of incorporating cannabis into pain management and how cannabis has allowed others to reduce and/or eliminate their opioid consumption.\n\n“[HelloMD recently did a study in conjunction with UC Berkeley](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/57d82d523b39eb000b732ea8/hellomd-and-uc-berkeley-to-conduct-largest-study-on-cannabis-pain-and-opioid-abuse) with over 3,000 of our patients. It's the largest study done to date on chronic pain, opioids and cannabis.\n\n“Ninety seven percent of patients agree that they were able to decrease their opioid use when cannabis was introduced into the medication regime. And 81% agreed that cannabis was more effective than opioids when used for chronic pain. The bottom line: Cannabis should be considered a viable option by all doctors for pain management before an opioid is ever prescribed. Before the addiction cycle even has a chance to take root.\n\n“And one of the best parts: No one has ever died from consuming cannabis.”\n\n_NowThis_, a website and media company, was founded by two former executives from the _Huffington Post_, and has become a go-to news source for those typically between the ages of 18–34. \n\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56201c206430320006bb0000/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online. \n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/fe9a79188b7f601b6817da797caa2f12/14b42/53ac4959a78ba6986bcbdc365f39e65a.jpg","srcSet":"/static/fe9a79188b7f601b6817da797caa2f12/f836f/53ac4959a78ba6986bcbdc365f39e65a.jpg 200w,\n/static/fe9a79188b7f601b6817da797caa2f12/2244e/53ac4959a78ba6986bcbdc365f39e65a.jpg 400w,\n/static/fe9a79188b7f601b6817da797caa2f12/14b42/53ac4959a78ba6986bcbdc365f39e65a.jpg 800w,\n/static/fe9a79188b7f601b6817da797caa2f12/47498/53ac4959a78ba6986bcbdc365f39e65a.jpg 1200w,\n/static/fe9a79188b7f601b6817da797caa2f12/01452/53ac4959a78ba6986bcbdc365f39e65a.jpg 1434w","srcWebp":"/static/fe9a79188b7f601b6817da797caa2f12/58556/53ac4959a78ba6986bcbdc365f39e65a.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/fe9a79188b7f601b6817da797caa2f12/61e93/53ac4959a78ba6986bcbdc365f39e65a.webp 200w,\n/static/fe9a79188b7f601b6817da797caa2f12/1f5c5/53ac4959a78ba6986bcbdc365f39e65a.webp 400w,\n/static/fe9a79188b7f601b6817da797caa2f12/58556/53ac4959a78ba6986bcbdc365f39e65a.webp 800w,\n/static/fe9a79188b7f601b6817da797caa2f12/99238/53ac4959a78ba6986bcbdc365f39e65a.webp 1200w,\n/static/fe9a79188b7f601b6817da797caa2f12/99f96/53ac4959a78ba6986bcbdc365f39e65a.webp 1434w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2621-markdown","title":"Cannabis: A Workplace Solution for Chronic Pain","slug":"cannabis-a-workplace-solution-for-chronic-pain","content":"The opioid epidemic claims lives and impacts American society in many ways, but recent figures from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reveal that the [greatest financial stress of opioid misuse and addiction are felt by employers](https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/02/13/585199746/cost-of-u-s-opioid-epidemic-since-2001-is-1-trillion-and-climbing). Lost productivity, workplace accidents and injury are among the costs affecting employers of all kinds when workers use these powerful prescription painkillers. \r\n\r\nA growing body of evidence shows that cannabis is a safer and more effective alternative to opioids—one that can save billions by keeping workers on the job. But employers who want to include cannabis in a workplace wellness strategy will need to overcome challenges including legal issues, prevailing myths about cannabis and the reluctance of network doctors to recommend the plant as treatment. \r\n\r\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\r\n\r\n### How Do Opioids Affect the Workplace?\r\n\r\nEven though they’re initially prescribed for legitimate pain conditions, opioids are recommended for short-term use only. In fact, studies suggest that they may not even be particularly effective in the long term. But a majority of doctors generally prescribe them for longer periods, or indefinitely. \r\n\r\nWhether prescribed for a condition outside of work or as a result of a workplace injury, opioid misuse can lead to poor productivity, absenteeism and workplace accidents. Employees struggling with addiction and the side effects of opioids miss more work than their peers, and a significant number of people who use opioids while recuperating from a workplace injury never actually return to work at all. That results in higher costs and lower revenues for companies in a variety of sectors.\r\n\r\nMany [solutions for supporting people with legitimate chronic pain while avoiding the very harmful consequences of taking opioids have been proposed](http://www.nsc.org/learn/NSC-Initiatives/Pages/Prescription-Nation-White-Paper.aspx). These include more stringent drug testing, seeking out doctors with a more conservative approach to opioids and providing support for employees struggling with addiction. But both insurers and the CDC have suggested [recommending alternative methods of pain management](http://www.constructionexec.com/article/a-prescription-for-reducing-workers-comp-costs)—and for many people, cannabis can be the most effective option. But to make cannabis a viable solution for workers in pain, employers must advocate—and educate.\r\n\r\n### Challenging the Myths About Cannabis\r\n\r\nCannabis has a fearsome reputation as an illegal substance with no medical applications. For many people, including employers, the idea of using cannabis conjures up images of stoned employees moving through the workday at half speed, dealing drugs on the premises and a host of other undesirable behaviors. Others are doubtful about the medical benefits of marijuana and cannabis’s ability to relieve pain and the symptoms of a wide range of health conditions.\r\n\r\nRELATED: [THE SCIENCE BEHIND WHY MARIJUANA IS SAFER THAN OPIOIDS](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5a453281100a820006562f3f/the-science-behind-why-marijuana-is-safer-than-opioids)\r\n\r\nA workplace campaign to promote cannabis as a way out of opioid use needs to be able to address these issues, and that begins with education. Workplace trainings can draw from the growing body of research that shows how cannabis for medical purposes is very different than recreational cannabis use. Many people who use cannabis medically rely on the non-psychoactive compounds in the cannabis plant for pain relief, most famously cannabidiol (CBD). \r\n\r\nEmployee assistance programs designed to help workers with addiction and other issues could include cannabis as an option to reduce dependence on opioids—or eliminate them altogether. But even if employees learn about medical cannabis, they can still have problems getting access to it.\r\n\r\nOn the federal level, cannabis is still an illegal substance on the most restrictive Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act. And although many states have legalized cannabis in some form, those laws aren’t consistent—and they don’t apply across state lines. In states where medical cannabis is available, not all health conditions are considered eligible, and not all doctors are willing to recommend it or refer patients to dispensaries.\r\n\r\n### Managing the Medical Perspective of Cannabis\r\n\r\nSome opioid reduction plans proposed by workers’ compensation representatives and workplace safety advisers also recommend that employers either work with doctors to reduce the amount of opioids being prescribed for workplace injuries, or seek out doctors who generally prescribe fewer opioids.  \r\n\r\nOverall, a large number—76% in one survey—of [American doctors are in favor of using cannabis for medical purposes](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/survey-76-percent-of-doctors-approve-of-medical-marijuana-use/), at least in theory. But many medical professionals still maintain that cannabis is a dangerous substance with limited research supporting its medical benefits.  \r\n\r\nSome doctors say that prescribing cannabis is risky because it can be difficult to standardize doses, and individual responses can vary widely. Others doubt the medical applications of a substance so popular for recreational use and fear that users could simply substitute one addiction for another. And for some, prescribing opioids is simply easier and more lucrative.  \r\n\r\n### Next Steps if You Think Medical Cannabis Is Right for Your Workplace\r\n\r\n* Encourage employees to [talk about cannabis with their doctors](https://patriotcare.org/talk-doctor-medical-marijuana/)—and encourage doctors to [talk about it with their patients](https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/medical-marijuana-2018011513085). This can help nudge companies towards considering cannabis as a workable alternative for pain management and a way to reduce the liabilities caused by opioids.\r\n\r\n* Present recent research on [cannabis as an effective pain reliever](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5569620/) as doctors and insurers like hard data. Recent studies show that large numbers of people have been able to [reduce their use of opioids with cannabis](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/595413ae914ae4001b40307a/hellomd-and-uc-berkeley-release-study-on-cannabis-use-as-a-substitute-for-opioid-and-non-opioid-based-pain-medication), or stop using opioids entirely.\r\n\r\n* Enlist the support of medical cannabis professionals who can help create programs to introduce cannabis as a workplace treatment for chronic pain—and protocols to safely get employees off opioids and back to work.  \r\n\r\nCannabis offers a way out of the opioid epidemic at work—and with the help of medical cannabis experts and solid research, the cannabis alternative can help companies of all kinds reduce the workplace costs of runaway opioid use. \r\n\r\nPhoto credit: [Joshua Ness](https://unsplash.com/@theexplorerdad)\r\n\r\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's private, easy and 100% online.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3793103448275863,"src":"/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/14b42/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.jpg","srcSet":"/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/f836f/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.jpg 200w,\n/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/2244e/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.jpg 400w,\n/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/14b42/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.jpg 800w,\n/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/47498/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.jpg 1200w,\n/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/0e329/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.jpg 1600w,\n/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/727f7/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.jpg 2491w","srcWebp":"/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/58556/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/61e93/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.webp 200w,\n/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/1f5c5/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.webp 400w,\n/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/58556/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.webp 800w,\n/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/99238/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.webp 1200w,\n/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/7c22d/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.webp 1600w,\n/static/9a2f986d5ce464ffcc933db7c38a498a/a510a/af502b968264bd94c8af0bb390401dcb.webp 2491w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2604-markdown","title":"How Cannabis Relieves Pain Better Than Opioids Do","slug":"how-cannabis-relieves-pain-better-than-opioids-do","content":"Pain is a universal reality that we all have to deal with in some form or another. While pain may strike on occasion for some—such as the random headache or pulled muscle, for many of us, pain is a daily chronic situation. In fact, according to the National Institute of Health, [pain affects more Americans than diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined](https://report.nih.gov/nihfactsheets/ViewFactSheet.aspx?csid=57). Pain is a leading cause of disability, and the most common reason Americans go to the doctor.\n\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\n\nUnfortunately, many with chronic pain turn to dangerous prescription painkillers like opiates. While pain is a huge problem that can leave a patient unable to lead a normal life, the painkillers themselves might be even worse. [Opiates alone kill over 33,000 each year](https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/data/statedeaths.html), and the rates are only increasing.\n\nYou may think over-the-counter painkillers like non-steroidal inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a safer choice, but estimates for [deaths from NSAIDs hover over 15,000 a year](http://americannutritionassociation.org/newsletter/deadly-nsaids), and hospitalization for complications caused by NSAIDS (like GI bleeding or liver damage) are in the 100,000 range. \n\nIn this article, part of our series geared towards folks new to cannabis, we get into how cannabis may be a safer and better option for chronic pain patients. Many report significant pain relief from cannabis, and [in states that allow medical cannabis, deaths from opiate overdoses have gone down by 25%](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25154332).\n\n### Ella’s Success Using Cannabis to Ease Her Pain\n\nElla is one patient whose relied heavily on cannabis’s pain-relieving abilities to get her through the day. Ella has a genetic condition called [thalassemia](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/thalassemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20354995). This inherited blood disorder is characterized by a deficiency in red blood cells and hemoglobin. In severe cases like Ella’s, regular blood transfusions are required as treatment.\n\nElla has been having blood transfusions every few weeks since she was one month old. In addition, this challenging condition has caused Ella problems like liver enlargement, bone inflammation and congestive heart failure. These issues along with the many surgeries and painful procedures Ella has gone through have left her in need of some serious pain management. \n\n“The cannabis just helps me so much with the pain and the surgeries,” says Ella, adding that her mother had first suggested cannabis five years ago as an alternative to the Percocet and Vicodin that she was taking. These prescription painkillers were not only addictive, but they were compounding her liver problems, causing her liver to double in size. \n\nThankfully, cannabis provided Ella a safer alternative. “Because I was taking cannabis for my pain, my liver was able to shrink down to normal size.” she explains, saying that anyone with her condition should try out cannabis. “I recommend it, because it's not a narcotic that can damage your organs, and it's just a wonderful medicine.”\n\n### Becky’s Success Overcoming Her Pain With Marijuana\n\nBecky is another patient who uses cannabis for pain relief. The 42-year-old uses cannabis for a connective tissue disorder that affects her eyes, heart, muscular system and skeletal system. This condition leaves Becky with a lot of daily chronic pain. That pain can really get in the way of her work as a hairstylist. While some doctors suggested she get into a new line of work, Becky is passionate about what she does and wanted to continue.\n\n“I had to figure out ways to make myself feel better and still be able to function.” she says, sharing a long line of medications she experimented with before making her way to medical cannabis.\n\nBecky tried everything from Tylenol and OxyContin to muscle relaxers, but nothing seemed to help. Then she thought back to times she had used cannabis recreationally. “I realized that any time I smoked cannabis, it was because I was struggling with physical pain or with something emotional. It always helped.” \n\nWith approval from her doctor, Becky began to use cannabis medicinally, and it has transformed her life. “I truly, deeply feel like if I didn't have cannabis in my life, I wouldn't be the same person I am now.” she says. “I might not even be here.” \n\nStill, Becky says she had to do some work to find the right kinds of cannabis for her. “Not everything affects me the same way it affects everybody else,” she explains. “There are some indicas that make me really 'go go go.' There are some that caused me massive anxiety. There are some sativas that make me sleepy. I had to figure that all out.” \n\nHaving finally worked out what her best cannabis options are, Becky’s now well enough to continue her work in the hair salon. She has become a vocal advocate of cannabis, telling all of her clients about the wonders it has worked in her life. \n\n### Many Are Finding Pain Relief With Cannabis \n\nBecky and Ella aren’t the only ones using cannabis for pain. In one study, [97% of medical marijuana patients said they use the plant primarily for chronic pain](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3998228/).\n\nThe science supports these patient’s claims that cannabis is a potent painkiller. In fact, in a study by UC Berkeley and HelloMD, [81% of patients reported that cannabis alone was more effective at relieving their pain than opioids were](http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/can.2017.0012), with similar results reported for patients using non-opioid painkillers.\n\nCannabis helps treat pain by sending cannabinoids like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to stimulate the body’s endocannabinoid system. This system is the body’s natural pain reliever. When stimulated, pain relief is quick and potent, but without the numbing and desensitized feelings that can come with traditional painkillers. \n\nIf you suffer from chronic pain and think cannabis might be right for you, the best first step is to talk to a doctor. You can [consult with one of HelloMD’s knowledgeable doctors](https://www.hellomd.com/); it's easy, private and 100% online. Whether you have a medical marijuana card or live in a state where you can purchase through recreational means, you’ll want to start exploring which strains and methods of using cannabis are best for you.\n\nStay tuned for our next installment of the Cannabis for Newbies guide, where we’ll delve into how cannabis can help manage stress.\n\nPhoto credit: [Nick Karvounis](https://unsplash.com/@nickkarvounis)","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3605442176870748,"src":"/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/14b42/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.jpg","srcSet":"/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/f836f/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.jpg 200w,\n/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/2244e/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.jpg 400w,\n/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/14b42/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.jpg 800w,\n/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/47498/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.jpg 1200w,\n/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/0e329/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.jpg 1600w,\n/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/bea71/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.jpg 3641w","srcWebp":"/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/58556/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/61e93/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.webp 200w,\n/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/1f5c5/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.webp 400w,\n/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/58556/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.webp 800w,\n/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/99238/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.webp 1200w,\n/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/7c22d/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.webp 1600w,\n/static/71c57f9c49583e77de2394807485209e/79ff7/799f831c02e97ecbc0aadeda07ebbd75.webp 3641w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2619-markdown","title":"Cannabis in the Workplace: A Plan for Productivity","slug":"cannabis-in-the-workplace-a-plan-for-productivity","content":"The United States has just over 4% of the world’s population, yet its doctors prescribe more than 80% of the world’s oxycodone. [The opioid epidemic of abusing oxycodone and other prescription pain medications has cost the country more than a trillion dollars](https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/02/13/585199746/cost-of-u-s-opioid-epidemic-since-2001-is-1-trillion-and-climbing) since 2001—and the greatest financial burden of the crisis is in the workplace.\r\n\r\nOpioids cost billions every year in lost productivity, workplace safety issues and workers’ compensation claims. But cannabis can provide the solution employers need to restore the productivity and revenue lost to the opioid crisis.\r\n\r\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\r\n\r\n### Many Plans, Few Solutions for the Opioid Crisis\r\n\r\nEmployees bring opioid use to the workplace when they take these medications for pain from off-work accidents or chronic conditions like arthritis. But the workplace can also create opioid use and dependence when someone suffers a workplace injury and opioids are prescribed. \r\n\r\n[Workers using opioids can cause accidents, miss work and cost far more in workplace compensation claims](http://www.nsc.org/learn/NSC-Initiatives/Pages/prescription-painkillers-for-employers.aspx) than their peers in similar situations who don’t use opioids. To combat the problem, entities from the federal government to workplace-related bodies such as workers’ compensation insurers and safety councils have [proposed solutions that focus heavily on limiting access to opioids](http://www.constructionexec.com/article/a-prescription-for-reducing-workers-comp-costs), rather than finding safer alternatives for treating the pain opioid users legitimately feel.\r\n\r\n[Plans proposed by the National Safety Council (NSC)](http://www.nsc.org/learn/NSC-Initiatives/Pages/Prescription-Nation-White-Paper.aspx) and some workplace insurers emphasize tighter control of prescriptions and penalizing overprescribing doctors. [Other recommendations](http://www.talenteconomy.io/2017/09/05/can-employers-fight-opioid-epidemic/) include wider drug testing in the workplace to spot opioid users, workplace education programs and expanded employee assistance programs to help with dependence and addiction.  \r\n\r\nSome agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and NSC also suggest advocating for alternative methods of pain control including chiropractic treatments, physical therapy and acupuncture. But conspicuously absent from those options is a true medical alternative that can manage pain without the harmful and dangerous side effects of opioids: cannabis. \r\n\r\n### Cannabis Controls Pain, Not Lives\r\n\r\nRecent studies support the claims of many cannabis users that [cannabis products can treat pain](https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/755388) as well as, or better than, opioids can. And these cannabis products don’t cause the impairment, addiction and risk of overdose that opioids can. That’s because the [cannabinoids in cannabis work very differently](https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2014/01/5-surprising-things-you-need-to-know-about-prescription-painkillers/index.htm) in the body than opioids do.\r\n\r\nThe body contains receptor networks for both cannabis and opioids, and both types of receptors can be activated to block pain signals to the brain. But the endocannabinoid receptor network—receptors for cannabinoids (the compounds found in the marijuana plant) and naturally occurring endocannabinoids—affects nearly all of the body’s processes to promote immune responses, lower inflammation and a variety of other benefits. By comparison, the opioid receptor network is limited, and its receptors are found largely in the brain, particularly the brainstem, and the digestive system. \r\n\r\nOpioid receptors in the brain are responsible for the powerfully addictive nature of these medications—and also the potential for death by overdose. Opioids depress autonomous functions in the brainstem such as respiration and heartbeat, and when a person takes too many, or takes opioids in combination with other sedatives, these functions can be depressed to the point of stopping.\r\n\r\nBut the number of cannabinoid receptors in the brain is negligible, eliminating the risk of an overdose death.  To put it another way: Because of where the different receptors are located in the body, opioids can cause death—but cannabis can’t. \r\n\r\nStopping the use of opioids can be stressful and risky, too, thanks to the surge of norepinephrine that occurs when opioids are no longer in control. Withdrawal symptoms can be severe, and potentially life-threatening; this plays a role in keeping people addicted. But while it’s possible to become psychologically addicted to cannabis, stopping its use doesn’t cause the same wrenching physical symptoms, because cannabis doesn’t affect norepinephrine production in the brain.  \r\n\r\n### Separating Myth From Medicine\r\n\r\nCannabis is now being more widely used to control pain and the symptoms of many other diseases and conditions. But it still faces barriers thanks to its fearsome and legendary reputation as “marijuana,” a substance that’s still classified as a Schedule 1 restricted drug along with heroin and LSD. And anti-drug campaigns have for generations portrayed cannabis as a dangerous way to get high and a gateway to abusing harder drugs.  \r\n\r\nBut cannabis products for medical uses such as pain control can contain relatively minimal amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient responsible for the “high,” in comparison to cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive cannabis compound that activates cannabinoid receptors related to managing pain and inflammation.\r\n\r\nEmployees using high-CBD cannabis for pain control aren’t likely to be high at work, cause accidents or take large amounts of sick leave due to opioid-related issues. In fact, they may experience greater focus and energy, and be less susceptible to the stresses of the workplace.\r\n\r\nRELATED: [CANNABIS: AN EXIT DRUG FOR THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC?](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/59f0d5d6453ba8000f3478d6/cannabis-an-exit-drug-for-the-opioid-epidemic)\r\n\r\n### Introducing Cannabis as an Opioid Alternative\r\n\r\nBecause cannabis is a safer and less addictive alternative for pain control, incorporating it into plans for combatting opioid abuse can save lives and reduce or eliminate the many problems associated with opioids in the workplace. Employers can encourage doctors associated with their insurance and workers’ compensation programs to prescribe cannabis when possible, or at least discuss it with patients. Training that covers the risks of opioids can include cannabis as another alternative for pain management along with other natural remedies.  \r\n\r\nOpioid misuse and dependence robs employees of wages, careers and health—and costs employers billions every year. Cannabis can change that picture—and medical cannabis specialists can work with employers of all kinds to develop pain management protocols for keeping workers healthy, and workplaces safer and more productive.\r\n\r\nPhoto credit: [Rawpixel.com](https://unsplash.com/@rawpixel)\r\n\r\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.  ","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3888888888888888,"src":"/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/14b42/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.jpg","srcSet":"/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/f836f/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.jpg 200w,\n/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/2244e/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.jpg 400w,\n/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/14b42/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.jpg 800w,\n/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/47498/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.jpg 1200w,\n/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/0e329/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.jpg 1600w,\n/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/e0e30/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.jpg 3660w","srcWebp":"/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/58556/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/61e93/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.webp 200w,\n/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/1f5c5/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.webp 400w,\n/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/58556/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.webp 800w,\n/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/99238/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.webp 1200w,\n/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/7c22d/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.webp 1600w,\n/static/f82eafee129f2df8906a4eaf918d98f5/46196/87f665c4b9b5705f4ccdff8bfaff65a8.webp 3660w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2623-markdown","title":"Holistic Therapies to Relieve Chronic Pain","slug":"holistic-therapies-to-relieve-chronic-pain","content":"More than 100 million Americans are living with chronic pain—an “[epidemic of pain](https://theforum.sph.harvard.edu/events/the-chronic-pain-epidemic/)” that costs billions every year in treatment and lost productivity. Treatment for that pain relies heavily on opioids, a class of potent prescription painkillers, and other medications aimed at treating pain-related symptoms like insomnia or depression. But opioids come with a long list of potentially dangerous side effects as well as a high risk of addiction and death from overdose—and studies have shown that for chronic, rather than acute pain, they aren’t really all that effective anyway.\r\n\r\nBecause of the risks and side effects associated with opioids and other pain medications, a growing number of pain sufferers are seeking out [medication-free, holistic treatments](https://www.onlineholistichealth.com/natural-cure-chronic-pain-syndromes-silenced-medical-doctors/) that work with the body’s own mechanisms for modulating pain. Among the most effective [non-prescription alternatives](https://journals.lww.com/ajnonline/Citation/2001/04001/Incorporating_Alternative_Therapies_into_Pain.9.aspx), according to research, are:\r\n\r\n* Exercise\r\n* Pressure point therapies \r\n* Cannabis\r\n\r\nFOLLOW US ON [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/pg/hellomdcompany/posts/) & [INSTAGRAM](https://www.instagram.com/hellomd_com/?hl=en)\r\n\r\n### What Causes Chronic Pain?\r\n\r\nJust about everyone experiences pain. While a very small group of people are almost completely lacking in pain receptors, most of us are equipped with [a wide-ranging and sensitive network of neurons that fire in response to painful stimuli](https://www.everydayhealth.com/pain-management/how-pain-works.aspx), sending signals to the brain that tell us to do something about it. \r\n\r\nAcute pain, the kind that comes from a sudden event like an injury or surgery, stimulates regions in the brain that are associated with tissue damage, and those signals trigger a number of responses in the body to deal with the problem. Pain medications like opioids block those pain signals in the brainstem, so that they don’t register as strongly. That’s why opioid medications can be very effective in the short term, such as in the days immediately after major surgery, or when healing from an injury.\r\n\r\nBut brain imaging studies show that [chronic pain generally behaves very differently](https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201403/is-impaired-neuroplasticity-linked-chronic-pain). Even after an injury or other tissue trauma has healed, the perception of pain can linger. This kind of pain manifests in areas of the brain such as the limbic system and prefrontal cortex, areas of the brain associated with memory, emotion and learning. The brain is an eternally plastic organ, capable of building new neural pathways in response to constant input and stimulation—and of retiring others that don’t receive new input.  \r\n\r\nIn patients with chronic pain, the connections between memory, emotion and pain can become rewired, laying down new and stronger pathways that persist even after the initial injury or trauma is long over. Some research suggests that chronic pain sufferers may be more susceptible to experiencing this kind of pain, because their brains are more sensitive to pain signals that then become stored in memory. \r\n\r\n### Medications Don’t Always Help Ease Chronic Pain\r\n\r\nBecause opioids block pain signaling, they can provide short-term relief for pain that comes from signaling in the central nervous system that reaches the cerebral cortex. But when they’re used for chronic pain conditions such as arthritis, back pain or fibromyalgia, or even lingering pain from a past injury, their effectiveness drops to around 50–60%.  \r\n\r\nEven so, a majority of doctors continue to prescribe them for 90 days or longer—or indefinitely—in spite of recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control that they be used for seven to 10 days, or no more than a month. Opioids can become addictive very quickly, leading to long-term abuse and the risk of overdose death.  \r\n\r\nAlong with opioids, a number of other medications are often prescribed to relieve symptoms associated with chronic pain, such as insomnia, anxiety or depression. These drugs bring their own side effects and risks, and typically don’t directly address the causes of chronic pain itself. \r\n\r\nBut non-pharmaceutical approaches to managing chronic pain focus on supporting natural pain-relieving processes in the body and brain. This can help relieve both pain and other symptoms that go along with it. \r\n\r\n### Exercise Promotes Pain Relief\r\n\r\nIf you’re in pain, you may not feel like working out, but movement can boost the flow of blood and oxygen, and engage the body’s own pain modulating systems. “Runner’s high” isn’t limited only to endurance athletes—exercise, especially the aerobic variety, stimulates the production of endorphins and other naturally occurring chemicals that block pain signals and promote feelings of well-being.  \r\n\r\nCertain kinds of exercise can also do more. Meditative movement practices such as yoga or tai chi encourage flexibility and stretching, which can help muscles that tighten in response to pain. These kinds of practices can also encourage the brain to build new pathways that counteract the changes caused by chronic pain. Some studies suggest that [yoga and similar practices can be as effective as prescription pain medications](https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-athletes-way/201505/how-does-yoga-relieve-chronic-pain).\r\n\r\n### Massage & Acupuncture Ease Pain\r\n\r\nSome [alternative therapies focus on easing pain by targeting specific points](https://www.onlineholistichealth.com/natural-cure-chronic-pain-syndromes-silenced-medical-doctors/\\) on the body. Many types of massage therapy involve working on certain areas of the body to relax muscles and release areas that might be experiencing pain. Studies suggest that massage can also encourage the release of chemicals like oxytocin that cause feelings of relaxation and well-being.  \r\n\r\n[Acupuncture has proven to be so beneficial for certain kinds of chronic pain](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5a6267098425e40008273a32/how-acupuncture-interacts-with-the-endocannabinoid-system) that this ancient Asian treatment has made its way into mainstream recommendations for pain relief, even though it still isn’t clear how it works.  Some research suggests that acupuncture needles trigger the release of aminase, an amino acid in the skin that helps reduce pain signals.  \r\n\r\n### Cannabis Relieves Pain—& More\r\n\r\nA long list of natural remedies can also help relieve chronic pain, such as omega 3 fatty acids to ease inflammation, and vitamin and mineral supplements to support nerve and tissue health. But a growing number of chronic pain sufferers are turning to cannabis products of all kinds for pain relief that also helps related symptoms such as insomnia and anxiety. \r\n\r\nCompounds in marijuana, especially cannabidiol (CBD), bind with the body’s natural endocannabinoid receptor system, a wide-ranging network that supports many essential processes, including immune responses, mood and pain signaling. \r\n\r\nRELATED: [CHRONIC PAIN HAS MET ITS MATCH](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/55b6676d3238370006150000/chronic-pain-has-met-its-match)\r\n\r\nCBD and other compounds are so similar to cannabinoids naturally produced by the body that they can trigger the same responses, without the risk of addiction and overdose associated with opioid pain medications. For that reason, marijuana can also help with the sleep problems and anxiety that often accompany chronic pain—and it allows many people to [reduce their use of opioids and other medications](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5a1ef66aeea891000897e274/how-opioids-and-cannabinoids-interact-to-boost-pain-relief), or to stop taking them altogether.\r\n\r\nFor the millions of Americans and others around the globe who are suffering from chronic pain conditions, holistic approaches can provide relief that’s as effective as prescription medications, without their risks and side effects. By supporting the body’s own healing responses, alternatives like exercise, massage and cannabis can offer a way out of the twin epidemics of chronic pain and opioids.\r\n\r\nPhoto credit: [Xavier Sotomayor](https://unsplash.com/@goodboyshady)\r\n\r\nIf you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's easy, private and 100% online.  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