To understand how cannabis treats pain, we first need to know:
- how we experience pain
- how our endocannabinoid system works
- a basic understanding of cannabis
How we feel pain
First, our skin receptors send pain signals through nerve fibers to the spinal cord which then carries pain signals to the brain. The signals first stop in the parietal lobe – the section of the brain that interprets pain and touch. Finally, the thalamus sends the signals for processing in the cerebral cortex.
The endocannabinoid system
Our endocannabinoid system [ECS] keeps our bodies in homeostasis. This means it helps regulate things like mood, digestion, temperature, and yes, even pain. The ECS has receptors all over the body to do this. When your body is no longer in homeostasis, the ECS uses cannabinoids to get us back to normal.
There are two types of cannabinoids:
- Endocannabinoids
- Phytocannabinoids
Broken down, “endo” is short for endogenous which means “produced inside the body” and “cannabinoid” comes from the word “cannabis”. Therefore, endocannabinoids are cannabis-like compounds that our body naturally produces.
Phytocannabinoids (Phyto = plant-based) are cannabinoids that occur naturally in the cannabis plant. These cannabinoids can mimic the effects of endocannabinoids. THC and CBD are the most famous phytocannabinoids.
How the ECS stops the pain
We are not in homeostasis when we feel pain. Consuming cannabis can help by injecting the body with phytocannabinoids that mimic our endocannabinoids and help the ECS achieve balance again. This is how cannabis treats pain.
Conclusion
Cannabis works with our body’s cannabinoid receptors within our endocannabinoid system. It helps this system achieve balance by supplementing our body’s own cannabinoids. We can treat different levels and types of pain by using different cannabis strains, compounds, products, and dosage amounts.
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Canada House specializes in creating patient-specific medical cannabis treatment plans. Since 2013, we have helped over 14,000 Canadians improve their health.