A viewer asks “do edibles work for pain management?”
When you ask such a question, the quick answer is: it depends.
You didn’t give me quite enough information. What kind of pain? How severe? What is your cannabis tolerance like? A lot of factors have to be taken into account.
That said, I definitely think using cannabis edibles for pain management is something most people should try as cannabis does not have the serious side effects that come with prescription or even over-the-counter pain medicines. To learn how to works and why cannabis is so safe for pain management, check out this post.
You cannot fatally overdose on cannabis. It is not going to damage or shut down your organs or stop you from breathing. Cannabis simply does not work that way in the body.
But there is more you need to know. This article will explain all.
Does cannabis work for pain? YES!
I am not saying cannabis will cure all pain in all patients. But, as someone who teaches people about cannabis, cannabis cooking, and cannabis topicals, I regularly hear from readers and students who swear by cannabis for pain.
And I am talking all kinds of pain at all ends of the spectrum from simple aches and pains from over exertion to serious chronic neuropathic pain. Headaches, cramps, arthritis, muscle strains, and much more all seem to respond well to cannabis.
You have nothing to lose by trying it to see if it works for you.
Besides pain relief itself, cannabis has other effects that have the side effects of also helping with pain
- It’s an anti-inflammatory and a lot of pain is caused by inflammation
- It can help reduce anxiety and depression
- It can help you sleep better
How to use cannabis for pain relief
Cannabis has been successfully used for thousands of years to treat pain, inflammation, and other conditions. Not only that, cannabis is about the safest form of pain relief you can get. Safer even than aspirin and over the counter medicines we typically turn toward. This article explains why.
The active ingredient in cannabis,THC, binds to receptors throughout the body and has both anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties.
You can gain the benefit of these properties by eating cannabis in the form of edibles. You could also smoke or vape it. You can even get relief from some types of pain and inflammation by rubbing cannabis topicals product onto the skin. It may sound incredible but it is true as the cannabinoids in cannabis bind to receptors in the skin. Learn more here.
Do cannabis edibles work for pain? Yes. Here’s why
Edible cannabis is a particularly good choice for pain patients because its effects last longer and can be felt more strongly than other ingestion methods. The effects of edible cannabis effects last for 4 to 6 hours, while those of inhaled cannabis typically last an hour or two at most.
Edibles are also especially good for sleep, helping you not only fall asleep, but stay asleep. Something a lot of pain patients have trouble with.
Managing Expectations when Using Edibles for Pain
It’s important to manage expectations as well when using edibles, or any form of cannabis for that matter, for pain.
Pain patients describe the effects as not so much taking pain away, but rather making the pain more bearable. It can take pain that is consuming you, and move to the back burner, so to speak.
Edibles for pain dosing and timing
When using edibles, it’s all about the right dose and taking them at the right time for the effects you need to take place.
If you don’t know what dose you need, my free edibles dosing class can help you figure that out. Even better my dosage calculators will do all the math for you (just $5.00).
As we have discussed, edible cannabis lasts much longer than smoked cannabis. But it also takes longer to take effect.
If you are taking cannabis edibles for pain management, plan accordingly and think about when you are taking them versus when you will likely start to fell their effects.
I suggest taking a proper dose an hour or two before bedtime. However, as I have said, every person responds differently so test it out yourself and adjust as needed.
And just in case you accidentally eat too much and feel uncomfortable, don’t worry. There are things you can do to quickly stop that uncomfortable feeling. Steps are outlined in this post.