Texas Cannabis Clinic
Medical Marijuana Doctors located in Austin, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and the entire State of Texas through telemedicine.
An estimated 50 million adults in the United States experience chronic pain. If your chronic pain has significant components of muscle spasticity and/or neuropathy the team at At Texas Cannabis Clinic can address those qualifying conditions with medical marijuana. Otherwise, general chronic pain was removed from the list of qualifying conditions to be considered by the 2019 legislature.
In short, chronic pain is not a qualifying condition alone but we can help you get scheduled for certification via video visit if you have been diagnosed with muscle spasms and/or neuropathy, (if you have been prescribed a muscle relaxer or nerve pain medication such as Gabapentin or Lyrica). Fibromyalgia is also a qualifying condition.
Matthew Brimberry, MD, knows that some of the best medical marijuana research shows that it can reduce pain and opioid use in chronic pain and looks forward to the state reconsidering chronic pain as a qualifying diagnosis. Find out if you qualify for medical marijuana by booking a telehealth appointment today.
Chronic Pain Q&A
Everyone experiences pain once in a while. When you stub your toe, pull a muscle, or bang your elbow, pain is your body’s indication that something is wrong. But once the injury heals, the pain goes away.
Chronic pain is different from regular pain. Chronic pain is a medical condition involving long-term pain that lasts for weeks, months, or even years and is the most common cause of long-term disability in the United States. It’s often associated with a chronic health condition, like arthritis or cancer, and might be constant or come and go.
Chronic pain impacts every aspect of your life and often affects your ability to complete routine tasks, like household chores or working. Physical activities may be difficult and your quality of life may be lower.
Chronic pain has many possible causes. You may experience pain that lingers long after you recover from an injury or illness. Chronic pain might also be the result of having a disease like osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, or rheumatoid arthritis.
Chronic pain is also a symptom of gallbladder disease, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and stomach ulcers. It’s also a symptom of health conditions that cause inflammation or nerve damage.
Some people have chronic pain with unknown causes.
The most effective treatments for chronic pain reduce symptoms so you can enjoy life. Treatment for chronic pain depends on the underlying cause and often requires a multidisciplinary approach to manage. Your pain management team may include:
- Physical and occupational therapists
- Neurologists
- Orthopedic surgeons and orthopedists
- Oncologists
- Psychologists
Medical cannabis physicians offer an alternative treatment for pain-relieving medications like opioids for patients with qualifying health conditions that also cause chronic pain.
Medical marijuana contains pain-relieving compounds called cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that may ease chronic pain in addition to offering relief from spasticity or neuropathy symptoms.
Long-term opioid use for chronic pain is associated with many adverse side effects including:
- Constipation
- Sleep disorders
- Overdose
- Addiction
- Physical dependence
The risk of physical dependence and addiction may lead to improper prescribing and inadequate pain management. Medical marijuana is used to treat patients with spasticity, neuropathy, and other qualifying health conditions.
Most patients who have chronic pain in addition to a qualifying condition experience reduced pain when treating the qualifying health condition with medical marijuana.
Chronic pain is not currently on the Texas Medical Board list of approved conditions for telemedicine appointments, however, chronic pain is often associated with qualifying conditions like spasticity or neuropathy. If you have a qualifying condition, book a telehealth appointment today to find out if medical marijuana can help you.