What are the best cannabis strains for chronic pain?

Medical cannabis is an increasingly popular alternative to traditional painkillers, including opioids. Marijuana can reduce some types of chronic pain, including pain caused by nerve damage and inflammation.

Today, chronic pain affects more people than cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Chronic pain is the most common cause of long-term disability in the United States.

Most cannabis-based products do not have approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and more evidence is needed to confirm their safety and effectiveness.

However, anecdotal evidence suggests that marijuana or its compounds may help relieve certain types of pain.

There are different types or strains of marijuana available, and each may have a slightly different effect on the user.

Best Marijuana Strains for Chronic Pain

Different types of cannabis plants include the following:

cannabis indica

cannabis

Hybrid

There is limited research available on the use of specific cannabis strains for pain and other symptoms. As a result, strain-specific recommendations are not clinically proven.

The results of an online survey, which included 95 participants, appeared in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in 2014.

Researchers found that participants preferred indica strains for pain management, sedation, and sleep, while they would opt for sativa strains for energy and mood improvements.

With regard to pain management, participants reported a statistically significant effect when using indica:

non-migraine headache

neuropathy

spasticity

joint pain

However, it is important to note that this study had several limitations. It was small-scale, anonymous, and asked people to self-report their symptoms. Respondents did not use marijuana in a controlled setting, potentially as a result of differences in drug composition, dosage, and potency.

Another study examined the use of biologically grown sativa and indica strains in the treatment of several medical conditions. More than half of the participants were using marijuana to treat HIV.

The study followed the participants for 3 years and asked them about the effects of the drug on their condition during this time. The results indicated that indica strains were more likely to improve energy and appetite, whereas both sativa and indica strains could reduce nausea to a similar degree.

How does marijuana work for pain?

Marijuana, or cannabis, contains compounds that can relieve pain, nausea, and other symptoms. The components of marijuana in cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that most studies have focused on pain relief.

THC vs. CBD

THC resembles naturally occurring cannabinoid chemicals in the body. When people ingest or inhale THC, it stimulates the brain's cannabinoid receptors.

It activates the reward system of the brain and reduces the level of pain. THC is a psychoactive compound because it binds to cannabinoid receptors and produces an elevated state of mind, known as a high.

CBD does not cause a high, although it does interact with pain receptors in the brain to exert pain relief and anti-inflammatory effects.

Read more: Cannabis medicines