Humans have been using cannabis for medicinal purposes for at least 2500 years. Our methods have become a lot more sophisticated in that time. Nowadays, there are different types of cannabis that treat different kinds of ailments. The best strain for your needs depends on the nature of your health issue.
While all cannabis strains can help with pain, some do a particularly good job. Read on as we look at the five best cannabis strains for chronic pain.
What is Chronic Pain?
Everyone knows what pain feels like. However, not all pain is chronic pain.
The CDC states that chronic pain is a condition in which you are in pain most days over a six-month period. High-impact chronic pain is a worse version of this condition, in which the pain occurs with a similar frequency but also affects your ability to carry out normal daily activities.
How Does Cannabis Treat Pain?
To decide which strains will work best in the fight against chronic pain, it’s important to learn about the ways in which cannabis affects pain.
This study gives a broad outline of cannabis’ efficacy in pain treatment. It explains how the endocannabinoid system is instrumental in the management of pain.
The endocannabinoid system is the network of receptors (such as the CB1 and CB2) in your brain that cannabis acts upon.
Cannabis influences this system in such a way that it lessens inflammation throughout the body. Medical professionals, therefore, use it as an anti-inflammatory, which is also the function of medicines like Ibuprofen.
Many pain-related issues, most notably arthritis, derive from excessive inflammation in the body.
Therefore, when choosing a cannabis strain to treat chronic pain, you should prioritize those strains that have the most pronounced anti-inflammatory effects. CBD and THC both have anti-inflammatory properties, so a larger percentage of one or the other will not necessarily predict better management of inflammation.
The endocannabinoid system also deals with damage to your nervous system. Damage like this (such as in the form of sciatica) can cause chronic pain, which cannabis can address.
The best pain-relief strains may be so effective due to having a favorable “entourage effect.” This term describes the impact and effects of different combinations of cannabinoids in users. As this study outlines, more research into lesser-known cannabinoids is required before we can fully understand the entourage effect. However, most cannabis experts now agree that it is an important factor in strain selection.
The Five Best Cannabis Strains for Chronic Pain
If you’re in Canada, you should have no trouble finding any of these five strains on our online store. You can always freely search cannabis online Canada or better yet, simply choose one or two of the five strains we’ve listed here, then place your order.
There are hundreds of cannabis strains that can treat pain. However, the five we’ve picked all have exceptional pain management profiles.
While these are some of our favorites, you should always experiment with a few different strains before settling on one. Strains don’t always affect every user the same way so you should try different options to determine what works best.
1. Harlequin
The first entry on our list has a healthy balance between THC and CBD. This means that its psychoactive effects are much milder than other options here, which makes it perfect for you if you’re a less-experienced cannabis user or if you just don’t wish to get too high.
Harlequin is also rich in caryophyllene, a terpene that attaches to CB2 receptors in a way that reduces inflammation and lessens anxiety.
2. Master Kush
Master Kush is an indica-dominant strain. Like many traditional indicas, it has a numbing effect on the body, making it an ideal choice for sufferers of arthritis or musculoskeletal issues.
Descended from Afghanistan’s early mountain landraces, Master Kush carries traditional indica genetics. While it is renowned for its calming effects, it can also sharpen awareness and fuel creativity. This makes it a good all-round medicinal strain.
3. Critical Mass
Critical Mass is another indica. Like Master Kush, it has strong numbing and calming effects, which give it its pain management qualities.
This strain has a very high THC/CBD ratio. Along with medical benefits, it packs a powerful psychoactive punch.
Critical Mass is also noted for its effectiveness in treating insomnia. If your chronic pain is getting between you and a good night’s sleep, this might be the strain for you.Alternatively,you may also grow award winning blue dream feminized seeds in 2020 at the comfort of your home and reap the benefits.
4. Blue Dream
Blue Dream is another strain with a high THC/CBD ratio, which means that you can expect a pretty strong effect when you smoke or vape it. However, it also aids focus and creativity, making it more than just a pain reliever.
A sativa-dominant descendant of Blueberry and Haze, Blue Dream has also attracted praise for its pleasant blueberry flavor.
5. The White
Named for its distinctive coating of white crystals, The White is another strain that will work wonders for various types of pain. Another option with dominant indica genetics, it has a distinctly calming effect.
Unusually for cannabis strains, The White is noted for having little smell or taste. If you want to keep the odor to a minimum when you light up, this is the strain to consider.
The Pain Management Approach of the Future
Experts now agree that cannabis is one of the best all-around chronic pain management options. It is affordable, all-natural, and enjoyable!
It also poses far fewer risks than traditional pain management medicines. Neither organ damage nor physical dependence is a risk with cannabis consumption.
To learn more about the best cannabis strains for chronic pain, contact us today.