Arrowhead Clinic Publishes Post On Link Between Chronic Back Pain And Cannabis

Atlanta, Georgia -

Arrowhead Clinic, based in Atlanta, GA, has announced that they have recently published a blog post, titled "Chronic Back Pain and Cannabis | What The Research Says". In the post, it is explained how cannabis or marijuana can be used for treating back pain. They point out that studies have shown that the cannabinoids in marijuana have anti-inflammatory effects.

Johnny Brown from Arrowhead Clinic says, "Marijuana is no stranger to being used for pain relief. In countries where medical use is allowed, marijuana is often prescribed to treat pain where other treatments have not been successful. In the U.S. and Canada, chronic pain has been cited by patients as the most common reason for their use of medical marijuana."

While there are a lot of anecdotal instances of the use of marijuana to relieve back pain, controlled studies have been conducted to provide scientific evidence to support those health claims. In a 2004 study, 34 people suffering from chronic pain, which was resistant to the usual medical treatment, were provided with different strains of cannabis and observed for more than 12 weeks. They found a significant decrease in the pain symptoms and that extracts containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) truly have an analgesic, pain-relieving effect.

A 2011 study also indicated a significant reduction in chronic pain with the use of vaporized cannabis. An in 2015, a clinical review by Kevin P. Hill, MD, of results from six clinical trials indicated the effectiveness of cannabis for pain relief. From the findings section of the clinical review, it was stated that, "Use of marijuana for chronic pain, neuropathic pain, and spasticity due to multiple sclerosis is supported by high-quality evidence. Six trials that included 325 patients examined chronic pain, 6 trials that included 396 patients investigated neuropathic pain, and 12 trials that included 1600 patients focused on multiple sclerosis. Several of these trials had positive results, suggesting that marijuana or cannabinoids may be efficacious for these indications."

However, it was also observed that different people can have slightly different results with each type of marijuana strain. Thus, patients may need to do a little bit of experimentation to find the best strain for them. Nevertheless, it was noted that the two most observed compounds were cannabidiol (CBD) and THC. The primary difference between THC and CBD is in their psychoactive effects on the brain. CBD is usually ingested orally and has no psychoactive impact on the brain. On the other hand, THC causes the "high" that people get from using marijuana.

It was found that "smoking marijuana is likely to have many of the same potential side effects as regular smoking and could have negative impacts on breathing conditions." Thus, those who want to take marijuana for pain and prefer to inhale it, can use a vaporizer.

It should be noted that cannabis has several short-term side effects. These include slurred speech, dizziness, red eyes, lack of coordination, increased appetite, dry mouth, lethargy, and impaired judgment.

Arrowhead Clinic specializes in treating victims of car accidents. The team of health professionals include chiropractic and medical doctors. The clinic's services include treatments for auto/truck accident injuries, slip and fall, neck and back pain, workers' compensation injuries, and sports injuries.

The Atlanta chiropractor clinic has mostly five star reviews on its Google Maps page where almost 300 positive reviews can be found. For instance, Jameshia P., who gave a five star rating for the clinic, says, "My very first time attending a chiropractor and they made me feel welcomed. Dr T is awesome and the staff is great and an awesome team. Very professional environment to be a part. I enjoy coming to Arrowhead Clinic. Have been coming three weeks now and I feel better than I did before."

Ashley N., who also gave the clinic five stars, says, "I absolutely love this clinic! The staff is wonderful and always friendly. Kianna and Naomi always make sure you’re scheduled for all of your appointments inside the clinic and if you’re referred outside of the clinic. Carri is so sweet and so patient and Dr. Turner is the best! She is so precise and she makes sure you’re feeling wonderful before you walk out of there. They are all so caring and I absolutely adore each and everyone of them. My last day of service is going to be bittersweet."

Arrowhead Clinic was founded by Dr. Harry W. Brown, D.C., who is a native of Atlanta and graduated from the Logan College of Chiropractic. They opened their first chiropractor office in Savannah, GA, in 1977. In 1979, Dr. Brown moved back to Atlanta and opened his second chiropractic office in Jonesboro, GA. To date, Arrowhead has 15 chiropractic clinics in Atlanta, Nashville, Savannach, Athens, Brunswick, Hinesville, and Athens.

Those who need more information about the evidence on chronic back pain and cannabis or who want to schedule a free consultation can visit their website or call them by phone.