How I Turned to Cannabis As Medicine For Chronic Pain
Blessedly, I managed my chronic pain without prescriptions for a few decades, as detailed in my last post. But by 2018, when my arthritis advanced rapidly throughout my body, I knew the stress of the pain was taking a toll on my organs. My blood panel results concerned my doctors, who used words like “extreme” and “severely advanced” to describe my condition. I was urged to weigh pain management options. People all around me had been recommending that I try cannabis. The plant arrived in an ancient and very unexpected form.
What if we could go back far beyond any known contemporary culture? What medicines have been passed down from ancestor-to-ancestor throughout the centuries?
As it happens, the cannabis plant has been utilized for its medicinal properties for millennia(1). Like sex and pleasure, cannabis gets a bad rap, and we humans are still recovering from the backlash. Before the 1937 marijuana ban, cannabis products had been a common form of patented medicine in the United States since the early 1800’s, found in tinctures, tonics and topicals. The classification of cannabinoids as having potential for high abuse and having no medicinal value goes against thousands of years of human experience and wisdom.
Records indicate that our ancient ancestors used cannabis for pain, inflammation, seizures, to ease the pain of childbirth, and as an aphrodisiac. Ancient civilizations used cannabis by 1) burning and inhaling the smoke, 2) making salves, ointments and pulpices, and 3) distilling tonics, tinctures, and beverages, much like we do today.
Cannabis Is Old and Has Been Used Worldwide
Evidence indicates that the cannabis plant has existed for over 11,700 years, carried by nomads from the Central Asian Altai Mountains(2). Nomads treasured and shared the plant, which served as both medicine and as a source of fiber that could be used to make everything from clothes and rope to paper and pottery. Cannabis also has a long history as an entheogen, utilized for spiritual and religious purposes.
Our Ancients in China Bred Cannabis for THC Content
Archeologists discovered a 2,700 year old tomb(3) in China of a man thought to be a shaman who had been buried with 800 grams of cannabis. Further analysis of the plant revealed that it had been bred for potency and cultivated specifically for its psychoactive properties.
In Egypt Cannabis Was Used for the Pain of Childbirth
In ancient Egypt the cannabis plant was called shemshemet. The medicine was ingested by mouth and through “fumigation”. Additionally, the Ebers of Papyrus (1550 B.C.E.) detail the use of cannabis for childbirth. Marijuana was mixed with honey and inserted into the vagina to ease the pain of childbirth.
Testing a Tool For Pleasure Returned Cannabis to My Life
As a Sexual Health and Wellness Educator quoted by major publications worldwide, companies have gifted me various products to try over the years. In 2019, CBD (cannabidiol) lube was a popular new product on the market, and companies asked if I would consider reviewing their lubes and arousal gels. I agreed.
Admittedly, I was in it for the orgasms initially (which are also excellent for pain relief). Can you imagine my surprise when the CBD lube I was using seemed to relieve pain, too?
Even more astounding, when I tried suppositories with both CBD and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), I experienced both pain relief and a marked difference in joint inflammation. In that moment, I knew I had found a medicine I needed to research and explore further.
I Would Love to Hear About Readers’ Experiences
In my next post I will delve more deeply into my explorations of various cannabinoids, and which may be most beneficial for easing the symptoms of chronic pain. There seems to be a great learning curve, so I hope to hear from readers, too.
1 Bridgeman M, Abazia D, (2017). Medicinal Cannabis: History, Pharmacology, And Implications for the Acute Care Setting. Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 42(3): 180–188.
2 Russo EB, Jiang HE, Li X, et al (2008). Phytochemical and genetic analyses of ancient cannabis from Central Asia. Journal of Experimental Botany, 59(15):4171–4182.
3 Gray, S, (2016). Cannabis and Spirituality, Rochester, Vermont, Park Street Press.