Tetrahydrocannabinol is more commonly known as THC. It’s the active component in many forms of medical marijuana. Many people living with chronic pain and other conditions that don’t respond well to conventional treatments have touted THC as a miracle drug. Your team of experts at Pain Physicians NY can help you find the right strength and delivery system for THC oil that may help relieve your symptoms.
There’s only one of the several hundred chemical compounds in a marijuana plant that’s solely responsible for the sense of euphoria commonly referred to as the “high.” The scientific name for this compound is tetrahydrocannabinol, but it’s usually just shortened to THC.
This potent chemical compound is the reason that medical marijuana has been both praised and scorned, making marijuana a much debated topic for the last 100 years. This single specific cannabinoid is the reason that marijuana has been illegal and placed in the same drug class as heroin by the United Stated government.
How It Affects Your Brain
Your brain contains chemical receptors. If you’re a runner, this may already be familiar to you. A “runner’s high” is the result of your body releasing a chemical called anandamide. This chemical works like a key to unlock certain specific receptors of your central nervous system. This floods you with a rush of pleasant and euphoric sensations, which can motivate runners and fitness enthusiasts to work harder and push further to reap the effect.
Surprisingly, THC interacts with, binds to and unlocks those exact same receptors. These are your CB1 and CB2 receptors. There are 10 times more CB1 receptors in your brain than there are opioid receptors, which are the receptors responsible for producing the effects of morphine and other opioid medications.
Your CB2 receptors are linked directly to the cells of your immune system. This is the reason that marijuana has so many and such diverse medical applications. When THC binds to your CB2 receptors, your brain is flooded by your body’s natural feel-good chemical — dopamine — resulting in a pleasant and relaxed state that’s considered a “high.”
A New Day in Pain Management
Medical cannabis as a source of chronic pain relief is gaining widespread popularity in the places where it’s now legal, such as New York State. This political development is primarily due to the significant and positive impact it’s having on reducing pain and improving quality of life for hundreds of thousands Americans.
When you take a second to compare this to the increasingly negative and dangerous opioids that have flooded the health care industry, the decision to use medical marijuana instead isn’t very difficult to make. From auto-immune disorders and chronic pain to neuro-degenerative disorders such as multiple sclerosis, cannabis treatments are revolutionizing the medical field and changing the way people view their pain.
Other Beneficial Effects for Your Body
The positive effects of this cannabinoid on your immune system have been difficult for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to deny. Despite prohibition lingering in many areas, synthetic forms have been approved to increase appetite and ease nausea for AIDS and chemotherapy patients.
The versatility of the chemical compounds found in cannabis provide it with a unique ability to treat a broad spectrum of symptoms and medical issues. Other conditions that benefit from these treatments include:
- Cancer
- Mood disorders
- Sleep disorders
- Digestive disorders
- Eating disorders
- Glaucoma
- Symptoms of drug, alcohol, and nicotine withdrawal
- Nausea
- Muscle spasms
Stepping Up Effectiveness
Smoking marijuana is not the only way to receive treatment. Other, more effective and health conscious ways to consume concentrated THC oil for medical purposes come in a variety of shapes, sizes and forms. THC oil offers a higher concentration of cannabinoids, providing its beneficial effects in much smaller doses than would otherwise be required with more traditional methods, such as:
- Tinctures. Made from dissolving a medicinal substance in alcohol, THC tinctures are consumed by mouth, smoked or vaporized.
- CO2. A commercial method for making THC oil, the process can actually separate the various components of cannabis. This potent and convenient method is typically loaded into vape devices.
- BHO. BHO stands for butane hash oil. It’s one of the most common forms of THC oil.
- Cannabis distillate. This comes in super convenient pre-filled cartridges for easy dosing.
The type of THC oil that’s best for you depends on personal preference. If you’re looking for the highest percentages of chemical compounds, distillates are probably what you want. But if you don’t want to smoke or inhale the compounds, tinctures are a good option. Or you may wish to try a topical cannabis cream that absorbs THC into your skin, providing its benefits without any psychotropic effects. Your NYC pain physician can help you choose the best method for your needs.
Legalization of medical marijuana has opened up a whole new means of treating your pain. The medical experts at Pain Physicians NY are highly knowledgeable in this blossoming field and are well-versed in the benefits of CBD oil and the differences of THC vs. CBD.