Marijuana and marijuana-based products may reduce hernia pain and post-operative pain. Furthermore, marijuana plants’ cannabinoids may be useful in preventing the development of scars from surgery. But it is always advised to consult with an MMJ card doctor before you decide to consume marijuana to treat your hernia pain. 

Understanding pain mechanisms and the ways in which cannabis interacts with the body is crucial to comprehending how cannabis may help relieve hernia-related pain and facilitate efficient healing.

How Cannabis Reduces Pain

When we touch a hot pan or get cut by a knife, for example, our bodies respond to pain by alerting us to a problem. Hernias are one example of a medical condition that can be extremely painful and interfere with daily life. Products derived from cannabis may be able to assist us in managing this pain.

Understanding How We Experience Pain

When a pain signal is sent from specific nerve cells called “nociceptors,” or pain receptors, to our brain, we experience pain. These nerve cells are found all over the body, communicating with one another until the signals get to the brain. Prior to the message arriving at the brain and being processed there, we are painless.  

Furthermore, because of systems like the endocannabinoid system (ECS), our bodies not only produce signals that cause pain but also signals that can control and decrease our reactions to it.

The ECS is a component of the cellular signaling system your body naturally regulates. It is composed of receptors (called CB1 and CB2 receptors), enzymes, and substances called endocannabinoids and is involved in almost all body functions, such as eating and digesting, hearing, mood regulation, and pain perception.

Because endocannabinoids play a role in controlling pain perception throughout the whole pain pathway, there is a chance to artificially control pain by supplementing with phytocannabinoids, which are cannabinoids derived from plants and similar to THC.

How the Endocannabinoid System Controls Pain

The main way that the endocannabinoid system regulates pain is by controlling the neurotransmitters that transfer pain signals from one nerve cell to another.

Plant-derived phytocannabinoids, like those found in Cannabis sativa, have the ability to bind to CB1 and CB2 receptors, which causes our ECS to react in a way that is comparable to that of our own endocannabinoids.

In this instance, neurotransmitters that would otherwise activate the area of the brain responsible for alerting the body to pain are inhibited by endocannabinoids, which are produced on demand. By “turning down” presynaptic firing, endocannabinoids’ inhibition of neurotransmitters lowers pain perception and signal transmission. 

Using Cannabis for Hernia Pain Relief

An organ that pushes through a hole in the muscle or tissues that normally hold it in place develops a hernia. Although it can also happen in the groin and upper thigh, this usually affects the abdomen. The pain is usually dull, like an uncomfortable pressure, and gets worse when the abdomen is strained, as it does when you lift a heavy object or bend or twist.

There isn’t much research on using cannabis to treat hernia pain. Nonetheless, a plethora of research suggests that cannabis can alleviate pain in circumstances akin to post-operative pain.

Reviewers of cannabis-based pain management for post-surgical pain discovered several clinical studies that all supported the usefulness of cannabis as a painkiller. Different cannabis dosages and forms were used in these studies.

In one of these trials, patients were given oral capsules containing nabilone, a synthetic cannabinoid that functions similarly to THC. In a different study, subjects were asked to inhale or vape 20–30 grams of cannabis flower per month at a ratio of 1:4 THC to CBD. In a third study, patients were given oral doses of dronabinol, a synthetic THC derivative.

These findings imply that cannabis, irrespective of the cannabinoid type or application method, can alleviate pain. Nevertheless, depending on the kind of cannabinoid utilized, there may be some differences in the outcome. The strength of the effects will vary depending on the dosage used by each user. Canada has recently approved THC- and CBD-based treatments for neuropathic pain, adding credence to cannabis-based pain relief.

Cannabis and cannabis-derived products might be able to help you with your hernia pain, but they won’t deal with the herniating organ, which is the pain’s primary cause. Since surgery is the only option for treating a hernia, it is imperative that you receive medical attention.

If you want to use marijuana to relieve the pain from your hernia, you should be aware that access to marijuana for medical reasons requires a medical marijuana card. Patients using medical marijuana can benefit from a number of advantages not available to recreational users. The cheapest medical marijuana card online is offered by a number of telemedicine platforms, and you can apply for it from the comfort of your home. 

Pros and Cons of Cannabis Use

Every treatment has potential advantages and disadvantages, and they are not all made equal. It’s important to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each therapy option and decide which is most appropriate for your circumstances.

Pros

The main signs and symptoms of hernias are a bulge or swelling at the hernia site, dull, constant pain when at rest, and pain that gets worse when the abdomen is under stress. Patients awaiting hernia surgery may find some relief from this discomfort with cannabis-based therapies.

Hernia discomfort can make it difficult for those who have them to sleep. Cannabis is frequently used as a sleep aid and may help you fall asleep in addition to aiding with pain management.

Additionally, cannabis might have some topical advantages. Hernia surgery scars are common, and studies have shown that CBD-based ointments are helpful in promoting scar healing, particularly in reducing inflammation. Since topical cannabinoids haven’t been demonstrated to interfere with the healing process, the use of cannabis-based ointments is thought to be safe for post-operative care.

Finally, when cannabis-based alternatives are available to them, some patients can significantly reduce the amount of opioids they take for pain relief. Considering how much more habit-forming opioids are than cannabis, this is a good thing.

Cons

Although cannabis has anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties, there are certain risks associated with using it while you have a hernia.

Some patients experience coughing when smoking or vaping cannabis, which can aggravate a hernia by increasing abdominal pressure. (Smoking and having a chronic cough are additional risk factors for hernia development.) Cannabis for pain relief might be better suited for use in oils and edibles.

Long-term cannabis use can also alter how your body reacts to medications that alter pain, such as anesthetics used during surgery. If you use cannabis, you should let your anesthesiologist know because it has been observed that cannabis users need more anesthesia than non-users.

It has also been observed that prolonged anesthesia effects from some painkillers, such as morphine, occur in cannabis users. The risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may also rise with cannabis smoking. Nevertheless, it is inappropriate to draw firm conclusions on this topic due to the sparse and inconsistent data.

Final Words!

Cannabis may be able to lessen the pain and discomfort associated with hernias. Evidence suggests that different cannabinoids given in different ways may have the effect of relieving pain.

When you are waiting for surgery to treat your hernia-related pain, you might want to consider using medicinal cannabis to help manage your symptoms. If you intend to use medicinal marijuana to treat hernia pain, it is a good idea to consult a physician.