If you have chronic joint pain and want to avoid pharmaceutical options to treat the disorder, you might be considering medical marijuana for chronic pain in the New York area. At iOrtho, we can answer any questions you might have about this pain treatment solution. The team at iOrtho believes in taking a multidisciplinary approach to pain treatment. Book an appointment today to discuss the pros and cons of medical marijuana treatment with you to determine the best course of action for your health plan.

Who Qualifies to Receive Medicinal Marijuana?

Patients who suffer from any of the following medical conditions or symptoms may qualify for medical weed treatment in New York:

• Chronic pain
• Cancer
• HIV
• AIDS
• Parkinson’s disease
• Multiple sclerosis
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• Epilepsy
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Ulcerative colitis
• Crohn’s disease
• Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIPD)
• Huntington’s disease
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Any life-threating or debilitating condition above must also be accompanied by one or more of the following:

• Cachexia
• Seizures
• Persistent or severe muscle spasms
• Severe nausea
• Chronic or severe pain
• Other side effects as added by the Commissioner

Benefits of Medical Marijuana Treatment

Arthritis affects millions of people in the U.S. and across the world, making treatment options crucial to help relieve various symptoms associated with the disease. A few proven benefits of alternative medicine include that it can:

• Relieve pain during both movement and rest
• Lower inflammation
• Increase appetite
• Reduce anxiety and depression
• Improve sleep and decrease insomnia
• Ease and prevent nausea and vomiting

Because marijuana contains several substances that affect the body’s immune system and central nervous system — like cannabidiol, nabilone, dronabinol, and more — it has a tendency to relieve these and other symptoms quickly, giving patients a higher overall quality of life.

Various Forms of Marijuana for Joint Pain Treatment

Every patient is different, which means the right marijuana strain and method of administration for some patients may not work as well for others. Legal ingestion options in New York include:

• Oral pills
• Oral spray
• Oil or liquid for an inhaler
• Oil or liquid for vaporization

Currently, taking edibles and smoking marijuana flower are not approved administration methods in the state of New York.

Medical Marijuana Certification From a Physician

When it’s time for your evaluation with a physician to determine whether medical marijuana treatment for joint pain is the right solution for you, you’ll discuss your symptoms so they can decide whether it’s appropriate for your circumstances. If they believe it is, your medical marijuana certification must state the following:

• Method of ingestion
• Which brand, strain, or form of cannabis he approves
• Dosage recommendations (optional)
• Limitations of use

This certification must come from someone who is registered with the New York Medical Marijuana Program. You’ll get your paper certificate at your appointment if the doctor believes medical marijuana will help relieve your symptoms. Then, you’ll register with the New York State Department of Health website and pay the registration fee. You’ll get your registration card through the mail, which you can then take to a certified dispensary to get your prescription filled.

There are different medications that can help provide pain relief in different ways. These medications can help reduce inflammation, provide pain relief, and reduce muscle tightness.  Categories include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID’s), muscle relaxers, and nerve medications.  There are some instances where opioid medications may have a role in reducing pain especially early on after surgery.  Sometimes a combination of these categories of medication is needed for effective pain control.

These are injections that help reduce the inflammation and thus reduce pain in areas of the neck/ low back.  These injections are designed to block pain transmission and reduce inflammation and can include

• Trigger Point Injections
• Epidurals
• Nerve Blocks
• Sacroiliac Joint injections
• Piriformis Injections

A class of procedures that are used to disable the sensory part of the nerve which may provide pain relief for up to 1 year. This procedure can be helpful for the management of pain associated with spinal arthritis, chronic lower back pain, hip and knee arthritis pain and pain after hip and knee surgery.

If traditional treatments including injections and nerve ablations do not provide pain relief and/or pain continues after surgery a spinal cord stimulator may be a good option. The spinal cord stimulator is a small flexible wire that is inserted into the spine. The stimulator has a wireless connection to a remote controller where different frequencies change the signal of pain that is propagated along the nerve all the way up to the spinal cord. Following this procedure, the patient is able to control and adjust where the stimulation occurs with a remote, thus controlling their pain.

Physical Therapy may be effective in reducing pain and inflammation while at the same time strengthening muscles and improving mobility and function. It can be an effective modality for recovery after injury and/or surgery. There are different treatment techniques that your physical therapist can use to improve function and reduce pain. Your doctor and therapist will evaluate your condition and recommend a customized treatment plan to maximize your potential for healing.