If you suffer from ongoing pain, you’re not alone. The Center for Disease Control estimates nearly 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain, defined as persistent pain that can last weeks or even years. This type of pain is a common problem and can make the challenges of everyday life difficult to overcome, and traditional pain management strategies may do more harm than good. The good news? Medical marijuana patients seeking alternative pain management strategies have reported varying levels of therapeutic success using weed to ease chronic pain.

Patients using marijuana for pain relief report that the most effective strains often have an equal balance of THC and CBD. Research also suggests caryophyllene, a common terpene found in cannabis, may be a factor in helping to reduce pain. To the delight of consumers, pain-fighting strains exist in sativa, indica, and hybrid form, making it easy to mix and match to your individual needs and lifestyle.

When it comes to dealing with pain, everyone has a different situation, tolerance level, and biological system. That being said, your initial dosage should be low and slow until you get a feel for how the strain and THC content will interact with your body’s chemistry. Use this collection to discover strains that may help reduce pain.

Types of Chronic Pain

Talking about chronic pain, three types of chronic pain affects people the most, this includes:

• Somatic Pain: This kind of pain is usually experienced when an individual experiences pain due to an external factor. Somatic chronic pains include damage of broken bones, arthritis, joint injury, or general injuries.
• Neuropathic Pain: This pain results from the damage of the nerves. This is usually caused by the nerves carrying irregular signals to the brain thereby causing unwanted aches.
• Visceral Pain: This usually happens due to damage or injury in the internal organs. This pain occurs when pain receptors in the abdomen, chest, abdomen, or intestines are activated. This pain can be said to be stem from a disturbance in the organs.

Below is a list of the best marijuana edibles to use for chronic pain

1. Desert Grown Glue:

Desert Grown glue is a marijuana edible that can be used to fight chronic pain, but one of the challenges of using marijuana for daytime pain relief is that some strains might become too relaxing. Desert grown glue is a balanced hybrid that provides body relaxation while reducing chronic pain and also stimulates brain effects. It is therefore recommended that users stay away from strenuous brain activities while using this edible. This activity does not include reading and writing.

2. White Widow:

White widow is a marijuana edible. It is produced from two different pain control strains, which are the South Indica and South American Sativa. White widow has a high level of THC and the ability to relax the body and is recommended by marijuana doctors for treating all sorts of chronic pain. However, White Widow is not ideal for beginners due to its potency as a cannabis strain. If you need a relaxing marijuana edible that will help you sleep-off that chronic pain and aches, White Widow is quite a good option.

3. Blueberry:

Blueberry is an older medical marijuana edible for combating chronic pain. It is a perfect recommendation for patients suffering from anxiety but is likely to be recommended more for those having severe pain. Blueberry is a high THC and also a high CBD strain. Blueberry is also a Sativa strain, this implies that it also calms your body and mind while healing your severe pain and aches for the long-term. If you intend to use it during the daytime, please ensure you don’t have anything planned for the day because it can leave you feeling extremely sleepy in some cases.

4. Kosher Kush:

This is a true classic Indica marijuana edible. It won the award for best strain in 2011, quite a pedigree. It has a delicious taste of fruity and earthy. Kosher Kush is a medical marijuana edible that offers powerful cerebral effects. It relaxes any headache you may be feeling, slows down thinking, and leaving you with a sedated feeling. But those effects are its healing process, in a short time, you will feel relaxed from head to toe. No matter the severity of the pain and its effects, Kosher Kush marijuana edible is an expert in handling chronic pain.

5. Harlequin:

Harlequin is a high CBD edible. It is a Sativa and one of the most popular pain-relieving edibles. The good news about harlequin is that you experience the pain-sorting effects very quickly. The CBD makes the edible very powerful and empowers it with the strength to melt away chronic pain. Marijuana doctors suggest you use this edible before operating a vehicle.

6. CBD Euphoria Elixir:

If you require a medically recommended marijuana pain relief edible that won’t take hours to work and maybe you can’t vaporize due to one reason or the other, then CBD Euphoria Elixir is a good option. This CBD tincture is made specially to reduce chronic pain, keep you relaxed, and fight against inflammation. It can be administered topically or orally.

7. Afghan Kush:

Afghan Kush is a high CBD Indica strain amazing at removing nerve pain. This edible is ideal for anyone who prefers using medical marijuana before bed. However, Afghan Kush is a beginner strain, therefore it is recommended for those who are not familiar with Indica strains. As it sorts out the pain, it leaves you feeling a bit tired, but you won’t experience the mind-numbing effects.

How does marijuana work for pain?

Marijuana, or cannabis, contains compounds that may relieve pain, nausea, and other symptoms. The components of marijuana that most studies focus on for pain relief are cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

THC vs. CBD

THC resembles the cannabinoid chemicals that occur naturally in the body. When people ingest or inhale THC, it stimulates the brain’s cannabinoid receptors.

This activates the brain’s reward system and reduces pain levels. THC is a psychoactive compound as it binds to cannabinoid receptors and produces an elevated state of mind, known as a high.

CBD does not cause a high, although it does interact with pain receptors in the brain to exert pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects.