TMJ and medical marijuana Posted: 08-04-08 13:01pm
I noticed a lot of people on this board
have been having trouble with TMJ and I
was once in equally bad shape. I wanted
to share my experiences with medical
cannabis for the treatment of TMJ.
I was diagnosed about 8 months ago and
initially received a splint from my
dentist. While the splint initially
provided some relief, my nighttime
grinding was so severe that the dentist
couldn't keep up with the damage I was
doing to the splint on a nightly basis.
The daily headaches continued and the
symptoms expanded and worsened. One day I
woke up with double vision in my right eye
that lasted for several days. My jaw and
teeth were in so much pain that I had a
hard time focusing on work or leisure.
Finally out of desperation, I obtained a
recommendation for medical marijuana (I
live in CA, luckily) a few weeks ago. I
take a few puffs about an hour before
bedtime, and I regain the ability to
control my jaw muscles. I tell them to
relax and they do. My mind clears of the
worries and stresses of the day and I am
filled with the sense that everything is
going to be okay. I fall asleep almost
instantly and when I wake up, my jaw is
relaxed and loose.
Two weeks later, my teeth don't hurt and I
no longer have a headache all day every
day. I've stopped taking advil and
aspirin (4-6 of each per day) and thus the
nausea and acid reflux have abated. I
don't even need my night guard any more!
I am more productive at work and more
engaged in personal and leisure
activities.
I would like to end this account by
reminding you that it is merely an
anecdote -- one man's experience with
medical cannabis for the treatment of TMJ.
It would be wonderful to see a controlled
longitundinal study done on TMJ treatment
with cannabis, but thanks to our
ridiculous federal drug policies, which
consider marijuana more dangerous than
cocaine or morphine, that is not currently
feasible. If you are lucky enough to live
in a medical marijuana state, I suggest
talking it over with your doctor.
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edgaras
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Joined: 15 Feb 2008 Posts: 109 Location: Chicago, IL
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longitundinal study done Posted: 09-05-08 15:01pm
"My friend" tried cannabis as well, he
cook it slowly in virgin olive oil in
microwave to make it edible as he does not
like to smoke.
The effects were - increased appetite,
decreased pain, anxiety, some clumsiness.
It is quiet effective method to go through
an aggravation of symptoms, especially
when reduced appetite exist (Dysorexy).
I have met a person who is on appetite
stimulant Marinol, (pure
TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL) because he was
constantly underweight.
I do not think that longitudinal study
will be done with cannabis smoking.
However, different type of medicine with
active ingredients of cannabis, such as
Sativex, which is now sold in Canada for
MS (multiple sclerosis) pain, could be
used in such studies.
Smoking cannabis poses potential liability
issues due to carcinogenic effect of
smoke.
I do not think any professional medical
institution would attempt to use
carcinogenic method of marijuana
ingestion. However, again, other various
methods exist for ingesting, either
professional extracted, pharmaceutical
grade sublingual Sativex spray, or perhaps
some oil suspension of THC for the oral
use to allow absorption through the
stomach.
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Oranjello
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 04 Aug 2008 Posts: 4
Carcinogenicity of Cannabis Posted: 09-20-08 16:41pm
has NEVER been studied in a representative
population. The only studies that have
been completed were performed in very
heavy (20 joints a day) long term (10
years or more) marijuana smokers. That's
nowhere near the usage of myself or anyone
I have ever know for that matter. Even
with this skewed population, the results
were inconclusive at best. My
recommendation wasn't written by an
actuarian -- it was written by a trained,
competent, and licensed physician. I
think he understands the risk/benefit
profile well enough to make a decision
thats in the best interests of his
patients. All things considered,
opiate-based painkillers are much more
dangerous.
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edgaras
Supporter
Joined: 15 Feb 2008 Posts: 109 Location: Chicago, IL