Q&A

Could applying cannabis topically help me?

"I can’t inhale. I have Crohn’s, chronic migraines, bad knees, a bad wrist, restless leg syndrome, don’t sleep worth a heck. What do you all think? I also have horrible depression and major anxiety."


Hi, it seems like you have a lot of health problems in which cannabis may be beneficial for you. There are multiple alternatives to inhaling cannabis. For NYS specifically, medical cannabis may be inhaled via liquid/oil preparations for vaporization, liquid or oil preparations for sublingual administration, or capsules for oral administration. Depending on which state you live in topical patches, salves are available as well which may be helpful for joint pain (you can apply the salve locally to the affected areas). The pharmacists at the dispensaries are very knowledgeable. It would be a good idea to go in to your local dispensary, tell them about your symptoms, and you can try a few different options and see which has the most desired effect. Please also visit the discussion boards on our website regarding the specific conditions you mentioned above. There is a ton of helpful information there. Hope that helps!

rachelnp


I concur w/ @rachelnp very well thought out and thorough response. Aside from the delivery methods mentioned, I have also been telling patients that have anxiety issues to try diluting medicinal cannabis tinctures in a non-caffeinated drinks like chamomile and herbal tea; the warmth of the tea alone has an anxiolytic/calming effect that many cultures have known for ages. Combining it with carefully dosed cannabis is something my patients seem to like a great deal. Just from a cursory glance, you look like you might need separate medical cannabis products: one for daytime and another for sleep (different cannabinoid profiles are needed for each of these). You’re clinical picture is complex though, and I recommend you talk to one of our well trained and compassionate MD’s and NP’s. Based on the limited information you provided, it looks like you need an integrated wellness approach for your mental and physical health. Just off the top of my head, you seem a good candidate for cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness/meditation/ &/or self hypnosis, a mild daily exercise regime (you might already be doing all of these things for all I know). But once again, this discussion is better done via our Telehealth platform. However, I pray this has been at least somewhat useful!

drpark

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