As medical director for Medical Cannabis of Southern California I often evaluate patients who suffer from neuropathic pain as a result of diabetes. Neuropathic pain means pain that is associated with direct pathology to the nerves themselves. This is in contrast to pain in a muscle whose signal is transported to the brain via the healthy nerves. In diabetes the elevated levels of sugar in the blood actually cause damage to the nerves leading to chronic pain. Cannabis has been shown in several studies to reduce the pain associated with various causes of neuropathic pain including HIV neuropathy.
Typically diabetic neuropathy starts by affecting the peripheral nerves to patients feet and legs. They can experience sharp pain when walking, decrease sensitivity to temperature, tingling, numbness and eventually when the nerves because completely destroyed no feeling at all. I once took care of an elderly women with severe diabetic neuropathy who fractured her ankle to the point where her tibia was protruding directly through her skin. Basically it snapped in half. Amazingly she felt NO PAIN because her nerves were destroyed.
Many patients get put on medications such as gabapentin (neurontin), narcotics like vicodin and even anti-depressants such as amitryptiline. Most patients report very little relief in their pain but also have unwanted side effects. They report a significant reduction in their pain with even small doses of cannabis. They can use it as often as they need without any fear of overdose, addiction or end organ damage. They also can medicate using a digital vaporizer which makes it odorless and smoke free!
If you would like more information on cannabis and chronic neuropathic pain or would like a consultation please give us a call at 877-721-0047. Dr. Breen has offices in Irvine and Long Beach California.
