OPIOIDS

Opioids are either made from the poppy plant or engineered in a lab to deliver similar effects. They are often prescribed as pain-relieving medication and include common street drugs like heroin. 

While opioids are often prescribed to alleviate pain, they only block pain signals without address underlying conditions. While this is an appropriate short-term treatment following a surgery or severe injury, opioids are highly addictive. Currently, more than 2 million Americans have an opioid abuse disorder.

Opioid addiction, or substance abuse disorder, is a mental health condition that causes intense and uncontrollable urges to use opioids. Often, the pursuit and use of opioids interferes with one's ability to function at work or home and can damage relationships with friends and loved ones. 

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While medical researchers haven’t identified why some people are prone to addiction and others aren’t, they have found that people with addictions have abnormalities in the parts of their brains that regulate judgment and impulse control. 

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The team at Coastal Wellness Centers can recommend medical cannabis as an alternative pain-relieving medication, or as a treatment option, for opioid addiction. 

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Medical cannabis relieves pain in two ways: by providing an anti-inflammatory effect on your body to reduce short-term pain, and through stimulating the endocannabinoid system, which blocks pain signals and alleviates chronic pain. 

Studies show that patients who replace opioids with medical cannabis are less likely to experience withdrawal symptoms, which often trigger a relapse. Medical cannabis also continues to provide pain relief, which is a common reason for using, and eventually abusing, opioids. 

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Call Coastal Wellness Centers today, or make an appointment online, to find out if medical cannabis is the right treatment option for you.