Medical Cannabis & Inflammation

Living with chronic inflammation can significantly impact your quality of life and overall health. While inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury and infection—a way of signaling the immune system to heal and repair damaged tissue—when it persists over time, it can become the root cause of numerous health conditions and chronic diseases.

Inflammation defends the body against viruses and bacteria, making it a vital physiological response. Without it, our wounds would not heal, and infections could become deadly. However, if inflammation occurs for an extended period, it can become problematic, leading to conditions like heart disease, stroke, and autoimmune disorders such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Many Canadians dealing with chronic inflammation have found that traditional treatments don’t always provide adequate relief or come with unwanted side effects. This has led to increased interest in alternative approaches, including medical cannabis, which research suggests may have significant anti-inflammatory properties.

Inflammation comes in two primary forms, each with distinct characteristics and health implications:

What is Acute Inflammation?

Acute inflammation is the body’s response to an acute injury such as a scraped elbow or sprained ankle. According to the National Library of Medicine, acute inflammation occurs localized to the injury site and may include:

•  Redness
•  Swelling
•  Heat
•  Pain
•  In more extreme cases, loss of function

Cytokines are released by the damaged tissue in response to acute inflammation. These cytokines trigger immune cells, hormones, and other systems to act on the damage and heal the body. In cases of infection, the body fights off foreign invaders by raising the body’s core temperature to kill viruses and bacteria.

Another physiological process that occurs is vasodilation and increased blood flow to the inflamed area. This increased blood flow helps tissues to heal more quickly and can also lead to warmth and redness that is associated with inflammation.

Acute inflammation subsides quickly once damaged tissue is healed and the body returns to normal. If acute inflammation does not subside, it can lead to chronic inflammation.

What is Chronic Inflammation?

Researchers are continuing to work at discovering what mechanisms cause chronic inflammation to occur and the resulting implications on the body, although they do know that chronic inflammation plays a role in the development of many disease processes.

Unlike acute inflammation, chronic inflammation affects the whole body and is not localized to one specific site. It is commonly low-grade inflammation that is present at all times.

As a response to chronic inflammation, white blood cells are released by the immune system to fight a perceived threat. When there is no threat to fight, the white blood cells may start attacking healthy tissues and internal organs.

For example, chronic inflammation increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. When inflammatory cells remain in the blood vessels for a lengthy period of time, they contribute to the build-up of plaque. The immune system perceives this plaque build-up as a threat, and inflammation occurs to block off the plaque from the rest of the blood vessel. If the plaque becomes unstable or gets knocked loose, it can cause a clot to block blood flow and cause a heart attack or stroke.

Diagnosing Chronic Inflammation

Diagnosis of chronic inflammation is difficult due to a lack of outward symptoms, but a medical doctor can test for elevated levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood. If CRP levels are elevated, it signals chronic inflammation in the body which may lead to different disease processes down the road.

Research into cannabis for inflammation has shown promising results. A 2010 study titled “Cannabinoids As Novel Anti-Inflammatory Drugs” demonstrated the effectiveness of cannabinoids as a treatment for inflammation.

The research showed that cannabinoids act on both CB1 and CB2 receptors in the immune system to decrease the production of cytokine and chemokine, which contribute to chronic inflammation. The study concluded that “cannabinoids suppress inflammatory response and subsequently attenuate disease symptoms. This property of cannabinoids is mediated through multiple pathways such as induction of apoptosis in activated immune cells, suppression of cytokines and chemokines at inflammatory sites, and upregulation of FoxP3 regulatory T cells.”

Here’s how cannabis may help with inflammation:

1. Endocannabinoid system interaction: Cannabis compounds interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system, which plays a role in regulating inflammatory responses
2. Cytokine reduction: Cannabinoids can reduce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines
3. Immune system modulation: Cannabis may help regulate immune cell activity that contributes to inflammation
4. Antioxidant properties: Some cannabinoids have antioxidant effects that may help reduce oxidative stress associated with inflammation

More research on the role cannabinoids play in inflammation is needed, and with the recent legalization of cannabis, those studies should be forthcoming. Subjective reports indicate that individuals who use cannabis for pain and inflammation find that their symptoms are reduced after using cannabis.

Medical cannabis comes in various forms, each with different onset times, durations, and potential benefits for inflammation management. Finding the right option depends on your specific symptoms and lifestyle needs.

Oils and Tinctures

•  Precise dosing capabilities
•  Longer-lasting effects (4-8 hours)
•  Discreet and easy to incorporate into daily routines
•  Good for maintaining consistent anti-inflammatory effects

Topicals

•  Applied directly to inflamed areas
•  Localized relief without psychoactive effects
•  Particularly effective for joint and muscle inflammation
•  Can be used alongside systemic treatments

Capsules

•  Pre-measured doses for consistency
•  Extended-release options available
•  Similar to taking traditional medication
•  Convenient for people with established routines

Dry Flower (for vaporization)

•  Rapid onset of effects (within minutes)
•  Shorter duration (2-4 hours)
•  Useful for acute inflammatory flare-ups
•  May help with breakthrough symptoms

Many patients with inflammatory conditions find that a combination approach works best—perhaps using a topical application for localized inflammation alongside an oil or capsule for systemic effects.

Your healthcare provider can help determine which forms might work best based on your specific inflammatory condition, severity, and previous experience with cannabis.

If you’re considering medical cannabis for inflammation in Canada, here’s how to begin the process:

1. Consider if medical cannabis may be right for you

To determine if medical cannabis may be appropriate for your situation:

•  You may have been diagnosed with an inflammatory condition by a healthcare professional
•  You may have tried conventional treatments with inadequate results or experienced significant side effects
•  You must reside in Canada
•  Provincial age requirements typically align with the legal cannabis purchase age (19 in most provinces, 18 in some)

2. Book an online consultation

Our streamlined process makes it easy:

•  Schedule a video consultation with a healthcare provider
•  Complete a brief triage questionnaire after booking
•  Discuss your inflammatory condition, symptoms, treatment history, and goals

3. Receive your online prescription

If approved, you’ll receive:

•  A personalized treatment plan
•  A legal medical cannabis prescription
•  Guidance on product selection and dosing
•  Registration assistance with licensed producers

4. Ongoing support

Our care doesn’t end with your prescription:

•  Follow-up consultations to monitor progress
•  7 day a week support by phone and email
•  Dosage adjustments as needed
•  Access to healthcare professionals for questions
•  Educational resources about cannabis and inflammation

Starting medical cannabis treatment for inflammation is a significant decision. Our team of healthcare professionals specializes in cannabis medicine and can help you navigate this process safely and effectively through online prescription services across Canada.

An important consideration for anyone with inflammatory conditions is how medical cannabis might interact with other medications you may be taking for inflammation or related conditions.

These interactions could affect how your medications work or potentially cause unwanted effects.

For your safety, always:

•  Disclose all medications to your healthcare provider during your consultation
•  Start with low doses of cannabis when using with other medications
•  Monitor for any unusual effects and report them promptly
•  Never adjust anti-inflammatory medications without medical supervision

A comprehensive consultation with a healthcare provider at Apollo Cannabis is essential to ensure your treatment plan considers all aspects of your health, providing the best opportunity for successful inflammation management with your online prescription.

Finding the right cannabis dosage for inflammation management is a personalized process requiring individualized guidance. While we recommend consulting with a healthcare professional for personalized advice, here are some general principles:

Starting Your Cannabis Treatment:

•  Begin with minimal doses
•  Start with 2.5mg THC or less (if using THC)
•  Consider starting with 5-20mg CBD, which has anti-inflammatory properties
•  Observe effects for at least 2-3 days before adjusting
•  For localized inflammation, consider starting with a topical application

Gradual adjustments:

•  Increase by small increments
•  Allow time between adjustments to assess the effects
•  Focus on finding the minimal effective dose
•  Consider different CBD:THC ratios to find what works best for your inflammation

Tracking response:

•  Document dosage, timing, and effects
•  Note improvements in specific inflammatory symptoms
•  Track pain and inflammation levels using a consistent scale
•  Record any unwanted effects

These general guidelines are based on standards from The College of Family Physicians of Canada but must be tailored to your specific needs by a healthcare provider during your online consultation.

Remember that cannabis affects everyone differently, and finding your optimal dosage may take time and patience. Working with a healthcare provider experienced in cannabis for inflammation can significantly improve your results when getting an online prescription in Canada.