Using Cannabis for Painsomnia

I have been suffering from axial spondyloarthritis (AxSpA) and other conditions that cause inflammation in the body. I have spent the past decade in and out of hospital ERs, adjusting diets, including supplements, excluding gluten, and taking medications that left me feeling worse than before.

I started making changes in my health and home to try a more natural approach. And this is where my trial and error with using cannabis led me to include it in my life as a daily practice, not just a medication. (As prescribed by a doctor, and is legal in my country and province for both medical and recreation use.)

How I began using cannabis

I began using it as a treatment only when I was already in a bad flare. Usually, evenings would be the peak of the pain and I would use an edible to help ease some pain. I found it worked so well that I often would drift off to sleep, and for once, I wasn't battling insomnia. This was huge for me. Before I had found cannabis, there were nights that I would cry myself to sleep because there was no escape from the inflammation in my hips.

How cannabis helps my sleep

I started to really see the benefits of being able to get a good night's sleep, so I began to smoke cannabis flower before bed. I could see improvements in my mental health just by having a tool that allowed me to manage my pain in the evening.

But AxSpA pain doesn't just come around in the evening, and this is when I knew I needed to find other ways of having cannabis without smoking. So I tried a few types of THC/CBD oils, and I found them at small levels throughout the day to be super effective in keeping my pain well managed. From time to time, I will use THC/CBD bath bombs as an additional way to relax or if I am going through a bad flare.

Managing my pain in a positive way

My mental health and my ability to not have pain at the forefront of my mind each day has allowed me to have more quality time throughout the day. The difference it makes to have time spent enjoying life has been a really big part of managing my chronic pain in a positive way.

Like anything in our treatment plans, always consult with your doctor about any medications you wish to try or are trying. It has taken me over a year to find a dose and products that I feel comfortable and confident taking. For me, it was worth it. While for others, this might not be the right choice or 1 that is available.

Do you use medical cannabis? Please share with us in the comments below!