Chronic pain is a common diagnosis that patients may face, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality and affecting the overall quality of life. In addition to established multidisciplinary pain management, medical cannabis may offer an approach to improving pain outcomes and functionality. This case involves a 72-year-old female patient, with chronic neck, lower back, and diffuse arthritic pain due to comorbid osteoarthritis (OA), scleroderma, and scoliosis. Medical cannabis therapy was certified based on the goals of improving pain control and simultaneously reducing the patient's chronic opioid medication dose. Using potential opioid alternatives, such as medical cannabis, may prove beneficial to clinicians looking to improve pain management and reduce opioid therapy in patients.
Keywords: cannabis medicine; chronic pain; opioid alternative; opioid use; prescribed cannabis.
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