Marijuana and tobacco can make pain worse. A Duke University School of Medicine study found that using both for pain relief may raise pain sensitivity. It may also raise the risk of chronic pain over time, even if the substances seem to help at first.
Summary: People often use substances like tobacco and marijuana for pain relief, especially when they live with chronic pain. But a new study shows that using tobacco and marijuana together for pain relief may worsen pain in the long run. It may make people more sensitive to pain.
A new study by Duke University School of Medicine found that using marijuana and tobacco can actually make pain worse. It may significantly increase the risk of chronic pain later. Even if these substances seem to help at first, they do not seem to be a good choice in the long run. This is especially true when both are used.
Of course, these findings are worrying in many ways. Tobacco use is not rising in the US, but marijuana use is. That means more people living with chronic pain may now use both substances regularly.
Researchers also note that in recent years, cannabis has been promoted as a way to manage pain. But they warn that the evidence for using marijuana for chronic pain is slim. Even if a study shows it may help ease pain, that does not mean it would work for all kinds of pain.
It is no secret that many people start misusing substances because of chronic pain. Some of those substances might help at first, but they might do more harm than good. Many of them may actually make chronic pain worse in the long run. This may create a vicious cycle. A new study in the journal Pain found that substance use can drive pain, and chronic pain may increase substance use. This creates a pain loop that never ends.
This new study found that tobacco may make chronic pain worse in many people, and the same is true for marijuana. But when both are used, the chances of moderate to severe chronic pain become significantly higher. Using them together may more than double the risk of chronic pain.
Researchers studied data from the 2015-2021 Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study. This is a nationwide sample of US adults. The goal was to understand the link between substance use and chronic pain. Since many people use these substances to control pain, the findings surprised researchers.
There are several reasons why pain gets worse. It may be due to the decline in general health that these substances cause. Another common reason is that many people who use them may not seek medical care for their condition.
Researchers also think that these substances give many people quick pain relief. But they are not good for pain control in the long run. Over time, they may make a person more sensitive to pain.
Many people who use these substances may feel even worse pain once the effect wears off. Then many may start smoking tobacco and marijuana even more often to avoid this. It is hard for people to quit smoking tobacco and weed. That makes telehealth addiction treatment a necessity for those seeking support.
Researchers admit they still have a lot to learn. For example, they could not explain why using marijuana and tobacco together is so bad in chronic pain. This holds for people living with it and people prone to it. They still do not know the exact reason for this higher risk. That is striking, since people generally use these substances for pain relief. They even seem to work in the short run.
Despite a significant gap in understanding, this study is an alarm bell. It applies to anyone who uses these substances for pain control or is thinking of it. For people living with chronic pain, it is always better to seek medical care in specialized clinics than to start using substances.
Frequently asked questions
Does weed make pain better?
Only for a while. Marijuana can give quick relief. But a study published in the journal Pain found it may make chronic pain worse over time. It may also make people more sensitive to pain. Researchers also warn that evidence for using marijuana to treat chronic pain is slim. Even when a study shows some benefit, that does not mean it works for every kind of pain.
Does smoking make pain worse?
Tobacco can make chronic pain worse in many people, and so can marijuana. The combination is the biggest problem. People who used both were far more likely to develop moderate to severe chronic pain. Using them together may more than double that risk. The researchers used data from a nationwide sample of US adults collected from 2015 to 2021.
Why can marijuana and tobacco make chronic pain worse?
There are several reasons. The substances can wear down general health. People who rely on them often put off seeing a doctor. Over time they may make the body more sensitive to pain. Pain can also come back worse once the effect wears off, which leads to smoking more often. Pain drives substance use and substance use drives pain, creating a loop.
Source:
Rubenstein, D., Green, M. J., Sweitzer, M. M., Keefe, F. J., & McClernon, F. J. (2022). Bidirectional relationships between pain and patterns of cannabis and tobacco use in a US nationally representative sample. PAIN, 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003381. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003381
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