According to research that was presented this week, marijuana use increases pain after surgery and requires more anesthesia.
The study found that using the drug before entering the hospital for a surgical procedure can make your pain during recovery significantly worse.
“There is some evidence that cannabis may be beneficial for chronic and nerve pain.
However, early research suggests that this is not the case for acute pain such as for surgery of a broken leg,” said lead author Dr. Ian Holmen, who is an anesthesiology resident at the University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora.
“This study shows that it is important for patients to tell their physician anesthesiologist if they have used cannabis products prior to surgery to ensure they receive the best anesthesia and pain control possible, including the use of non-opioid alternatives,” Holmen said.
The research was presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists this past Monday.
The study compared patients undergoing surgery for a broken leg who said they had used cannabis before the operation to patients who had not used the drug. The type and method of use of marijuana was not known nor how frequently the patient used the plant.
Those who said they used cannabis had received 58% more opioids per day while in the hospital and reported greater levels of pain on a scale of 1-10. They also required an additional 12.4 milliliters of anesthesia during surgery than those who did not use marijuana.
“We now understand patients who chronically use opioids prior to surgery often have exaggerated pain responses and need increased pain medication after surgery because they have an increased tolerance,” Holmen said.
“We speculate that cannabis use may cause a similar effect, but we need more research to determine if this is the case.”
