"The surgery is not scheduled till next week. Can I used cannabis for pain before my surgery? Will it interact with the anesthetic at all? Is there a period of time that I should not use cannabis before the op, or does it not matter?"
I would suggest you follow the guidance of your orthopedic surgeon before and after surgery. Physical therapy post-op is especially important in having the best possible functional outcome.
I am guessing you are seeking pain control in the interim and would go with what your surgeon suggests; however, NSAIDS taken appropriately can help reduce inflammation and control pain. Cannabis supplementation can also improve comfort while decreasing pain and inflammation. You might also consider topical cannabis applied to the shoulder area for local pain relief without experiencing the intoxicating effects of marijuana.
dredmunds
I see a lot of rotator cuff tendinopathy’s in my sports medicine practice and personally experience episodic symptoms of a calcific tendinitis of my right rotator cuff. If you have a confirmed full tear of the rotator cuff you probably cannot abduct your arm more than 45 degrees and are functionally disabled if it is your dominant arm. You cannot reach overhead, comb your hair or file records on the top shelf at work. You can achieve significant relief of pain using a cannabis infused transdermal body balm applied directly to the middle deltoid region. The conjoint tendon of the rotator cuff sits right under that muscle. You can also use a cannabis infused transdermal patch for long acting relief. I encourage you to undergo arthroscopic repair if you have a full tear of the rotator cuff.
If you have not undergone diagnostic imaging of the shoulder you may simply have a tendinitis or a calcium deposit in the rotator cuff tendon. You should be aware you can undergo a simple ultrasound guided procedure in which saline is injected into the tendon to wash the calcium away.
Another alternative pain method is the use of a THC and or CBD infused sublingual tincture administered under the tongue. This will allow the blood supply of the tongue to distribute the cannabinoid to the head neck and drain into the shoulder region via the subclavian arteries.
drsumchai
