Pain Management: What Is the Kratom Plant and How Can It Help Me?
One in five people in the US experience chronic pain. If you’re one of these people, you know that chronic pain interferes with your daily life, work, and productivity. If you don’t want to rely on prescription pain medication to control this pain, there are some options for you.
For example, the kratom plant has been increasing in popularity to treat chronic pain. If you’ve ever wondered about the kratom plant and whether it can work for you, you’re in the right place.
Keep reading to learn more about how kratom works and if it might be right for you. You can read more about it at www.ethnobotanicalcouncil.org
What Is the Kratom Plant?
“Kratom plant” is a bit of a misnomer, as kratom is a supplement derived from the Mitragyna speciosa tree. This tree is native to southeast Asia used as a supplement by people in Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia since the 19th century. Early users of kratom either chewed the leaves or brewed tea.
Now, most people who use kratom in the US mix a powder into a drink or take it in pill form. If you’re interested in trying kratom powder, you can buy White Borneo kratom to try it out.
How Can It Treat Chronic Pain?
At low doses, kratom is used as a stimulant. Higher doses, however, are used to produce sedation. There are two compounds in the leaves that are important: mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine both interact with opioid receptors in your brain. This interaction brings feelings of pleasure and decreased pain.
Because of the pleasure-inducing nature and pain relief, kratom can treat chronic pain in patients who haven’t found relief with other methods. It can also treat digestive issues and can help ease withdrawal symptoms from those trying to treat opioid addiction.
Is It Safe?
There is a bit of confusion on whether kratom is safe or not. The FDA has not approved it as a medical treatment for any illness or ailment, but because it is sold as a dietary supplement, it does not need FDA approval.
Anecdotally, however, many people swear by the effectiveness of kratom for pain, fatigue, mood, and withdrawal symptoms. Before definitive conclusions can be drawn, more research needs to be done on the safety and effectiveness of kratom.
Is Kratom Right For You?
There are some side effects associated with kratom including anxiety, irritability, and gastrointestinal issues. There may also be interactions with other drugs, particularly since there isn’t a lot of research out there that has examined kratom.
If you want to try kratom for your chronic pain, you should weigh the potential benefits with any side effects you may experience.
Alleviating Chronic Pain
The kratom plant is one way to alleviate chronic pain, although it is controversial. However, if you have severe chronic pain, trying anything out there may be worth it to you.
If you found this article useful, be sure to check back often for new content and feel free to share on social media.
