or…
HOW TO HAVE YOUR TEETH DRILLED WITHOUT NOVOCAIN (OR GAS)
By George Rohrbacher, NORML Board of Directors, medical marijuana patient Science and medicine run deep in my family. My dad and an uncle had Ph.D.s in parasitology and pathology. My dad’s dad was an M.D. Grandpa met my grandmother when they were both attending medical school at the Univ. of California, in 1915. My grandma’s grandmother learned surgical nursing during the Civil War and afterward was the “doctor” for Oroville, California for many years. My mother, brother, and several aunts are all Registered Nurses. For at least five generations, our family has been committed to science and healing. It is from this perspective that I view marijuana as a medicine.
Like most Americans, I discovered marijuana as a medicine quite by accident. 60-years old, I’ve used pot for over 41 years simply because it makes me feel good. I like it. But who would have ever guessed cannabis was actually helping me stay healthy at the same time?
A ‘bad back’ is one of medicine’s most oft heard adult complaints, and during my 35-years of farming and ranching, my body has written many a check my back couldn’t cash. Sometimes my back has hurt so bad that if I got down on the floor, I couldn’t get up without help. In the end, after trying numerous back treatments, I found that just plain walking and stretching was the best way to deal with my lower back pain, that is, walking and stretching while consuming marijuana. I had first bunched these activities together so as to allow me to get my hurting back “walked out”, and at the same time, I had the privacy to smoke a little pot out of the sight of my growing children. I soon found that walking and stretching while using cannabis was many times more effective for treating my back pain than just walking without it! Marijuana seemed to relax my muscles, reduce spasms and inflammation. When I later became acquainted with the scientific research on this subject, I found out that was exactly what cannabis, and its cannabinoids, had been doing for my body all along.
Decades of splitting firewood, pounding fence posts and other such farm work has left me with two ruptured discs in my neck and numbness and pain that sometimes plagues my hands and fingers. Nasty. Sometimes, very, very nasty. Cannabis helps control the pain from these pinched nerves and cannabis helps me sleep at night without killing my liver or kidneys, without causing gastric distress or constipation, and without damaging my sex drive or good humor. Cannabis helps me pursue my non-surgical options, while at the same time it reduces inflammation and muscle soreness from my on-going activities.
Along with the work-related injuries, I am also a walking encyclopedia of old football injuries, some that still have me hobbling around, four decades after the last touchdown. I’m a big guy, played defensive tackle and lacrosse, too. I loved banging heads. In the process, I’ve separated a shoulder, had a major knee operation and sprained both ankles numerous times. But, am I standing in line for a knee or hip replacement like my no-pot using baby sister or brother-in-law? NOPE! Why no replacements of my damaged joints? I honestly think it’s because of the four decades of cannabis use that I can still walk five miles every day on my banged-up knee and ankles without any pain or inflammation. As it turns out, even the cartilage in one’s joints has cannabinoid receptor sites.
Oh yes, sure a dislocated ankle really hurts, but for a real front-row seat to the world of pain, there is nothing like a migraine headache. I am one of the unfortunate millions of Americans who have diet-triggered migraine headaches. But fortunately, over the years, I’ve rooted out my dietary ‘triggers’, which include: chocolate, red wine, aged cheese, soy sauce,…and now, I rarely have a migraine anymore. I avoid those triggers like the plague. But in my medicine chest, just in case, to help me deal with one of those aura-producing, skull-splitting migraine headaches that still lurk along life’s path, marijuana is an essential medicine. Almost instant migraine relief is possible for me with vaporized or smoked cannabis.
In late January, this past winter, we had a freezing fog that glazed-over everything for miles around. I took a dramatic fall on the ice and landed flat on the back of my ass. Both feet went out from under me so quickly I had not even gotten an elbow or finger down to help break my fall onto the ice-covered concrete slab. Well, at least I hadn’t cracked my head, I thought, as I lay there on my back on the ice, testing for broken bones. Slowly I started to move. Yup, I was OK. No broken hip, thank God—just the start of one very, very sore ass from taking the full impact of that drop onto the ice-glazed concrete. I crawled back into the house, went directly to our freezer, and took out a double dose of my special medical marijuana spice cake. About an hour-and-a-half later, my wife and I walked out the door on the start of a slow, but enjoyable, three-mile hike. My pelvis was very sore but, with the cannabis properly applied, it was good to go. I repeated this treatment every day for the next week, cannabis edibles and walking.
As my bruised butt was healing, I went to see my dentist for a check-up. He looked into my mouth and said I needed a filling, “Nothing too major.” Fortunately I was prepared; I had taken a good dose of my cannabis edibles an hour or so before my appointment, to allow me to sit, despite my injury, without discomfort in the dentist’s chair. I said to my dentist, “No Novocain today, Doc.” He nodded and started to prepare his drill. He’d seen me do this before.
Cannabinoid receptor sites are primarily in the peripheral nervous system. As cannabis calms the underlying causes of most back pain, the inflammation and tightness of the muscles, the cannabinoids also act on the peripheral nervous system to modulate the pain messages transmitted to the major nerves. The pain from tooth drilling is a bit different, that kind of pain is hard-wired directly into the brain. Cannabis doesn’t block that pain so much as helps a person to simply look past the pain and ignore it.
In having one’s teeth drilled, due to the fear of pain, virtually everyone trades a very few moments of serious pain from the drilling, for about two hours of having one’s face defrost from the jaw-numbing shot of Novocain. I said, “No Novocain for me today, Doc,” because I chose the pain, knowing medical marijuana would help me overcome it.
Here’s how: Take cannabis edibles an hour or two before you are to sit in the dentist’s chair. Not flinching while the dentist is drilling your teeth is a big job. You must lie there absolutely still, melted into the chair, immobile. Cannabis is very useful in this process, not so much to block the high-voltage pain from the tooth drilling, but to help your mind reach the meditative state to deflect that pain, so you can let the pain flow over you like water.
Think of your time in that dentist’s chair like body surfing in big waves. When a crusher wave comes in, you must dive down deep, hold your breath, and let it roll over you. When it’s safe, you can come up again for air. The ocean is too big to fight; you have to hold on until the wave passes. And, it’s the very same thing having your teeth drilled without gas or Novocain. The very second the drilling stops, that tooth pain stops, as well, and you can safely come up for air. With modern high-speed dental drills, the actual total number of seconds of real pain are quite few, providing the excavation isn’t the Grand Canyon (your dentist can help you judge). So, just relax, it’s really not that bad, roll your eyes back, and let her rip! With a little pot spice cake behind you, you’ll be quite surprised, you can handle it! And, it’s only going to hurt for a few seconds, anyway. Afterward, when the drilling’s all done, putting in the filling doesn’t hurt a bit.
One very nice thing about dentistry without Novocain is you always get the occlusion right, the first time, everytime, because you can actually feel your mouth when the dentist tells you to bite down, and asks, “Is the new filling too high or low?” And then, when the dentist takes off your dental bib, it’s all over; it is really totally over—no frosted face, no needle marks in your gums, nothing else to recover from.
Without the Novocain shot as part of your dental work, you can walk out of your dentist’s office pain-free after a filling, your cannabis edibles still kicked in, whistling your favorite tune! Now, you try doing that for the next hour or two with your face and lower lip de-frosting from the Novocain!
I’ve been using cannabis as a medicine for over 30 years, 5 years legally. Washington State’s voters gave me the right to use marijuana as a medicine in 1998; I got my doctor’s recommendation in ‘04. President Obama’s Justice Department has said the Feds will no longer interfere with Washington State law in this area. Decades of worry and paranoia, the fear of a SWAT Team, with their guns drawn, bursting through our front door in the middle of the night, bringing drug dogs to search for my medicine has abated, at least for now. Help NORML end America’s marijuana prohibition for good.
Achieving proper titration: In the words of the DEA’s own Chief Administrative Law Judge Francis L. Young: “Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances know to man…” Advances in technology have come in all areas of modern life and making marijuana use even safer is no exception! In the last five years, I have all but given up smoking pot in favor of using a vaporizer—it’s clean and very tasty, with no tars or fire-created carcinogens—although for mobility and socialization it will always be hard to replace a joint. Achieving proper dosing levels using a vaporizer or smoking is quite easy, full effects are seen in about ten minutes and last about an hour-and-a-half before declining. Homemade cannabis edibles take about 20-40 minutes to kick-in, a lot depending on what else is in your stomach, and some experimentation is needed to find the proper dosing levels; but for long term, high-dose pain relief, edibles are hard to beat.
Irvin Rosenfeld, America’s longest surviving Federal cannabis patient, has been receiving federally-grown pot for 27 years. Irv finds smoked pot works best for him. He consumes 10-to-15 joints a day to deal with the challenges of living with a rare form of bone tumors that has afflicted him since childhood. A stockbroker handling millions of dollars in transactions, Irv has said he never feels a “high” from using marijuana, even though he uses it all day long.
About two years ago, when the pinched nerves in my neck were acting their very worst, I began using cannabis at dosing levels where pot’s marvelous, fun and useful psycho-active effects started disappearing for me as well. Damn, it’s the shits to be that sick! Thank goodness, I’m better now.
My wife, 53 years old, has severe arthritis in her hips and shoulders. She spends all of her time in severe pain. No amount of pain pills stop the pain but if she takes enough to sleep at least she hurts less. Of course the doctors won’t routinely prescribe any pain pills that really help.
I am very confident that medical marijuana would hugely improve my wife’s quality of life. It angers me that we risk prison for the rest of our lives, and I risk my job, if she were to use marijuana so she continues to suffer.
I got a letter from my NY state rep who said he voted no last year on MM because he wants it dispensed at pharmacies not off the street or dispenseraries. I like hearing he may consider it, but it makes me very angry to hear he won’t vote yes just because of that reason alone.
Man my back is screaming in pain today, percocets don’t help enough. My other medications have stopped working. I don’t know what to do. If I wasn’t so afraid of getting fired or caught I’d just buy it. But I’m so lame I wouldn’t even know where to go to get it.
I have been using Cannabis for over twenty years for my pain. I am allegic to poison and can’t take the pills they want me to take. I can’t drink alcohol it makes me puke as well, so I tried weed.
I am now an outcast from my former life, my family thinks I am the crazy one, the church I used to go to thinks Pot is bad, even though their GOD made it. These are not the worst of it, I am now a career criminal due to my use, although I have never been busted. I live in a state with no medical marijuana loop holes, and have had to grow my own or find swag on the streets.
I have seen my friends get busted, families seperated, while real crimes go unpunished. In my little town we spend over 5 million a year for cops, but all they do is drive around stopping people. The town used to be called Plover, but we call it Pull Over.
So I got a question.
Now that the Federal Government says that they will no longer arrest users in states with Medical Marijuana laws, and that the Federal Laws have not changed, they are just not going to be enforced, then is the government guilty of discrimination against the millions of Medical Cannabis users who live in states with no laws? It seems like it to me. Where are the lawyers on this one? Either we have equality for all or we do not.
Do I kill people? Do I rape your daughter? Am I kidnapping you? Will I burn your house down? I could because those crimes have less time to serve if caught doing them. For the weed I grow and have grown for twenty years they suggest life imprisonment. Do you want to create more criminals who do not have my self control?
I learned all my cloning, growing, harvesting tactic while I was in jail for a crime I did not commit. And since no one will hire me,even though I have two degrees and graduated in the top of my class. what can I do except grow Cannabis, smuggle Cannabis, and sell Cannabis. I am now the expert Cannabis Chef in the area and instruct new users on correct ways to consume Cannabis goodies.
I want to pay taxes on my weed, but can’t. I want to be part of my county, but they still lie. How come I can take pills to get a hard-on, restore hair, or slip into a coma, but I can’t legally smoke a non-toxic plant?
This was the response from our PA rep. The usual lies. I hate my reps. I am going to organize and get these non supporting reps outsteaded!
Mr. Snyder:
Thank you for contacting by office with your interest in House Bill 1393, which would provide for the medical use of marijuana and repeal those provisions of law that prohibit and penalize marijuana use. I appreciate knowing your views on this controversial issue.
I do not support the legalization of marijuana to treat medical conditions. Marijuana use is illegal under both federal and Pennsylvania state law. Even if the General Assembly were to pass House Bill 1393, marijuana use to treat medical conditions would still violate federal law. As such, I cannot support this legislation.
Again, thank you for contacting my office with your interest in this issue. If you have any other state-related questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
JEFFREY E. PICCOLA
i crashed my back thirty years ago and since then, ive had two disc removals in my back and replaced one in my neck. after all those surgeries, of course you get pain meds. which i started to take after the first but, i hated the sick feelin i had while using them. so i stopped taking them and just would burn a part of a bowl of herb and found it more reasonable to deal with the pain of recovery. the next surgeries i didnt bother filling the pain meds. herb and advil. recovery has been good. ive also had four hernia surgeries with the same outcome. no stinkin pills. now recently, my job began rendom testing so for the last seventy days, ive had no herb. for the last thirty or so days, i have felt increasing discomfort in the lower back. i stretch and excersize and yet, its a constant pain. funny, all the years ive burned herb, its all been good and now, without it, im feelin this.
RE:
Rayvyn,
– Mark Keller is seriously MISinformed / UNinformed about medical-cannabis…
MY REbuttals OF Mr. Keller’s AND Dr. DuPonts IGNORANCE about CANNABIS
IS IN ALL BOLD-CAPS …
Rayvyn, I hope this helps you in formulating a reasoned response
to Mr. Keller’s concerns / email.
(I have also shortened article-links to display properly on NORML-blog).
#20 Rayvyn Says:
May 6th, 2009 at 5:21 pm
AN EMAIL I RECIEVED FROM PENNSYLVANIA REPRESENTATIVE
MARK KELLER AFTER I EMAILED HIM URGING SUPPORT FOR HB 1393….
“Dear Amoura,
… In fact, a recent report issued by Dr. Robert DuPont,
from the Institute for Behavior and Health, Inc. in Rockville,
MD cites that “marijuana smoke is known to contain harmful chemicals,
which adversely affect all body systems from the brain and the immune system
to the lungs and the reproductive system.”
RE:
HERBAL-VAPORIZERS COMPLETELY ELIMINATE THE
HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH SMOKING BY GENTLLY
HEATING THE HERB TO RELEASE ITS USEFUL COMPOUNDS
INSTEAD OF BURNING IT….
NORML-MAPS Study Shows Vaporizers
Reduce Toxins In Marijuana Smoke
…medical benefit to be derived from marijuana can be found in the
synthetic tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). In 1985, the FDA-approved
drug known as Marinol and is available to physicians to prescribe to their patients.
RE:
– MARINOL CONTAINS ONLY ONE OF THE SEVERAL
EFFICACIOUS CANNABINOIDS FOUND
IN WHOLE CANNABIS HERB.
– BY ONLY ALLOWING A SYNTHETIC-VERSION OF ONE OF
THE MANY USEFUL COMPOUNDS FOUND IN CANNABIS,
(YET BANNING USE OF THE PLANT ITSELF),
IS AKIN TO ONLY ALLOWING SYNTHETIC VITAMIN C,
(ASCORBIC ACID),
YET BANNING CITRUS-TREES!
Marinol Versus Natural Cannabis
New NORML Report
Marinol vs Natural Cannabis – PDF
Cluster Headaches Responsive to Smoking Cannabis
MARINOL INFO – NORML search-results
Marinol vs Natural Cannabis – NORML search-results
Dr. DuPont maintains in his report that “it is inconceivable the that
FDA would approve burning marijuana leaves for any illness given
the fact that marijuana smoke is known to be toxic and that smoking
is not accepted as a route of administration for any medicine since
it is an unhealthy and unreliable drug mechanism.”
RE:
Mr. Keller, Dr. DuPont,
SMOKING’S NOT THE ONLY MEANS OF CONSUMING / INGESTING
MEDICAL-CANNABIS!!!
HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF HERBAL-VAPORIZERS,
TINCTURES, SALVES / OINTMENTS AND / OR EDIBLE PREPARATIONS?
Pennsylvania legislators, myself included, have worked hard to
establish laws that support strict drug law enforcement.
At this time, I do not feel that supporters of this legislation have produced
adequate evidence to substantiate their argument;
and therefore, I will not be supporting H.B. 1393.
RE:
MARK,
THESE LAWS WERE ORIGINALLY PREMISED
IN IGNORANCE, UPON RACISM AND GREED,
NOT UPON THE ACTUAL DANGERS OF MEDICINAL-CANNABIS
COMPARATIVE TO ALREADY LEGAL MEDICATIONS.
Again, I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to contact me and
voicing your opinions on this matter.
Please do not hesitate to continue to do so in the future.
Sincerely,
Mark
Mark K. Keller
State Representative
Perry & Franklin Counties
1-800-959-8119
FAX – 717-582-8979
I AM WORKING ON A RESPONSE TO THIS EMAIL.
ANYONE IN PENNSYLVANIA CONTINUE TO WRITE
YOUR REPRESENTATIVES!!! EVEN IF THEY REFUSE SUPPORT!
I am a 49 year old male. I have smoked greens since
about age 15.I have tried all other substances known
to mankind, but green has always been my choice.Ive
had one back surgery in 1984. I had another back
injury on 3-5-08 herniating discs again. I have also
suffered from blinding migraines about 7 years. I
have 2 large gym bags full of medications given me
by doctors.The side effects have caused me more
problems and the meds have offered me little relief
if any.Greens relieves my aches and pains, cuts way
down on the migraines, and allows me to sleep
normally and eat like I should. Without it my mobility
is limited, my muscle strength weak, migraines
sometimes on a daily basis for weeks, very serious
loss of appetite and very serious insomnia and
sometimes paralyzing depressions. Greens gives me
relief from every one of these ailments. It seems
criminal and barbaric that my country would deny me
this natural and safe relief and instead would wish
me to take thier sometimes very dangerous man made
pharmaceutical garbage. I have permanent damage
from gadolinium dyes and Chantix.They would much
rather I pay 300.00 for 9 pills for the migraines,
rather than use something natural,safer and much
more affordable to me.My country likes to kick
me in the teeth and shit on my head, but they expect
me to be patriotic and fight thier wars and pay
thier taxes.Issues like this make me not proud
to be an American.May we all never give up our
fight for safe access for all Americans.
Oh nice post!!! The blog contains very important definitions for health care and their comprehensive perspectives.
This is the spot the ADHD mind works, and whether you’re a grown-up attempting to excel within the workplace, someone who’s decided to go back in school, or perhaps working to make your own life better creating a projector streaming constant images mentally is not just distracting but tend to build a combination of serious life challenges. ” You can actually put your ADHD signs and symptoms of hypercreativity to work with this. For most non-ADHD adults this may be actually easy of dashing into your food store, walking instantly to isles number 5, 7, and 10, obtaining the products, and them delivering these to his appreciative wife. If you’re someone with Adult ADHD who would like to help themselves, then great! Many, many people with Adult ADHD symptoms make very successful entrepreneurs, as an effect of our creativity and drive. Lenard Adler, director in the Adult ADHD program for the NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City ADHD is often a developmental nerve disorder affecting the part with the brain connected with planning, organization, and impulse control.
Medical marijuana is increasingly becoming the treatment of choice for many chronic back pain patients.