Can kratom replace prescription painkillers?

Chronic pain is one of the things that will affect a high percentage of the population during their lifetime. It can be caused, for example, by age, various injuries or diseases. Regardless of its origin, such pain often limits us and greatly impairs our quality of life. Is it possible to fight it in other ways than using opiates with a really long list of side effects?

Once again, we will focus on kratom, which, in addition to its stimulating effects, can also be used as an analgesic. For example, kratom has helped many users recover from addiction to opioid drugs based on morphine or codeine. Which kratom to choose for these needs and can it really help us? Let's take a closer look at the issue of kratom for chronic pain!

Chronic pain

Already in the very introduction, we mentioned that in recent years kratom has become not only a popular stimulant, but also a very widely used support product for pain relief and overall relaxation and regeneration. In case of severe pain, the doctor usually prescribes morphine, which, however, has really extensive and sometimes neglected side effects. If the pain becomes chronic, many people try to find an alternative, for example in kratom, CBD cannabis or HHC. Why is that so?

It's absolutely simple. Long-term and frequent use of prescription pain medications is not ideal for several reasons. We include addiction, which in the given case very easily develops, the high price and, of course, the side effects of use, which can include, for example, problems with breathing, mood changes, infertility in women and also strong withdrawal symptoms upon withdrawal. 

Morphine is also often used in conjunction with ketamine, since the main effect of morphine is to dull the focus on pain, not to make it go away. So it doesn't address the cause. Ketamine can also fight pain, but its use without medical supervision is really dangerous!

Bottom line, taking prescription drugs for chronic pain is certainly not ideal for everyone. But can kratom compete with the aforementioned drugs or their combinations?

What is kratom?

We are the definition on the cannabis blog have already written many times, so in this article we will only summarize it in points. A more comprehensive article on kratom can be found here.

• by the Latin name Mitragyna speciosa 
• the leaves are used, they contain two active alkaloids (mitragynine and 7-hydroxomitragynine)
• natives have been using kratom for its stimulant and sedative effects for hundreds of years
• in Southeast Asia, its leaves are most often chewed, smoked or made into tea
• in the western world most often in the form of a powder from crushed leaves, capsules or in the form of an extract
• it is used for its stimulating and sedative effects, but also for a deep relaxation effect or problems with pain (either chronic or acute)

Maeng da kratom

In this article, we will focus on the Maeng da variety, which is most often used to treat pain. Kratom Maeng da is grown using the grafting technique. Experienced gardeners already know, for everyone else we have a simplified definition. Plant strains are bred with the help of grafting, this process consists in joining different plant tissues. Kratom itself has many strains that differ not only in the color of the veins on its leaves, but also in the effects themselves.

According to previous research, the composition of various Mitragyna speciosa species Maeng da Red appears to be the best kratom for pain relief. This is primarily due to the high concentration of mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, but the differences between the various names are not so noticeable, the important thing is its colors. The name of this variety translates as "Pimp's Power". The high content of alkaloids ensures very strong effects.

Maeng da kratom has a very pleasant and intense aroma similar to tea. The powder itself Maeng da Green it is bright green, which has energizing effects. However, we can expect the best results in the fight against pain from the red kratom Maeng da Red.

Chronic painthe kratom

The alkaloids contained in the leaves of Mitragyna speciosa bind to opioid receptors in our brain. Following this situation, our brain releases endorphins (hormones of happiness) and this process can provide us with very quick and significant pain relief. In contrast to classic opioid drugs, however, the brain reacts to alkaloids in a slightly different way. 

Morphine and codeine, as we mentioned above, can cause side effects in the form of worsening breathing. Since kratom acts on opioid receptors by a different mechanism, similar difficulties certainly do not await us when using it. In addition, kratom in the right dosage does not have other side effects like these prescription drugs. For example, nausea or sedation. We did not invent this knowledge, but we draw it from reliable foreign sources that have been involved in kratom testing for a long time.

Kratom Maeng da is an excellent helper for various types of pain. Consider, for example, muscle pain or various forms of chronic pain. The alkaloids contained in Mitragyna speciosa are able to provide the body with the desired relief from an unpleasant physical condition. 

Kratom as a helper for premenstrual pain

In the following section, we will focus on pain caused by the menstrual cycle in the fairer sex. Due to the decrease in endorphins, these appear in the period from a week before to the first day of menstruation. This period is associated with the so-called premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Its main symptoms include migraines, bloating, insomnia and moodiness. According to the latest research, women who do not suffer from PMS do not suffer from a reduced level of endorphins during the mentioned period.

Endorphins in our body can activate opioid receptors to relieve pain and improve mood. Based on their properties, plant sources of opioids (including kratom) should be a great help against menstrual pain. 

Kratom dosage for pain

Now we will try to answer one of the tricky questions: How to dose kratom for pain?

Getting a clear answer to this question is not so easy, as many factors are involved. Experts recommend starting with a small dose and gradually increasing if necessary. Kratom Maeng da Red it is very potent and its analgesic effects can be felt from just 2 grams. At the next attempt, it is recommended to increase the dose to 3 grams. However, we should always be cautious and increase the dose gradually only if it is absolutely necessary. Factors influencing the final effects of kratom include age, gender, metabolic rate, or body weight. A 50 kg woman should definitely not have the same dose as a 100 kg man.

Kratom overdose

When used in excess, kratom begins to act as a very strong sedative. If we expect stimulating effects from kratom, we should use a maximum of 4-6 grams. At higher doses, in addition to the strong sedative effect, nausea may also occur. Taking more than 12 grams is not recommended at all. There is no known case of a fatal overdose of kratom alone, as before Mitragyna speciosa could cause fatal consequences, there would undoubtedly be severe vomiting, which would prevent the individual's premature demise. However, it is definitely not advisable to play around with kratom, as it can really cause unhappiness when combined with drugs or alcohol. It would too kratom use people with a weakened cardiovascular system should avoid!

Conclusion

We do not encourage anyone to do this, but if you do decide to use kratom for pain relief, be careful and start with a lower dosage. Here it is best to measure on a calibrated gram scale. Watch the frequency of use and dosage, as kratom develops physical tolerance and later addiction. If you are taking any prescription drugs, be sure to consult with your attending physician whether Mitragyna speciosa is a suitable solution in your particular case.

Do you need help?

If anything is not clear to you and/or you want advice on the selection, please write to us below in the comments below the post, via contact form or send us a question by e-mail info@miralecbd.cz. Thank you