The Clinical journal of pain
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Cannabis is used by one-third of people living with chronic pain to alleviate their symptoms despite warnings from several organizations regarding its efficacy and safety. We currently know little about self-medication practices (use of cannabis for therapeutic purposes without guidance), mainly since the legalization of recreational cannabis in countries such as Canada has expanded the scope of this phenomenon. This study aimed to describe legal cannabis self-medication for pain relief in people living with chronic pain and to explore perceptions of the effectiveness and safety of cannabis. ⋯ Cannabis research is often organized around medical versus nonmedical cannabis but in the real-world, those 2 vessels are connected. Interested parties, including researchers, health care professionals, and funding agencies, need to consider this. Patients using cannabis feel confident in the safety of cannabis, and many of them self-medicate, which calls for action.
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Beliefs and knowledge about pain can influence how an individual approaches pain management. At present, there have been no investigations into the beliefs and knowledge that females hold about their pelvic pain; therefore, pain intervention approaches may not be targeted at current patient understandings. Exploring beliefs and knowledge may help inform and subsequently improve pain intervention outcomes for pelvic pain by allowing more tailored content to be delivered. This study aimed to identify beliefs and knowledge that females hold about their pelvic pain. ⋯ This study provides insight into the perspectives of females with pelvic pain. Recommendations for clinicians are provided with a focus on delivering targeted education and equipping patients with helpful representations of their pain.