For decades, marijuana was regarded as illegal, and its storage and consumption are still prohibited in many states across the nation. Of late, cannabis treatment has been a topic of hot debate among experts. With the government giving approval to the medical use of marijuana for the treatment of patients suffering from epilepsy, there is an ongoing reevaluation of marijuana at a cultural and legal level. This article aims to raise awareness about the use of medical marijuana and how it can be helpful for your health.

CBD is the Magic Compound with Health Benefits

People who consume marijuana for recreational purposes know that it contains many chemicals and compounds capable of giving a high to the user. Scientists have found that cannabis contains a compound called CBD or cannabidiol that can impact the functioning of the human brain without creating a high. Scientists believe that CBD provides an anti-inflammatory effect on the central nervous system of the users.

It is this effect that gets translated into benefits in multiple medical conditions. It is just one of the nearly 113 cannabinoids found in cannabis. These cannabinoids make up almost 40% of the extract of cannabis. There are available CBD-based products in the market that are believed to help users in many medical conditions. Another important compound present in cannabis called THC has been found to bring relief to pains. Together, both CBD and THC mixed in various proportions can provide relief in the symptoms of many kinds of illnesses.

CBD is the constituent of marijuana that has been studied by scientists the most. The good thing about CBD is that it contains THC only in traces. THC in marijuana is attributed to hallucinogenic effects, which is why a medical marijuana doctor near me remains careful when administering CBD to his patients. Before deciding on medical marijuana, it is the endeavor of the doctor to make sure that possible anti-inflammatory benefits always outweigh potential psychogenic effects.

What is Meant by Medical Marijuana?

29 out of 50 states in the U.S have now given permission for the use of medical marijuana. In some states, like California, Calorado and Nevada, marijuana is even allowed for recreational purposes. However, recreation is beyond the scope of this article, and we shall concentrate only on the medical use of marijuana. The critical thing to remember is that the FDA has allowed the use of medical marijuana in only two medical conditions, both being types of epilepsies. But the fact is that marijuana is available and being used by millions of men and women in many states across the country.

There is no difference between cannabis that is used by people for recreational purposes and medical marijuana. It is only that the extracts or the chemicals found in marijuana are administered under controlled situations by doctors. As mentioned above, there are 113 cannabinoids found in marijuana, but it is mainly CBD and THC that are used for medicinal purposes. The least controversial of all the compounds found in marijuana is CBD. Many experts also refer to it as marijuana without the high. It is no wonder that the market and online stores are selling CBD products like creams, lotions, oils, and even tablets to help people fight with their pains and other chronic conditions. People use medical marijuana, aka CBD-based products, to treat various ailments and medical conditions.

Chronic Pain Management

A vast majority of individuals look for alternatives to painkillers as they begin to experience the side effects of continued usage of these medications. Today, there are more than half a million Americans who use medical cannabis to get relief from the symptoms of chronic pain. People have found that medical cannabis is highly effective in providing relief from chronic pain, whether it is nerve pain caused by diabetes or the uncontrollable pain that takes place after a spinal cord injury.

Cancer patients, HIV patients, and people who have severe rheumatoid arthritis have said that consumption of medical marijuana reduced their chronic pains by almost 40%. Arthritis and back pain are two of the most common conditions for which people choose medical marijuana as their tolerance to the medication prescribed by a medical doctor increases. Nearly 80% of the users of medical marijuana said they were satisfied with its impact on their chronic pains.

Patients suffering from chronic migraine pain for a very long time have responded very well to medical marijuana. These patients were fed up with side effects arising from the regular use of painkillers like ibuprofen. Doctors believe that patients were reporting little or no pain at the back of their head after taking medical marijuana resulted from this substance altering brain pathways related to pain perception.

PTSD, Anxiety, and Depression

The second category of users of medical marijuana across the country is countless men and women suffering from mental diseases. People suffering from chronic depression and anxiety don’t feel normal as they lack confidence when dealing with the people and the situation around them. These men and women have turned to MMJ Health Florida Medical Cards to obtain medical cannabis legally for a long-lasting solution to their problems. They say that CBD oils and pills have a calming effect and help in lifting their spirits. How marijuana helps in reducing the symptoms of depression and anxiety is not yet clear. But doctors have found that even patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD) respond well to medical marijuana. Depression patients say their symptoms are gone by using medical cannabis low on THC and high on CBD.

Cancer Pain and Chemotherapy

The pain experienced by the patient in the advanced stage of cancer is too severe to bear. The same is the case with cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy. Medical cannabis has been found highly effective in reducing the intensity of pain for cancer patients. It is also helpful in taking care of other cancer patients’ symptoms, such as vomiting, nausea, and weight loss. Chemotherapy induces nausea and vomiting, and the condition of the patients is highly miserable at times. Administering CBD-based pills and tablets to such patients has been helpful in getting rid of vomiting and nausea. However, medical cannabis does not treat cancer in any way. Many patients make the mistake of avoiding a visit to their doctor as they get relief from their symptoms with the consumption of medical marijuana. Dronabinol and Nabilone are two human-made medical marijuana drugs being used for providing relief to patients with cancer and chemotherapy. However, many patients have been healed from cancer when treated with Rick Simpson Oil, also known as RSO or FECO - highly concentrated cannabis oils. 

Multiple Sclerosis

Muscle spasms caused by a medical condition called multiple sclerosis can be very severe and unbearable for the victims. There are more than a million patients with MS, and a large number of these patients are reportedly making use of medical cannabis to get relief in their spasms. MMJ Health Medical Marijuana Doctors is planning to soon introduce a purified extract of medical marijuana containing CBD and THC to help MS patients fight the symptoms of muscle spasms.

Substance Abuse and Alcoholism

It is ironic that the same cannabis that has been a target because of its psychoactive effects is today helping patients of substance abuse. Doctors are also using medical marijuana to help alcohol addicts deal with their withdrawal symptoms. Many studies have been conducted on patients’ use of medical marijuana, and it is found that individuals respond well to administered marijuana. Even in cases of opioid dependence, doctors have found that medical marijuana has helped patients in getting rid of their dependency.

Treatment of Epilepsy

The use of medical cannabis in patients suffering from two rare types of epilepsies has created a lot of awareness about the possible health effects of marijuana. The first marijuana-derived drug Epidiolex was approved by the FDA for the treatment of seizures experienced by patients of Dravet Syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Doctors tried many other medications to control the seizures experienced by child patients, but they found that this CBD-based drug produces the best results. Seizures are the worst symptoms of epilepsy, and medical marijuana has certainly helped doctors in bringing relief to their patients suffering from these two rare kinds of epilepsies. The interesting thing to note about the use of medical marijuana in epilepsy is that the drug contains purified CBD and not even traces of THC. It shows that medical marijuana can be effective even without the psychedelic component THC.

Treatment of ASD

ASD is a big problem in the country, with millions of kids afflicted with this disease. Kids on the Autism Spectrum Disorder experience violent mood swings that prove uncontrollable for parents and even doctors. In a study, it was found that children with autism calmed down and obeyed the orders given by doctors and parents when they were administered medical marijuana. Medical marijuana has produced encouraging results in the treatment of this disease, and further studies are required to show how it works to reduce the symptoms of autism.

Strengthening of Bones

This is a rather surprising and welcome health benefit of medical cannabis. Doctors accidentally discovered that administering medical marijuana not only helps in reducing extreme pain felt with broken bones but also helps in mending bones quickly and efficiently. Broken bones heal up quickly, and they become so strong that chances of breakage reduce significantly in the future. There are no scientific studies to corroborate these findings but doctors and patients both agree that medical marijuana helped them in quicker and more efficient recovery after the accident.

Help For ADHD Patients

Kids who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have difficulty in keeping their focus. These kids have poor concentration levels, and their cognitive performance is also very poor. Doctors have found that administering CBD-based products to these kids helps in improving their symptoms. It is hoped that with further research and studies in this field, kids who have ADHD will have better medication for their treatment.

Arresting The Speed of Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s is a self degenerative disease afflicting millions of old-age Americans. Patients become forgetful and find it difficult even to complete their daily chores. Doctors believe that this disease takes place because the connections between neurons in the brain break down. Administering medical marijuana to seniors who have Alzheimer’s produced desirable results as it reduced shaking of hands significantly. The CBD present in medical marijuana slowed the speed of progress of this degenerative disease. Doctors believe that this is a result of the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD. Inflammation of the neural network inside the brain is considered the main reason behind the development of this degenerative disease.

Parkinson’s is another degenerative disease afflicting millions of senior citizens in the country. Doctors have found that the administration of medical marijuana to patients has proved beneficial in reducing the severity of tremors associated with this disease.

Treatment of Insomnia

There are millions of men and women across the nation who are finding it hard to sleep generally like other human beings. They suffer from a disease called insomnia, which does not allow them to sleep peacefully. These patients continue to stay awake for days at length, which is bad for their health.

Doctors found that these patients responded well when administered medical marijuana. The composition of medical cannabis given to such patients contained THC in traces. It is the constituent of marijuana that is psychoactive in nature and helps in relaxing the brain to achieve deep and sound sleep. Doctors are using medical marijuana for the treatment of other patients experiencing disturbances in their sleep cycles.

There is evidence to suggest that there are tangible health benefits of medical marijuana. It has proved efficacious in all kinds of diseases, including mental ailments. The use of medical marijuana is only going to increase manifold in the future as more clinical studies are carried out in the country.

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