What Conditions Can Medical Marijuana Help Treat?
In light of the federal government’s restriction on government-sponsored data gathering, evaluating medicinal marijuana research condition by condition is difficult. Even if they seem to be sunny, observational studies might be misleading. Studies on animals and in the laboratory may also be promising. Things that benefit mice or a smattering of cells in a laboratory dish may not always be beneficial to people. Despite these difficulties, cannabis is obviously an effective medicine for several ailments and diseases. Others, on the other hand, aren’t so sure.
Pain that lasts over an extended period of time.
More than 600,000 Americans use cannabis to relieve their chronic pain, and there is a considerable body of data to support this. In randomized clinical trials involving people with agonizing health conditions such as peripheral neuropathy (diabetic nerve pain), spinal cord injury, HIV/AIDS or complex regional pain syndrome, cancer, chemotherapy, muscle and joint problems, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis, marijuana reduced pain by 40%.
In a recent study out of Canada, medical marijuana has even been shown to ease the pain of arthritic animals. Osteoarthritis, the degenerative joint disease that affects half of all individuals aged 65 and older, has received little attention in human research, which is surprising given how widespread it is. The first round of clinical studies has begun. But who’s going to hold their breath? According to a Colorado poll conducted in 2019, arthritis and back pain were the two most common reasons for older people to utilize cannabis. Around 79% of people felt it was helpful.
The bottom line is that it seems to be beneficial.
Insomnia
According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, there is only “limited” scientific evidence that cannabis improves sleep in patients with sleep disorders. However, this isn’t affecting older users. It was used by more than a third of adults in a poll in Colorado, and 86% of those who tried it reported it helped them sleep. THC and CBD may work together to help people with insomnia caused by pain, obstructive sleep apnea, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, and anxiety by attaching to cannabinoid receptors on brain cells.
Cannabis for sleep might be problematic, so be aware. A small amount of THC might be beneficial, but too much can keep you awake. It’s possible to have a decent night’s sleep even if you’re taking too little CBD, according to a new study from Palo Alto University.
The bottom line is that it seems to be beneficial.
Depression, PTSD, and anxiety
One in five older people in a recent poll reported using medicinal marijuana to alleviate their depression and chronic stress. More than 90% of those surveyed believed it had a positive impact. It is also becoming more popular for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. If you want to get a medical marijuana card in virginia follow the link.
So far, there is very little data on any of these mental illnesses. We’ll find out soon enough. More than a half-dozen research projects examining the effects of cannabis on anxiety and depression are now underway in the United States and elsewhere. PTSD is the subject of at least six studies.
Limited research and surveys have shown so far that marijuana has both positive and negative effects, notably on depression. The good news is that this is a positive thing. According to one study, just two puffs of low-THC, high-CBD medicinal marijuana may reduce depression symptoms by 50% in the immediate aftermath of use. Taking more didn’t make it work any better, just as with any medication. The bad news is that their persistent sadness becomes a little worse with time. The researchers caution that long-term usage may alter cannabinoid receptors in the brain, increasing the risk of depression. It may be reversed by stopping.
A patient’s tolerance might vary greatly depending on the strain and type of the drug, so it’s important to keep this in mind while prescribing. Patients should consult their doctor first before attempting a cannabis-based medical treatment. There is limited scientific research on the subject, and the effects vary from person to person, as they do with any medication.
If you choose your cannabis correctly, the outlook for anxiety is better. It was shown in research in 2018 that participants who smoked marijuana lowered their benzodiazepine consumption by 47%. Those who use it are ecstatic. According to 73-year-old nurse navigator Barbara Blaser of Magnolia Wellness in Oakland, California, cannabis users over the age of 65 might experience an increase in anxiety. Your children are far away, your friends are dying, and you have no idea what your future holds. You may feel better if you take a modest bit of marijuana. I’m currently utilizing a gel pen to apply a small amount of product to my skin. It all makes sense now, and I feel relieved. “
Quantity is critical. A 2017 study found that even a small amount of THC (7.5 milligrams, less than the amount seen in typical edibles) lowered stress. People who took 12.5 milligrams of marijuana, which is about the same amount found in a few puffs of the popular marijuana strain GSC, felt more anxious. This is the same amount found in a few Girl Scout Cookies.
PTSD sufferers may benefit from cannabis. Researchers at the National Center for PTSD in Palo Alto, California, believe that THC and CBD may help alleviate the “fear memories” that flood the brain in reaction to PTSD triggers (such as a sudden loud noise). In a clinical study in Canada in 2009, taking THC at night led to less and less vivid nightmares for 47 people with PTSD.
Anxiety seems to be beneficial, whereas PTSD appears to be beneficial.
MDS stands for myelodysplastic syndrome.
Multiple sclerosis affects about 1 million Americans, many of whom are over the age of 45, with excruciating muscular spasms and discomfort. According to a 2017 poll, up to 66% of them may be using medicinal marijuana for this purpose. There’s a good chance they’ve also scaled down on MS drugs. After chronic pain sufferers, those with multiple sclerosis (MS) are the second most common category of medicinal marijuana users in the United States. The efficacy of cannabis to alleviate the muscular spasms associated with multiple sclerosis is well-documented. Others are exploring the possibility of using cannabis to treat multiple sclerosis (MS). MMJ International Holdings Corp., a company that does research and development on cannabis, says that soon, they will start testing a new drug for MS in the United States.
The bottom line is that it seems to be beneficial.
Cancer sufferers are subjected to excruciating
Donald Abrams, an oncologist and professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and lifelong champion of medicinal marijuana, argues that cannabis is particularly beneficial for cancer pain and the side effects of cancer treatment — nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and weight loss. Abrams adds, “There’s no doubt in my mind that it works.” “I was a member of the NASEM committee that examined the data.”
Cancer pain and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting were found to be the most common applications in the medical literature. Abrams adds, “I work with cancer patients receiving treatment.” You should visit the dispensary and explain to the staff what you’re attempting to treat and ask them what they recommend. “
On the other hand, Abrams thinks that cannabis should never be used to treat cancer. When I meet people who have waited six months to come in because they heard marijuana heals cancer, it’s the saddest and most aggravating thing to me. There are some people who are too late to benefit from established therapies like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. He tells people not to believe stories and data that aren’t true, like one small human study in which cannabis oil was dripped into the brains of people with brain cancer.
The bottom line is that it seems to be beneficial.
Various more circumstances might exist.
Medical marijuana is being used by older individuals to treat a wide range of ailments, including migraines, fibromyalgia, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia symptoms, Parkinson’s disease, Crohn’s disease, and glaucoma. Some of them have a bright future ahead of them. One study found that medical marijuana lowered the severity and frequency of migraines. An Israeli study of 2,700 elderly people with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Crohn’s, and ulcerative colitis found that cannabis reduced pain and improved quality of life. Experts advise against using marijuana to treat glaucoma, though. Eye drops, for example, are a tried-and-true remedy. It will need a lot more study and anecdotal evidence before we can come to a conclusion on these applications.
