Medical Issues That Can Be Managed By Medical Cannabis
There is now a significant shift in the medical sector in regards to managing different issues. Previously considered a dangerous drug, cannabis is now among the leading options for managing some medical conditions. It is prominent in the medical world and high in demand that a few of the world’s biggest companies, like LiveWire Ergogenics that deals with quality, organically-grown, handcrafted cannabis products, are now investing big in the growing of medical marijuana. The entry of these companies has also significantly improved the current quality of medical cannabis. As such, you are sure that you can get the best product if you need the drug to manage different conditions.
Cannabidiol {CBD} is the component responsible for the therapeutic benefits of cannabis. Below are some of the medical issues for which your doctor can prescribe cannabis.
Pain
Scientific evidence shows that the interaction between the CBD in medical marijuana and body cells called vanilloid receptors that receive stimuli decreases a person’s perceived levels of pain. This effect also reduces inflammation, one of the leading causes of pain in most conditions. As such, it is used to manage the chronic pain experienced by people with arthritis. It is also prescribed to manage the stiffness, tremors, muscle spasms, and pain accompanying multiple sclerosis. According to a 2016 study, cannabis, when used as a transdermal gel, can also reduce pain and inflammation without predisposing a patient to the side effects associated with conventional medications.
Depression and anxiety
There have been hundreds of studies looking into the effect of cannabis on neuropsychiatric conditions. These studies have concluded that the CBD in the drug can help treat anxiety disorders like obsessive-compulsive disorder, seasonal affective disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and PTSD. Medical cannabis has also proved beneficial for managing depression, even when used as a topical preparation.
Epilepsy
The use of marijuana to manage seizures in epilepsy was made quite famous by a 2013 documentary named ‘weed’ by CNN. Since this documentary aired, several studies have shown a significant decrease in seizures among patients diagnosed with epilepsy, even the forms that have resisted other medications. The FDA approved the use of an oral CBD formulation for managing Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, two forms of epilepsy that are challenging to manage.
Cancer treatment-related symptoms
The primary focus when using CBD to manage cancer treatment-related symptoms are vomiting and nausea. These are the most common side effects of the radiation and chemotherapy used to treat cancer. A 2015 study showed that the incidences of vomiting for patients put on cannabinoids during their radiation and chemotherapy were five times less than when managed by other approaches. Incidences of nausea were three times less. Medical marijuana is thus quite useful when prescribed for cancer patients to alleviate nausea and vomiting during treatment.
Insomnia
Various medical issues are associated with insomnia. The common conditions associated with insomnia include fibromyalgia and sleep apnea. Cannabinoid-based medication has shown promise in helping people with insomnia getting quality sleep. Patients to whom cannabis was prescribed reported restorative sleep and a decrease in daytime fatigue.
Addiction
Though it sounds ironic, cannabinoids have shown great promise in the management of addiction. Patients battling tobacco, opioid, cocaine, and alcohol addiction have demonstrated significant improvement when put on medical cannabis. Moreover, the drug has been used as a replacement for opioids in patients who have become addicted to the latter when used to manage pain.
Glaucoma
This condition is one of the leading causes of blindness in patients above 60 years. Glaucoma is associated with a high pressure in the eye that damages your optic nerve. Scientists have considered the impact of medical marijuana on this condition and found that the drug can lower pressure in the eye. Moreover, it helps to preserve the optic nerve. Both effects alleviate glaucoma symptoms.
To access the beneficial effects of medical cannabis on the above and other conditions in California, you need a California medical marijuana card. Recreational marijuana can be purchased without a card, but a card gets you access to exclusive medical dispensaries, saves money on taxes, and provides added legal protection. Before the relevant state authority processes this card for you, a certified medical marijuana doctor should assess you and then write a recommendation for the drug based on his/her findings. This is the recommendation you will present for the issuance of a medical cannabis card. Remember that you should have proof of your California residency through a driver’s license, utility bill, and other relevant documentation for the state to accept your application for the card.
