General Chronic Pain Relief
Cannabis has been used for millennia as a pain-relieving
substance. Evidence shows that cannabinoids prove useful in
pain modulation by inhibiting neuronal transmission in pain
pathways. The oil has the ability to relieve chronic pain
and inflammation, which is why cancer patients undergoing
chemotherapy often turn to cannabis oil for relief. It’s
also why it can be a part of natural fibromyalgia treatment.
It reduces nerve-related (neuropathic) pain as it helps
quell the burning pain in the feet and hands caused by
diabetes, AIDS, spinal cord injuries, and allows opioid
treatment at lower doses.
Reduces Stress and Anxiety
Everyone gets anxious every once in a while, but some
people can be debilitated by the anxiety they feel on a
daily basis—it can impact their lives significantly. Though
cannabis can actually create anxiety if taken in high doses,
if using a strain that isolates CBD and taking medicinal
cannabis in low doses, it can help to reduce it.
Cannabis oil has the ability to both release pleasure
hormones and relax the mind. It reduces stress and allows a
calming and peaceful feeling to take over the body. Chemical
components of cannabis, called cannabinoids, activate
specific receptors found throughout the body to produce
pharmacologic effects, particularly in the central nervous
system and the immune system.
Alzheimer’s Disease
The active ingredient in cannabis, THC, can prevent a
particular enzyme named acetylcholinesterase from
accelerating the formation of protein clumps in the brain
that can inhibit memory and cognition as well as the
formation of Alzheimer’s plaques. In other words THC slows
progression of Alzheimer’s Disease or prevent it by blocking
the “amyloid plaques” which are what is responsible for
killing brain cells.
In fact, cannabis is known to work more effectively for
treatment of Alzheimer’s than pharmaceuticals that were
specifically designed for the task. It reduces agitation and
night time tossing and turning, stimulate weight gain.
Cancer Treatment
The active ingredients in medicinal cannabis have been
proven to effectively relieve the pain, nausea, vomiting,
loss of appetite and weakness that cancer patients feel
while going through chemotherapy. Cannabis prevents cancer
from spreading as it turns off a gene known as Id-1. The
Id-1 gene is where cancer cell can create more “copies and
allow it to quickly spread through your body. Even more
impressive though is the fact that cannabis has been seen to
stop metastasis of aggressive cancer and even kill cancer
cells—all the while avoiding the healthy cells.
Epilepsy
It’s a well-known fact that many people who suffer from
epileptic seizures do not respond to traditional treatment.
However, cannabis can plan a critical role in controlling
seizure activity in epilepsy. Many epileptics depend heavily
on medicinal marijuana because pharmaceuticals simply do not
work for them. It reduces the number of seizures in children
and adults with Dravet Syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome,
types of epilepsy that are difficult to control with current
medications.
Likely the youngest cannabis user is a 5 year old Charlotte
Figi. She suffers from a severe nervous disorder, Dravet’s
Syndrome and her seizures decreased from 300 per week to
just 1 after being given medical cannabis.
Multiple Sclerosis
Another condition that often responds more favourably to
medicinal cannabis is muscular sclerosis. Evidence from
clinical trials show the positive impact that cannabis has
on muscle spasticity, arm and leg pain, and even mood. It
controls the debilitating muscle spasms and stiffness, which
often interfere with sleep and even walking. Thus reduces
pain, spasticity, depression, fatigue, incontinence.
Promotes Eye Health
Research shows that cannabis oil helps to naturally treat
macular degeneration and glaucoma. Glaucoma is a disease of
the optic nerve that can result in vision loss and
blindness. It’s caused by a buildup of fluid in the eye that
puts pressure on the optic nerve, retina and lens. The
pressure can permanently damage the eye if not treated.
Although many factors contribute to the optic nerve damage
in glaucoma patients, it has been established that the level
of intraocular pressure (known as IOP) definitively is
related.
Cannabis can relieve and reduce the intraocular (eye)
pressure that causes damage of the optic nerve in the eyes.
Effects of cannabis slows the progression of the disease
which prevents blindness. There is even evidence that it can
reverse deterioration as well. One cautionary fact about
cannabis’ ability to lower IOP is that it only works for a
short time, so patients would have to use cannabis about
every three to four hours.
Protects Skin
Applying cannabis oil to the skin stimulates the shredding
of dead skin cells and promotes a fresh and glowing
appearance. Cannabinoids are responsible for lipid
production, so they can help with regulating conditions such
as dry skin or acne — and may be added to your home remedies
for acne.
Cell damage formed by oxidation speeds up the aging process
and can lead to dark spots, wrinkles and other signs of
aging. Because of its high antioxidant properties, cannabis
oil helps to fight free radical damage. Also, cannabis
inhalation or consumption minimizes feelings of stress, and
stress can lead to acne, eczema and rosacea.
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C affects millions of people each year, and
medications for it often lead to severe side effects, such
as muscle aches, nausea, extreme fatigue, loss of appetite,
and depression. But patients who use cannabis regularly
claim it improves the effectiveness of their drug therapy,
by subduing the side effects so they can complete the
therapy. It also helps the drugs more effectively achieve a
sustained virological response, which means that there are
no signs left of the virus in their bodies.
Insomnia
A large portion of the adult population suffers from
insomnia—whether they can’t fall asleep, they can’t stay
asleep, or both. Chronic sleeplessness is often caused by
another condition, such as fibromyalgia, depression,
anxiety, or chronic pain. Medicinal cannabis induce sleep
and/or improve sleep quality. It can put patients to sleep
by reducing the pain, pressure, and inflammation that is
keeping them awake.
Boosts Heart Health
The antioxidant properties in cannabis oil benefit the
heart and prevent a range of cardiovascular conditions,
including hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke,
atherosclerosis and heart attacks. Cannabinoids affect blood
vessels by causing them to relax and widen. By relaxing
blood vessels, cannabis presents a natural way to lower
blood pressure and improve circulation.
Alters Appetite
For people who are looking to gain weight, possibly after
an illness or injury recovery, cannabis oil is known to
increase appetite. The oil also induces hunger and
stimulates the digestive system — this is possible because
of the hormones that are triggered by cannabis inhalation
and consumption.
Arthritis
Cannabis is highly effective at reducing pain and
inflammation of arthritis as well as the insomnia that
results from it. In regards Rheumatoid Arthritis, use of
medical cannabis reduces joint pain and swelling, suppress
joint destruction and disease worsening.
Migraines and Headaches
Migraine and headache pain can be debilitating and severely
affect sufferers’ quality of life. Cannabis’
inhibitory effect on serotonin type 3 receptors can diminish
the onset of migraines and headaches.
Parkinson’s Disease: Reduce the
tremors in this nervous system disorder and the stiffness in
the arms and legs, as well as psychosis symptoms.
Crohn’s Disease: Ease the need for
medication and surgery for patients with this type of
inflammatory bowel disease, which often irritates the small
intestine.
Lupus: Help reduce pain—especially joint
aches—in patients with this autoimmune disorder and prevent
the disease from progressing
Gastrointestinal Disorders: Reduce
cramping, abdominal pain, acid reflux, intestinal secretion,
disease activity.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders: Ease the
nightmares and other symptoms of PTSD.
Weight Loss: Drop a few pounds by kicking
up metabolism.
Fibromyalgia: Reduce pain and muscle
stiffness, improve sleep quality.
HIV/AIDS: Reduce neuropathic pain,
anxiety, nausea, appetite and weight loss.
Pruritus: Reduce itching in conditions
such as kidney and liver diseases.
Dystonia: Reduce muscle tension and
involuntary, painful muscle contractions.