Autism And Sports: What Every Parent Needs To Know

Posted on: 13 February 2019

With an increasing number of dispensaries opening in states that have legalized medical and/or recreational marijuana, more people have options to treat a wide range of conditions. Some medical conditions may benefit from marijuana more than others.

Chronic Pain

Unfortunately, chronic pain patients are often caught in the middle of tighter regulations on pain medications. Marijuana, specifically cannabinoids (CBD), can be used to manage different types of chronic pain, such a those associated with musculoskeletal conditions, cancer, or chronic headaches. A major benefit of CBD is its ability to reduce inflammation, which can be better tolerated than anti-inflammatory pain medications or steroids. Additionally, when CBD is effective for chronic pain, many people who currently take prescription opioids find they are able to reduce their dose, while some are able to eventually stop these medications completely. For maximum benefits, you should find strains that have little tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and higher concentrations of CBD.

Mental Health

The CBD in marijuana is also been helpful to people with mental health conditions, mainly affective disorders and anxiety. One of the benefits of using marijuana is you can find routes of administration that have a rapid onset. Many of the medications used for anxiety or panic disorder take some time to be effective. Even benzodiazepines, which have the fastest onset, may take upwards of an hour before you feel a reduction in symptoms. Unfortunately, this makes treating panic attacks with medication difficult because panic attacks may be intense, but have a short duration. Vaping marijuana or using tinctures can be absorbed rapidly and may have almost instant anxiety-relieving benefits.

Insomnia

Insomnia is a common problem that can be caused by daily stress or it may be related to other conditions, such as depression or pain. Marijuana strains with higher levels of THC can be useful to help you fall asleep and remain asleep. Since THC is the psychoactive component of marijuana, you will want to use these strains sparingly and when you know you will be at home for the rest of the day. Much like other treatments for insomnia, such as retail sleep aids or prescription sleeping pills, you will need to dedicate sufficient time to sleep so you are not forcing yourself to wake up prematurely and feel groggy. Generally, eight hours is recommended when you use any sleep aid.

There are many conditions that may not be effectively controlled with current prescription treatments. When recreational or medical use of marijuana is an option, consider trying marijuana as another treatment option for your medical issues. Contact a dispensary near you to learn more.