If you’ve heard anything about medical marijuana, chances are you’ve heard that it’s an amazing treatment option and that it helps people with chronic pain to manage symptoms. But do you know how exactly medical marijuana works in the body?
Introduction
Medical marijuana is a plant-based extract that has been used to treat a variety of medical conditions for centuries.
Your body may respond to medical marijuana ingestion in many ways. Cannabis components enter your bloodstream as soon as you inhale cannabis smoke, quickly reaching your brain and other organs. The effects could start to take effect in a matter of seconds or minutes.
Cannabis-containing foods and beverages must first go through your digestive tract and liver before entering your bloodstream. Within minutes to hours, the effects could start to be felt.
The impact of cannabis on the body depends to some extent on the individual. Various physical and psychological effects, such as pain alleviation and relaxation, are reported by people.
The active components in cannabis are called cannabinoids. Nowhere else in nature can you find them.
Depending on how you use it, how much you use, and how frequently you use it, medical marijuana can have both short-term and long-term effects.
Understanding the impact cannabis can have on your body is more crucial than ever as access to it expands here in Mississippi, throughout the United States, and the rest of the world.
What Is In Medical Marijuana?
The active ingredients in medical marijuana are cannabinoids, including CBD and THC.
THC, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. THC levels in cannabis vary and have steadily increased over the last few decades.
THC attaches to and stimulates cannabinoid receptors in the brain when it enters the body. The stimulation of these receptors has a variety of effects on the body. Its side effects include decreased pain and inflammation, increased appetite, nausea, and insomnia.
CBD is another chemical found in marijuana that has health benefits. This chemical is psychoactive but not intoxicating or euphoric, so it does not produce the “high” that THC does.
What Are the Benefits of Using Medical Marijuana?
Medical marijuana is most commonly used in the United States to treat pain. It is very effective for chronic pain, affecting millions of Americans, especially as they age. Part of its allure is that it is safer than opiates because it does not block a person’s ability to breath even in higher doses and it is far less addictive if taken as prescribed. It can also replace (or at least diminish) the use of NSAIDs like Advil or Aleve, which is important for patients with cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, stomach ulcers or GERD. Marijuana, in particular, appears to alleviate the pain of multiple sclerosis and nerve pain in general. There are few other options in this area, and prescription medicines that do help, such as Neurontin, Lyrica, or opiates, are highly sedating. Patients claim that marijuana allows them to resume their previous activities without feeling completely disconnected and out of it.
Along these lines, marijuana is said to be an excellent muscle relaxant, and many people swear by its ability to alleviate Parkinson’s disease tremors. It is also being used successfully for fibromyalgia, endometriosis, interstitial cystitis, and most other conditions with chronic pain as the final common pathway.
How Too Much Marijuana Affects The Body
Different people respond differently to marijuana. Some folks might experience euphoria, and some might not feel much at all.
It’s crucial to discuss any medical conditions you have with your healthcare provider before using medical marijuana. You should also discuss your past drug and alcohol use, among other things.
Conclusion
Whether you are suffering from an illness or just looking to ease some pain and discomfort, medical marijuana may be the answer you have been searching for. Therefore, it is vital to explore how medical marijuana works in the body to help you make an informed decision about whether or not cannabis could be beneficial for you.