1. Introduction
Pain is the first sign of illness. However, chronic pain that stays longer than usual interferes with your daily routine and leads to disturbance of your normal working and social life. This pain could occur anytime or anywhere in your body. A doctor may prescribe you a synthetic chemical painkiller that is good for short-time use, but exposure to chemical medication for long-duration results in side effects.
Medical cannabis and its compounds are an effective measure to reduce or culminate pain with a natural substance. Medical cannabis contains various cannabinoids and chemical compounds that could help treat diseases and pain!. A Marijuana plant has more than 100 different chemicals called cannabinoids. Moreover, each cannabinoid has a different effect on the body.
Medical cannabis is an effective medical product to eliminate the pain but not every country has approved its consumption. However, evidence and research highlight that cannabis and its compounds help relieve many types of pain, especially pain associated with psychological or digestional aspects. Moreover, its compounds effectively diminish aches from neurological disorders to childbirth.
2. What is medical cannabis?
Medical cannabis is also known as medical marijuana. It is a herbal drug derived from the plant cannabis stevia, also called hemp. Medical marijuana consists of abundant chemical compounds used to treat various diseases. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol(THC) and cannabidiol(CBD) are the main chemicals present in marijuana, responsible for making people high.
2.1 Main cannabinoids of medical cannabis?
Medical cannabis is a plant drug with many chemical compounds known as cannabinoids. Each cannabinoid has its function, but so far, only two compounds, THC and CBD, are usually present in enormous amounts. Below is the list of cannabinoids present in medical cannabis.
- THC: It is a psychoactive compound found in the plant. It is responsible for the high effect or euphoric state after consumption.
- CBD: Is a non-impairing compound of the plant and doesn’t cause a “high state” of the human mind. However, it also provides physical benefits. It may also relieve pain, nauseous, and migraine.
- CBN: It helps to relieve neurological conditions and uncontrollable muscle stiffness.
- THCA: Is a similar compound to THC, but it doesn’t cause any physiological effects or a euphoric state. Although, it helps to reduce inflammation caused by arthritis and anti-immune disease.
- CBG: It is often found in lesser amounts and helps reduce anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms.
2.2 Different types of medical cannabis
Medical cannabis is derived from the cannabis plant and can be categorized on effect, parent category, and compound combination. Below I have mentioned some different kinds of medical cannabis.
- Cannabis sativa Plants: These plants have tall thin finger-like leaves. These have higher doses of THC and lower content of CBD. It has an energizing and anxiety-reducing effect. Moreover, it is recommended to use it in the daytime due to its stimulating effect.
- Cannabis Indica plants: these have short and stocky with bushy greenery and chunky leaves that grow wide and broad. It has higher levels of CBD, but the THC content isn’t necessarily less. It has been known for its relaxing effects, reducing nausea and pain, and increasing appetite.
- Cannabis Ruderalis plants are small and bushy plants that rarely grow taller than 12 inches. It has little THC and higher amounts of CBD. It has adverse effects on various neuropathic pain and chronic effects.
2.3 Working of the medical cannabis in the body
It works by interacting with a complex system in the body called the endocannabinoids system. Moreover, this system consists of endocannabinoids which are naturally present in our body and regulate mood, memory, immunity, pain, and stress. however, Cannabis plant or cannabis-based medicine is based on medical cannabis laws.
However, when a person consumes plant-based cannabis such as THC and CBD, which have a similar shape to endocannabinoids. They fit into the same receptor and trigger reactions.
Furthermore, these reactions have medical benefits such as pain relief and reducing inflammations. Plant material drug interactions in the body especially with low-THC products result in psychoactive effects.
2.4 How to consume medical cannabis?
You can consume medical cannabis by using one of the following methods.
- Smoke: the smoke of medical cannabis will reach your lungs and mix with your blood.
- Vape: You can inhale it with the help of a vaporizer that will convert it into the mist.
- Oral: You can eat it by adding medical cannabis to edible food like brownies and cupcakes.
- Skin absorption: You can apply cannabis oil, lotion, gel, or cream directly to the skin.
- Edible products: You can put extracts of cannabis or cannabis oil under the tongue.
2.5 Is medical cannabis legal and safe to use?
Not every country has legalized the public consumption of medical weed. However, cannabidiol (Epidiolex) and dronabinol (Marinol, Syndros) are legal two medical cannabis products under medical marijuana laws. However, U.S. Food and drug administration hasn’t legalized all cannabis products.
Cannabidiol drugs are for the Treatment of epilepsy. It is a neurological disorder in which brain activity becomes abnormal, causing seizures or periods of unusual behaviour, sensations, and sometimes loss of awareness. Dronabinol medications are the cure for vomiting and nausea caused by cancer chemotherapy and an eating disorder characterized by a person with low BMI( body mass index).
Using medical cannabis for medical purposes will reflect positive changes in the body since it’s a natural drug with the least negative consequences. Moreover, marijuana smoking is way safer than tobacco smoking.
3. Benefits served by medical cannabis
People have used medical cannabis for years and noticed the effective changes in their medical situation. Moreover, medical cannabis program has also been started to explain synthetic cannabinoids and the safety of cannabis. Researchers and medical experts stated that medical cannabis could treat thousands of conditions. The benefits of cannabis are mentioned below:
3.1 Reduce anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder:
Many medical experts have scientifically investigated medical cannabis to check its effectiveness. However, the researchers found evidence that it is clinically beneficial to treat people with social anxiety, depression, or any other psychological problem. The THA and CBN cannabinoids released by medical cannabis help stimulate the mood, and a person feels relaxed.
3.2 Decrease the effect of cancer
Some recent cancer studies suggested that medical cannabis can lower the growth of the cancer cell or can kill the effectiveness of the cells. However, cancer patients stay consistent with chemotherapy to kill fast-growing cancer cells in the body. Moreover, this chemotherapy drug treatment is effective, but the patient might feel nauseous due to chemical reactions. Subsequently, medicinal cannabis therapy is noted to relieve the side effects caused by treatment of chemotherapy.
3.3 Reduce inflammation and relieve pain
THC looks like the cannabinoid synthetic compounds that our bodies naturally have. At the point when individuals ingest or breathe in THC( medical cannabinoids), it stimulates the production of the cerebrum’s cannabinoid receptors.
It initiates the brain’s reward framework and decreases torment levels. THC is a psychoactive compound, as it tries to cannabinoid receptors and produces a raised perspective, known as a high.
CBD doesn’t cause a high, even though it interfaces with pain receptors in mind to exert pain-relieving and calming effects
3.4 Helps to treat seizure disorder
A seizure is a medical condition in which the brain receives abnormal electrical activity. It may happen quickly and goes unnoticed. In extreme cases, it may lead to unconsciousness and major shaking of the body.
Researchers recently got their eye on it when the parents of people living with seizure disorders claimed that medicinal cannabis therapy helps cure seizure disorders in their children. Few studies reflect the effective drop in seizure disorder after consuming this drug.
3.5 Helps to deal with epilepsy
It is a neurological disorder in which brain activity becomes abnormal, causing periods of unusual behaviours, loss of awareness, sensation, and seizures. CBD-based drugs are prescribed to people who have epilepsy as it is difficult to control with any other drugs. CBD is one of the main components of medical cannabis without psychoactive results. Moreover, Food and Drugs Administration has approved the use of medications containing CBD.
4. How to use the Hemp seed oil flawlessly?
There are usually two ways to include Hemp seed oil into your daily skincare regimen. The first way is by consuming it as a dietary supplement or even using it as cooking oil by adding some drops of Hemp seed oil to your favourite dishes. The second and the more prevalent way is to apply the Hemp seed oil directly to your skin as a part of your everyday skincare.
Moreover, it is an excellent idea to add Hemp seed oil to your daily routine by consuming it orally, whether ingesting a spoonful every morning or as an additional ingredient in the food you cook. Also, adding Hemp seed oil to your salads and soups is a great way to ensure you get your everyday dose to get supple, nourished skin. On the other hand, if you are not keen on ingesting Hemp seed oil, you can use it in the following ways.
4.1 Effectiveness of medical cannabis on pain
The basic function of medical cannabis is to relieve pain and support the overall quality of life. However, analgesic antispasmodics, commonly known as painkillers, are commonly made up of these herbal drugs. These drugs are often used after surgery, for acute diseases, or even to cure chronic diseases like arthritis or back pain.
4.2 Cures of chronic disease
Circulation of medical cannabis is still restricted in many cities. However, a medical expert prescription will help you buy these herbal drugs. Medical weed is safe and effective for improving symptoms of long chronic diseases such as pain, sleep disorder, and anxiety. However, Treatment with medical marijuana reduced the need for opioid pain medication by 32%.
5. Opium VS cannabis
Opioids are medications that relieve pain by acting directly on the nervous system. They are addictive, and withdrawal symptoms are common. as of 2016, approximately 116, opioid overdose death happens every day in the U.S. and around 11.5 million people misuse prescription opioids every year.
A research survey noted that almost 81 per cent of the audience found cannabis more effective than opioids. However, 97 per cent audience agreed that they could decrease or end the consumption of opioids after taking medical cannabis.
6. The Bottom Line
Recently, the national institute on drug abuse has noticed the value and adverse health effects of medical cannabis in curing thousands of diseases. CBD and THC compounds present in medical marijuana are similar to the compounds present in the body. People consuming Botanical cannabis are under medical supervision. These are prescription drugs and not everyone has access to cannabis.
Moreover, when we intake these compounds either by smoke vape or orally etc. leads to reactions in our body. However, the outcome depends on the selection of medical cannabis and the dominance of consolidation.
