The Power of Medical Cannabis: Healing Properties and Benefits

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Side Effects From Medications
Posted by B (Minneapolis, Mn) on 08/01/2011
★★★★★

Cannabis is a plant which grows from the Earth, and like so many such plants has been used traditionally as a medicine and I am addressing it in this manner.
The legal issue and the propaganda which has sprung up around it are an entirely different topic. A different healing is called for in that case, but let me get on to my own experiences.

I have consciously used this herb medicinally since my late twenties. I began experimenting with spiritual/medicinal applications for a few years before I decided to take it seriously.

I have tried a few modes of ingestion: eating, smoking, vaporizing, tincture.

In my twenties I was very depilitated. I had chronic debilitating pain in my muscle tissue & joints.
Chronic inflammation- systemically.
Headaches/Sinusitius/depressed immune system
Endometriosis....the list is larger than this post necessitates, so I'll stop here.

I did several things to dig myself out of that hole. I was beyond the doctors' scope of knowledge & I had no patience for their convulted process when my own instincts were very clear.

What I have found to be most effective is small dosage. Eating the medicine is difficult to dose (although if you are in state where it is legal, many dispensiaries have honed that & have a wide variety of consumables), smoking has been the easiest form for me to take the medicine. I have used a vaporizer a few times, and think they are a fantastic answer to the concern over smoking. However, they are expensive.

I will talk more about tincture in a moment.

What I have found works best for me thus far, is to take in one or two small inhalations. And without any breath holding, exhale. Of course, because of the legal classifications of the plant the medicine is very different depending upon where it comes from and many people have taken breeding to a science. I think the best thing is to do your research on this and follow your conscience as to how you obtain it & how it's grown. Again, dispensiaries are good sources of knowledge.

Back to it: Sometimes I will increase of decrease the dosage, depending upon what my body is saying. I have used it successfully for premenstrual & perimenipausal pain & anxiety. This has been immensly helpful because of the endometriosis issue. It has helped a considerable amount with cultivating mindfulness- which is the richest resource for helaing I know of.

It has helped with headaches reliably & opens my sinuses.

It has also helped to take the edge off of debilitating pain & relieved inflammation (not in a lasting way). Although, there are some strains (and I have not cultivated a base knowledge of them, so I cannot tell you what they are and are not) which will increase the body awareness in such a way that it becomes "more" painful.

Yoga is quite helpful under such circumstances.

Now to tincture: I have tried this only once, but one dropperfull, a typical tincture dose was more than I needed for a simple medicinal application. I've been working with other tinctures in a homeopathic way for number of years to great success with certain issues. Thus, I've been very curious about using cannabis tincture in this manner- meaning just a few drops in some water. I finally started some tincture and it should be ready at the end of this month. I'm very excited to experient with it.

Finally, I just want to add that The National Organization for the Reformation of Marijuana Laws is a wonderful resource for information on both the medicinal and the legal issues surrounding this Gift of Earth. They have many links to reputable studies. There have been a plethora of studies and new information is being uncovered all the time. It is very exciting to see the science unfold (as many types of natural healing are being revealed in a similar nature).


Side Effects From Medications
Posted by R. (Dallas, Texas, Usa) on 04/12/2011
★★★★★

Since I posted a Yea earlier, I feel I should tell of my experiences and how Cannabis has helped me with my issues. I have had Hiv/Aids for 21 years, and take toxic medications to keep me alive. But these drugs have horrible side effects, like nausea, and loss of appetite, to name a few.. These same drugs that keep me alive, have also caused Peripheral Neuropathy, in my feet and legs. So to combat these toxic side effects I take in the Cannabis, when the nausea or loss of appetite hit. It does help with the Neuropathy, in that it takes the mental edge off of the discomfort!

I do not like taking these toxic drugs, but hey they keep me alive. So I have been told to learn to live with the side effects... And the Cannabis is the best option I have discovered, and I have tried many remedies before the Cannabis....

I would love to read how this herb has helped others!