July 6, 2018 | CANCER
By, Lauraine Kanders, ANP, ACNP-BC
The benefits of medical marijuana in helping your body combat numerous ailments is no secret. As awareness regarding medical marijuana is becoming more common, we have started to realize all the benefits that it hosts for combating numerous diseases. The latest research in this regard has revealed that this medical herb has the capabilities to help cancer patients overcome their disease. Here we will look at how cancer develops in patients and what medical marijuana does to help limit the impact.
WHAT IS CANCER?
Cancer is the name given to the condition that occurs when there is an uncontrollable growth of abnormal cells within your body. Cancer usually finds way into your body, when the normal control mechanism in place within your body stops doing its job. The lack of a proper combat mechanism means that old cells don’t die, and they eventually start creating new abnormal cells. These abnormal cells create an unwanted mass of tissues that is often called a tumor. While there may be an accumulation of new abnormal cells in almost all types of cancers, some cancers like leukemia don’t result in a tumor.
Since cancer is influenced through a dwindling combat mechanism, it can develop anywhere inside your body. From a woman’s breast to a man’s prostate, cancer can find its way in any part of the body. The 5 broad categories of the disease include:
• Sarcomas, which develops in the bones, muscle, fats and connective tissues.
• Carcinomas, which develops on the skin or the tissues lining internal organs.
• Lymphomas, which starts inside your immune system.
• Leukemia, which is based in the bone marrow and in your blood.
• Central nervous system, which develops inside your spinal cord and brain.
While cancer has for a big part of the last century been considered as untreatable, we may be at an important stage of time with news regarding the efficacy of medical marijuana in helping to treat cancer.
BENEFITS OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA FOR HELPING CANCER PATIENTS
Although the verdict regarding the use of medical marijuana for treating cancer is yet to be finalized, what we do know is that the plant can be beneficial in many ways for these patients. The benefits of medical marijuana for cancer patients include:
• Reduction of Nausea and Vomiting: Those who have been through it would agree that radiation and chemotherapy treatments can be brutal on your body and cause vomiting and nausea among many side effects. Cannabis has antiemetic properties that can reduce vomiting and nausea.
• Alleviating Chronic Pain: Chronic pain has been recognized as one of the severe side effects of cancer and the requisite treatment options. Medical marijuana has been found to have properties beneficial for managing symptoms of chronic pain.
• Manage Digestive Distress: Diarrhea and constipation are potential side effects of cancer medications and treatment. Medical marijuana can help curtail these impediments, because of its anti-inflammatory agents.
There seems to be no doubt over the medicinal properties of marijuana and with increasing awareness, we can expect an increase in the use of marijuana to help patients suffering from cancer.
At Medical Marijuana Recs NY, we provide our visitors with online video chats to become certified for Medical Marijuana in New York State. Our group of NPs and doctors strive towards helping get certified. Click here to see if you qualify!
