Can one use marijuana for medical purposes? Chemotherapy is a drug intervention used to treat abnormal cells. These cells may be experiencing an abnormal rapid multiplication, a change in their phenotype, or undergoing some hypertrophy. Many people perceive that chemotherapy only applies to cancer patients. However, that is not the case. This article will focus on the medical marijuana uses for chemotherapy patients.
Suppressing nausea
One of the medical marijuana uses for chemotherapy patients is to suppress pain. Cancer patients are prone to frequent vomiting. The degree of controlling nausea and vomiting is dependent on the route of intake. Studies show that smoked cannabis controls vomiting and nausea more than eaten cannabis. Recent research shows that 73% of patients who smoke marijuana after a chemotherapeutic intervention do not vomit. Advisably, a patient can take a puff of marijuana after a chemotherapy intervention to reduce the risk of vomiting.
Increasing appetite
Like any other medical condition, Cancer patients often experience a low appetite for food. One or more puffs induce the state of being hungry and the desire to eat more. The recent journal printed by radiologists performing chemotherapy shows that 90% of patients will develop a low appetite after a chemotherapy intervention. Most of the low appetite cases after chemotherapy affect patients whose intervention affects the gastrointestinal tract.
Relieving pain
For instance, in chemotherapy performed after a surgical intervention, the patient is likely to experience pain at the surgery site. The marijuana interacts with pain receptors at the surgery site, hence temporarily hindering pain perception.
Soothing anxiety
The psychoactive element of marijuana affects calmness. Studies on the medical marijuana uses for chemotherapy patients show that marijuana has a degree of calmness similar to oxytocin. A calm effect indicates that marijuana can be used as a stress reliever in chemotherapy patients. Remember that a patient who has undergone chemotherapy is more subjected to the stress of this condition. The person may be in one of the stages of dealing with their condition, the denial stage. Cannabis will change the mood of a chemotherapy patient from a pessimistic one to an optimistic one regarding getting well of their condition.
Apart from the medical uses, some adverse effects of marijuana are very familiar. However, those who use marijuana for therapeutic purposes advocate for advisory services before using it. New users trying to test the effects of marijuana are likely to experience the side effects of the drug; with the right advice, one may not experience the weird effects associated with the drug.