Can Medical Marijuana Help Improve Sleep For Florida Patients?
Medical marijuana is usually used to relax your mind or creates a sense of drowsiness in your mind, and it eventually helps the person to sleep well. That’s why, marijuana doctors often recommend medical marijuana to improve patients’ sleeping patterns, but would it really work for all the people out there? In order to check it, we need to study results of various research studies. The ongoing legality debate allows us to understand the potential use of marijuana for medical benefits.Relationship with Insomnia
A 2011 research study on Cannabis and Insomnia states that cannabis or marijuana helped the 147 patients to sleep early regardless of whether they had been experiencing sleep problems or not.PTSD and Marijuana
In 2014, a research study was conducted on people with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) to check whether marijuana can help improve their sleeping cycle. Although short term impact of marijuana improved their sleeping cycle yet it’s important to determine whether it will continue to improve in the long run or not and if yes, what’d be the possible side-effects (if any)? A research study which used rodents concluded that rats who were experiencing anxiety issues felt relaxed and went into deeper sleep after having marijuana. However, at the same time, another study conducted on young adults states (who don’t have any sleeping disorders) in 2016 that marijuana intake disturbed their sleep quality. Although it is important to conduct marijuana studies on larger scale, many researchers also suggest that marijuana improve the sleeping pattern of the individuals who are experiencing sleep problems whether it’s insomnia, stress, PTSD or any other reason.Should You Get Marijuana to Improve Your Sleeping Pattern?
Marijuana doctors usually don’t recommend medical marijuana for longer periods as the patients might get addicted and can experience mental health issues in the long run. It particularly is applicable to people who have history of mental health issues or are relatively more vulnerable to mental health issues. Here are some natural fall asleep techniques which you can use to improve your sleeping cycle:- Set a specific time to go to bed everyday even it’s your weekend
- Make sure you’re sleeping in a dark and quiet room
- Don’t go to sleep after you have just finished your meal. Avoid eating at least one hour before you’re scheduled to go to bed every night
- Routine exercise is necessary
- No caffeine intake in the evening and night
Conditions Effectively Treated by Medical Marijuana For Floridians
Research has shown that medical marijuana is highly effective in the treatment of various medical conditions as marijuana is known to assist patients with medical benefits and pain management relief. Many patients who suffer from side effects of conventional medical treatments such as severe nausea, vomiting and dehydration respond positively to medical marijuana.
Marijuana Doctors in Florida treat various patients with medical marijuana who have benefited from faster recovery, less dependence on standard medication, fewer doctor visits, and improvement in mood and general wellbeing. Marijuana or Cannabis contains over 100 chemicals called cannabinoids. The two main chemicals used in medicine are Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), which most people are familiar with says a tampa marijuana doctor.
Epilepsy, for example, is the fourth most common neurological disorder that is diagnosed in over 100,000 Americans annually. Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome are two rare and severe forms of epilepsy that the FDA has approved medical marijuana to treat. People with epilepsy received little benefit from standard antiepileptic medications on the market and suffered significant side effects, such as tremors, hives, violent outbursts, and hallucinations. The chemicals in medical marijuana bind to endocannabinoid receptors in the brain to provide direct relief from spasms, as well as relieve side effects of various anti-convulsant drugs.
The following conditions include but are not limited to those that respond positively to medical marijuana:
ALS (Lou Gehrig’s)
Chron’s Disease
Diabetes
Glaucoma
Hepatitis C
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Lupus
Multiple Sclerosis
Parkinson’s Disease
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Severe & Chronic Pain
Severe Nausea
Sickle Cell Anemia
Countless Americans have come forward to share their success stories with medical marijuana. Several of them have been and can be treated by a marijuana doctor in Florida. Many cancer survivors and people diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis have accredited their recovery to medical marijuana use. Research has also proven repeatedly that marijuana is a highly effective in the treatment of nausea, vomiting and pain associated with Cancer treatment for many patients in orlando and other areas of Florida. Nausea and vomiting is known to be debilitating to the body as it may cause loss of appetite and severe dehydration, which lead to other complications. Chemicals such as CBD provide relief from nausea, vomiting and other side effects that conventional medicine is ineffective at treating. Despite the restrictions placed on marijuana at the federal level, medical marijuana remains the most effective medication for several conditions as it provides affordable, safe and fast relief, without side effects.
Lakeland Marijuana Doctors are committed to assisting you with the process of obtaining your medical marijuana card. We are your most trusted medical marijuana provider in your area. We are the leader in providing patients with quality, convenient, reliable, and trustworthy medical marijuana doctor evaluations in Florida. We know your health is your priority and we strive to offer excellence and quality care at every step of the process. For more information, feel free to contact one of our locations closet to you and we would be happy to assist you.
If you or someone you know is interested in seeing a marijuana doctor in Florida, please contact our offices to get started now!
The Science Behind Medical Marijuana For Florida Patients
Various studies, anecdotal reports, and scientific literature summaries have been reviewed to the best of the Physician’s ability. Given that the FDA will not approve medical marijuana or its extracts for traditional pharmaceutical use, we are obligated to share the warning that this therapy option is not a guarantee, and is not indicated as a cure, preventative measure, diagnostic tool, or means to mitigate a medical condition. We must keep in mind that some studies are more subjective in comparisons; conclusions of “some benefit” may mean that while the study did not find it statistically significant, while others may still benefit. The best type of study is a randomized clinical trial with humans, but research is banned basically in the US except for special programs; therefore, much data is brought from international sources, invitro or with animal research.
All this being said, with our philosophy to support a patient’s choice in a setting that minimizes risks/harms, we intend to educate based on the science available and provide recommendations. As new data is revealed about the potential benefits of medical marijuana or the risk of side effects, the information below will be updated so that you and your physician can make the best healthcare decisions together. Studies have primarily been done with patients having a terminal condition, and now we are realizing the benefits can also relate to other more common conditions, as long as the correct ratio of CBD and THC are used. Finally, while there is a lot of evidence that medical marijuana can be help numerous conditions, we keep entertain the science with an open mind but will comply with the regulations foremost related to Amendment 2.
- Pain: relief from severe pain caused by neuropathies or visceral/somatic pains from cancers, by itself or as adjunct with opiate medications (which have cardiopulmonary and GI risk issues not found with medical marijuana.)
- Muscle Spasm: studies showed good benefit for patients with Multiple Sclerosis when in ratio of 1:1 THC and CBD in studies using mucosal doses and capsules
- Nausea: calming of nausea to prevent vomiting associated with chemotherapy, through indirect activation of 5HT91a receptors in dorsal raphe nucleus, though studies report variability in benefit
- Anorexia: studies with dronabinol (synthetic THC) were of smaller doses with statistically neutral effects, used most commonly in patients with HIV/AIDS to prevent wasting
- Cancer: no clinical data yet to suggest direct anti-cancer effects (replication is independent of CB1 and CB2 receptors), however an abundance of pre-clinical data suggest an anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic (self destruction counter attack) that affects cell migration, adhesion, and invasion. The animal tissues studied so far included cancers like breast, brain gliomas, lymphoma/leukemia, lung, prostate, and colon cancer.
- Seizure: anticonvulsant proprieties have long been known of medical marijuana but the mechanism is still under investigation says one marijuana doctor in orlando. Early studies showed that high dose THC could actually increase seizure activity but the CBD component provides better results and safety profile. It’s believed that CBD affects many transporter receptors such as the ENT, GPR55, TRPV1, 5HT1a, a3 and a1 glycine receptors to work directly on the nerves to reduce the excitability and transmission of signals, as well as through anti-inflammatory paths TNFa or affecting adenosine uptake to prevent seizure potentials. Many participants or parents of children who were included in these studies using cannabis extract also reported improvement in developmental skills (motor, language), alertness or sleep, and mood.
- Psychiatry: acts on limbic system to help regulate mood (borderline personality, PTSD, anxiety more than depression, affective disorders), stress, and reward. It may be used as therapy for dystonia, a side effect of some psychotropic medications. For those with sleep disorders these studies showed medical marijuana was weakly beneficial.
- Anti-inflammatory – decreased TNFa. Very high doses would not be good for an immunocompromised patient.
- Neuroprotective – possible mechanisms include prevention of oxidative damage, moreso than would Vit C or E. Additional theories suggest an increase cerebral blood flow, with potential for improved stroke recovery.
- Immunomodulatory- the CB2 receptors in skin have shown such autoimmune conditions like psoriasis, as well as mice having less joint destruction from similar rheumatoid disease.
- Glaucoma – potential to reduce the optic pressures moderately, benefit with protection of the nerves of the eyes
- Metabolic – surveys of regular medical marijuana users revealed that they were actually less likely to develop Metabolic Syndrome, meaning lower BMIs, and subsequently less incidence of diabetes (less insulin resistance) and cholesterol issues (with better HDL). The biological pathways are yet to be discovered.
- Other- the Florida Medical Association Certification course for Physicians also detailed some emerging science yet to be validated in human studies, but these include to potential to increase blood flow to the heart after a heart attack (increased perfusion in mice) or after stroke (less MCA infarct volume). The serotonin system may have a role in this process.
If you or a loved one is interested in speaking with a Marijuana Doctor, please visit our website today.