Crohn’s disease is enough to make the toughest among us feel drained, exhausted, and miserable, day in and day out. Its symptoms are unpleasant, and knowing there is not a cure makes living with the disease even worse. While there are several possible sources of relief for anyone with Crohn’s disease, the staff at GreenBridge Medical in Santa Monica, California, have found that a regimen of dosed medical cannabis can provide relief. Call or visit Dr. Kurzman and Dr. Frankel today to learn more about your options.
Crohn’s disease is characterized by inflammation of your intestinal tract that can cause severe abdominal pain, fatigue, and heavy diarrhea. These can be so severe that they lead to malnutrition or other life-threatening conditions, so Crohn’s disease should not be taken lightly.
A key trait of Crohn’s disease is that the inflammation can spread several layers into the lining of your intestines, making it difficult to treat. The cause of the disease is unknown, but you may be more likely to get it if you have a family history of Crohn’s or if your immune system is compromised in some way.
Ulcerative colitis is very similar to Crohn’s disease, at least in terms of its symptoms. It also usually presents with abdominal pain and diarrhea and can also lead to life-threatening conditions.
Ulcerative colitis has several key differences from Crohn’s disease. Inflammation due to Crohn’s can occur anywhere in the intestines, but ulcerative colitis is limited to the large intestine. While people with ulcerative colitis often have fewer relapses of the disease and are usually able to recover slightly quicker, it is still very serious.
Look for diarrhea with blood or pus, or rectal pain, in addition to your other symptoms, as clues that you may have ulcerative colitis. For a precise diagnosis, visit a medical professional.
Whether cannabis has an effect on the inflammation to blame for these intestinal diseases is still under research. However, dosed medical cannabis has already been used to provide patients with some relief from their most dire symptoms.
People who suffer from Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis can benefit from whole plant cannabis. CBD has natural anti-inflammatory properties, and patients can experience a decrease in flare-up episodes. They also can see improvement in their symptoms.
Patients who start using medical cannabis report that their pain is more manageable and their stomach less volatile when they keep to their treatment plan. Both of the most widely known compounds in cannabis, the non-psychoactive cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are options for treating these conditions, depending on their severity.
If you would like to learn more about how you can treat your Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, contact the staff at GreenBridge Medical, either online or by phone for more information.
