Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a rare, chronic, inflammatory condition that can cause severe pain, diarrhea, weight loss, anemia, and more. Because the disease is incurable, patients with ulcerative colitis typically take medication to prevent disease progression and achieve an improved quality of life. Recent research suggests a strong link between medical marijuana and ulcerative colitis, potentially offering hope for patients seeking symptom relief.
At LeafMed, a leading medical marijuana dispensary in Mississippi, we want to help you understand all the health benefits of medical cannabis. Read on to learn how cannabis interacts with ulcerative colitis, then check out our guide on how to get a medical marijuana card in Mississippi.
Medical Marijuana for Ulcerative Colitis: What You Need To Know
Medical marijuana can provide dozens, if not hundreds, of health benefits. To learn how the medicinal compound interacts with ulcerative colitis, you must understand what the condition does to the body. We discuss everything you need to know below.
What Is Ulcerative Colitis?
Ulcerative colitis is one of two common inflammatory bowel diseases, the other being Chron’s disease. The chronic inflammatory condition causes an abnormal reaction where your body triggers an immune response that creates inflammation and ulcers (small open sores) along the rectum and large intestine’s inner lining. The disease can range from mild to severe, placing patients at risk of other conditions, like colon cancer.
The most common ulcerative colitis symptoms include the following:
· Abdominal pain
· Bloody stool
· Rectal bleeding
· Diarrhea
· Gurgling intestinal sounds
· Fever
· Weight loss
· Bloating
· Inability to empty bowels
· Anemia
· Fatigue
· Cramping
The main types of ulcerative colitis include ulcerative proctitis, left-sided colitis, and extensive colitis. Ulcerative proctitis primarily affects the rectum, left-sided colitis extends from the rectum to the sigmoid portion of the large intestine, and extensive colitis affects the entire large intestine.
Ulcerative colitis progresses through stages defined as remission, mild, moderate to severe, and very severe. Medication and surgery can help patients slow progression and manage symptoms.
How Medical Marijuana Can Alleviate Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms
Cannabis contains hundreds of natural cannabinoid compounds, including cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which stimulate your body’s endocannabinoid system. In doing so, medical cannabis can affect immune responses, the cardiovascular system, the nervous system, and more.
Your body has numerous cannabinoid receptors in charge of various functions. The CB1 and CB2 receptors regulate ulcerative colitis symptoms by managing the brain-gut axis. Medical marijuana and ulcerative colitis interact because of these key cannabinoid receptors.
Cannabis can influence the CB1 receptor, which controls psychological components like pain, anxiety, and more. As a result, cannabis can reduce nausea, improve intestinal emptying rates, boost appetite, improve secretions, and more.
The CB2 receptor impacts your body’s immune response and intestinal surface cells. In theory, by stimulating the CB2 receptor, cannabis may reduce inflammation to improve chronic pain.
Research shows that medical marijuana can improve the following UC symptoms:
· Abdominal pain
· Reduced appetite
· Nausea
· Diarrhea
· Anxiety
· Depression
· Weight loss
Effectiveness in Research Studies
Research on animals shows evidence that medical marijuana may reduce intestinal inflammation. In human studies, cannabis has not yet successfully helped patients reduce inflammation or reach remission.
Clinical trials on individual symptoms, such as nausea, show more promising results. For example, in a research study with 886 participants conducting 2,220 cannabis self-administration sessions, 96.4% reported nausea relief.
Learn More About the Health Benefits of Medical Marijuana
If you’re interested in using medical marijuana to manage your ulcerative colitis symptoms, you should speak with your doctor first. While medical cannabis typically does not cause severe adverse reactions, you must consult your provider about how it will work with your current medications.
Now that you know about the interaction between medical marijuana and ulcerative colitis, continue learning with our guide on medical marijuana for depression. When you’re ready to shop for medical marijuana, visit a LeafMed dispensary in Mississippi or call us (228) 382-5323 with any questions.