Medical cannabis is benefiting millions of patients across the United States and worldwide, but for many of them, it took a lot of trial and error to find what worked for them. If you are a new medical cannabis patient and are looking for some tips on how to find success utilizing cannabinoid therapies, you are in the right place! Let’s look at a few things that every new patient should know when starting their journey to healing with medical cannabis.
Things You Should Know as a Medical Cannabis Patient
To find success as a medical cannabis patient, there are a few basic things you need to understand. Understanding these aspects will allow you to make more informed choices when making product choices, as well as save you a little confusion and irritation along the way!
- There are many different ways to medicate with cannabis!
- There is more to medical cannabis than just CBD and THC.
- Terpenes matter!
- Cannabis treats people differently.
Let’s explore these topics more!
How Should I Medicate with Cannabis?
There are many ways to medicate with cannabis. Depending on what you are trying to relieve, some methods of consumption may be more beneficial than others. As an example, patients with neuropathic pain may find better relief through a topical product such as a salve that can be applied to the specific area of concern in comparison to hitting a vape pen when the pain is intense. However, someone who is having an anxiety attack, for example, would likely find better relief through vaping or smoking than they would through eating an edible that takes 45 minutes to an hour to take effect. When making purchasing decisions regarding what products you will utilize as a medical cannabis patient, it is important to think about what symptoms and ailments you are looking to address and what methods may best benefit them.
Cannabis Contains Hundreds of Compounds – Not Just THC and CBD!
When most think about what compounds in medical cannabis help, they think about THC and CBD. This is because these are two of the most prevalent compounds in cannabis. However, they aren’t the only ones. In fact, many medical cannabis patients are finding that other phytocannabinoids like CBN, CBC, and CBG are offering substantial benefits, and research thus far is also showing the same.
Terpenes Play a Vital Role in Cannabis’s Effects and Effectiveness
Aside from cannabinoids, another type of compound found in cannabis is terpenes. Terpenes play a vital role in the effects produced by various strains and products, as well as how they are received by the consumer’s body. Terpenes are found in all plants, fruits, and vegetables in nature and are responsible for giving various plants their unique smells and flavor profiles, including cannabis. These valuable compounds have also been proven to offer an array of different therapeutic benefits. Additionally, there is a theory known as the entourage effect, which has also been shown to have validity through studies, that theorizes cannabinoids, terpenes, and other plant compounds within cannabis work better together than they do when isolated. Studies have also investigated the ability of terpenes to affect the bioavailability of cannabinoids as well.
Cannabis Effects Everyone Differently
While a certain strain may help one person with their IBS, for another patient, that same strain may offer no relief whatsoever. For this reason, it is important to pay attention to your body, your needs, and how you react specifically to different cannabis strains and products. It is important to not get frustrated and to remember that it will likely take some trial and error for you to find your cannabinoid regimen, but when you do, it will be worth it!
Tips to Help You Along the Way
Now that you are more familiar with some of the aspects of cannabis that are important to your success in finding relief through medical cannabis, let’s take a look at two things you can do to help your journey be more successful.
- Journal
- Join Groups for Support
Journalling Can Be Vital to Your Success as a Medical Cannabis Patient
Journalling can be a great asset in your journey to finding success as a medical cannabis patient. A cannabis journal should record, at minimum, the ailment you were suffering, the method of consumption, and the strain/product you are consuming. Additionally, it is essential when journalling to set a reminder to also journal about the results you see after the product has had time to take effect. This is vital so that you can start to learn more about what works for you and what doesn’t without you having to remember it all because let’s face it, there is an abundance of strains and products on the market today! There are even remarkable digital apps that have been designed with this exact purpose that have amazing reviews, making journalling about your cannabis experiences easy peasy!
It Takes a Village!
In the digital era that is today, it is easy to connect with others through various channels. Many medical cannabis patients have found great support by joining groups on social media that are centered around medical cannabis and specific disease sets. By connecting with others that are also on similar journeys with medical cannabis, it is easy to share experiences and learn from one another.
The first step to finding success as a medical cannabis patient, however, is becoming a legal, medical cannabis patient. Luckily, that part is simple! Simply schedule an appointment with a state-certified physician today to obtain your medical cannabis recommendation! Once you have completed your appointment and received your recommendation, simply follow the procedure for your state to submit your recommendation and other required documents in order to obtain your medical cannabis card! Then all that is left to do is to start your journey to healing with medical cannabis.
Disclaimer: The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained in this article is for informational purposes only. No material from this article is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment before undertaking a new health care regimen. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
