Medical Benefits of Massage Therapy
Massage therapy can help with many medical conditions and ailments. It can decrease anxiety and stress levels, increase pulmonary function in asthma patients, help with insomnia, improve cancer pain, and more.
Massage involves a relaxing, hands-on session that lasts up to an hour. You usually need to remove your clothes, but therapists can cover areas you prefer not to be exposed to with a towel. Visit their Website for more information.
Massage therapy reduces stress by lowering the heart rate, increasing relaxation, and releasing feel-good hormones. The calming effect of massage helps to relieve emotions like anxiety and depression which are often associated with high levels of stress.
Research has shown that regular massage can lower the overall level of cortisol (stress hormone) in the body, and increase serotonin and dopamine. These are neurotransmitters that offer many benefits including reducing anxiety, depression and boost your sense of well-being and self worth.
Studies have also shown that a massage can help to reduce blood pressure. This is thought to be because when the muscles relax, tension is released and circulation improves. It is important to note that when you are pregnant, you should only get a massage from a trained professional, especially during the first trimester. A poorly trained therapist may accidentally hit a pressure point that can induce contractions and premature labor.
Many people who have chronic illnesses and diseases, experience higher levels of stress due to the illness itself. This can lead to a vicious cycle, where the disease leads to more stress, which in turn can make the illness worse. Massage therapy has been proven to have a positive impact on both the physical and mental health of patients suffering from a variety of conditions, such as cancer.
Another way that massage helps to reduce stress is by releasing pain killers and feel good hormones. The pressure applied by the therapist during a massage can interrupt nerve signals that would normally communicate the presence of pain to the brain. This is why so many patients find that they have a better quality of life after receiving regular massages.
Although there are many different physiological effects of a massage, these are the most common and most recognized. If you are under a lot of stress, it is definitely worth the investment to schedule a therapeutic massage, even if it is only once every few weeks. You will see and feel the difference far into the future. It’s one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental health.
Relieves Pain
A skilled massage therapist can manipulate your muscles, tendons and ligaments to reduce pain and improve function. Therapeutic massage can be a valuable tool in your healthcare regimen and may even be covered by insurance.
Massage can relieve pain by relaxing painful muscles, tendons and ligaments; decreasing stress, which can intensify the perception of pain; and stimulating the release of feel good hormones like endorphins. It also increases circulation to reduce inflammation and flushes out toxins that can cause pain.
One of the ways that massage reduces pain is by interrupting or overwhelming the nerves that report pain in injured tissue, called nociceptors. These nerves share their neurological pathway to the brain with a wide variety of other nerves that can send competing signals or block pain messages altogether. Many different techniques are used during a massage to stimulate competing nerve fibers, including rubbing or brushing the skin (which stimulates the cutaneous nerves), gentle movement and stretching (which stimulates the proprioceptors that report the position of your joints to your brain so you can balance), and pressure applied to the tissues (which stimulates mechanoreceptors that respond to pain and other stimuli).
In addition to relieving pain, massage can help decrease swelling by increasing blood flow. This is accomplished by mechanical pressure on the veins and by the release of vasodilators (substances that dilate blood vessels) during massage. The increased blood flow helps bring healing nutrients to the area and remove waste products, such as lactic acid.
Massage has also been shown to reduce pain by reducing the production of inflammatory chemicals in your body. This is beneficial because inflammatory chemicals are responsible for creating the sensation of pain and contributing to the progression of chronic pain.
Several research studies have been done on the effectiveness of massage in reducing pain. One study involved 65 inpatients who received 1 or more therapeutic massage sessions while they were staying in a hospital. They were asked to rate their pain on a visual analog scale before and after each session. They also completed a qualitative survey after they were discharged from the hospital. The results showed that patients experienced a significant reduction in their perceived pain level and in the amount of pain medication they took.
Reduces Anxiety
The physical touch and kneading of massage therapy reduces anxiety by naturally calming the body’s fight-or-flight response. Anxiety can cause your heart rate to increase and can lead to stress-related health problems such as digestive issues, insomnia, aches and pains and headaches. Massage is effective at lowering the stress hormone cortisol and triggering the release of feel good hormones such as serotonin, leaving you feeling calm and more relaxed.
A study conducted by researchers at the University of Miami found that massage therapy can decrease state anxiety and discomfort in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). Using the State Anxiety Inventory questionnaire, pain Visual Analogue Scale and saliva cortisol levels, participants who received back massage had lower state anxiety scores and reported less discomfort than a control group. Moreover, the benefits of massage therapy continued to be apparent with repeated sessions, even after 10 weeks.
Another study, conducted by researchers at the University of Miami, investigated the effects of massage on patients undergoing radiation therapy for cancer. The research found that patients receiving a 10-session course of massage had lower anxiety than those who did not receive the treatment. The researchers also found that massage reduced the frequency and severity of symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and fatigue.
The reason that massage reduces anxiety is that it slows down your heart rate, releases feel good hormones and interferes with pain signals from reaching the brain. In addition, it can help relieve stress that leads to feelings of anxiety and depression.
The research on the effects of massage and anxiety is compelling, but more research is needed to confirm these findings. Nevertheless, the results of several studies indicate that massage reduces the level of anxiety and increases the level of serotonin in the bloodstream. It is thought that these effects are due to changes in EEG activity, the reduction in cortisol and the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, which acts automatically to calm the body during stressful situations. This explains why so many people experience an immediate sense of well-being during and immediately after a massage.
Improves Sleep
Insomnia is a very common sleep disorder, and can often be caused by stress. Studies have shown that massage therapy helps to ease this stress, allowing you to get a better night’s rest. If you have a condition like RLS (restless leg syndrome), a regular massage may help with that as well. Research shows that massage can relieve the uncomfortable, tingling, creepy-crawly sensations in the legs, which is one of the most common symptoms of this disorder.
Another reason why massage improves sleep is because it decreases the amount of cortisol in the body. Cortisol is the body’s primary stress hormone, and when it’s high, it can cause problems with sleep. Studies have shown that when people receive massages on a regular basis, their cortisol levels are significantly lower than those of those who don’t.
One study found that massage can increase the production of serotonin, which is known to promote sleep. Serotonin also has a direct effect on the circadian rhythm, helping to reset your sleep-wake cycle. This is especially helpful for people who suffer from insomnia, since this condition can be caused by a variety of factors, including pain and stress.
A separate study found that massage therapy can help with Restless Leg Syndrome, which is a disorder in which the muscles of the legs become tense and uncontrollable. Researchers in this study found that a massage before bed can help to relax the leg muscles, which can reduce the unpleasant, tingling and crawling sensations associated with this condition.
Getting a good night’s rest can be difficult if you have a chronic health problem. Massage therapy is an excellent solution, as it can help to alleviate the many different symptoms that can contribute to sleep disorders, such as pain and stress.
If you are interested in receiving a regular massage, be sure to make an appointment with your local massage therapists. They can recommend the best type of massage for you, and help you set a regular schedule that will help you achieve your sleep goals. For the best results, you should aim to receive a massage once every two weeks, although you can adjust this depending on your needs and budget.
Aesthetics and Aesthetic Dentistry
Las Vegas Cosmetic Dentist perform treatments that improve the appearance of teeth and gums. These include adding dental material to the teeth and gums – such as bonding, porcelain veneers, and crowns.
Choosing the right cosmetic dentist for your smile is essential. You must ensure they have specialized training in these procedures, vast technical knowledge, and a refined artistic touch.
Aesthetics in cosmetic dentistry balance the teeth and smile with the patient’s facial features. These dentists understand that every person’s dental aesthetic requirements are as unique as their personality. They masterfully fuse art and science to produce aesthetically pleasing smiles, perfectly complementing the patient’s other facial features.
Cosmetic dentists are skilled at evaluating and determining the procedures that best fit the patient’s needs. They use mock-ups to fabricate a preliminary evaluation of the esthetics, phonetics, and teeth occlusion. This allows them to see the final product before making any major changes to the teeth.
They are also skilled in understanding how the human eye perceives a beautiful smile and the underlying structures of the mouth. This allows them to create natural-looking, durable, and functionally sound restorations. Dentists use various techniques to achieve the desired results, including veneers, crowns, bridges, dental implants, and whitening. Their chosen materials are fabricated with the highest quality standards to ensure long-term durability and beauty.
Aesthetic dentistry differs from general dentistry in that it focuses on the appearance of the teeth and smile rather than addressing problems with the mouth’s overall health. Some cosmetic procedures can be complex and involve substantial work, but they are well worth it for patients wishing to have a healthy and beautiful smile.
These procedures can greatly affect a patient’s self-esteem and confidence levels. For example, a veneer is an effective way to correct minor chipping and staining and can significantly enhance the appearance of crooked or misshapen teeth. They can also help improve the function of a smile by fixing jaw or bite problems.
To learn more about cosmetic dentistry, contact Dr. Landry & Dr. Dela Cruz for a consultation at Consultants in Dental Aesthetics. They can help you find the right procedures for your needs and goals. They will also discuss your current oral condition and what you want to accomplish with your smile.
While cosmetic dental work often improves the appearance (though not always the function) of teeth and the gum line, it is important that these procedures do more than boost your self-esteem. Research regularly confirms that oral health is directly linked to overall health, with poor tooth and gum health increasing your risk for diabetes, complications during pregnancy, heart disease, Parkinson’s, cancer, and more. A recent study even found that bad oral health can contribute to early death.
Cosmetic dentists take a comprehensive approach to your smile, and they can fix a range of issues, from crooked teeth to missing ones, ensuring you enjoy a healthy, beautiful smile. Their knowledge of the latest techniques means you can achieve your desired results while minimizing the impact on your oral health.
Aside from removing plaque and tartar, a cosmetic dentist can perform several other procedures to improve your smile. For example, they may use porcelain veneers to cover stains or fill in gaps caused by missing teeth. They can also repair broken or chipped teeth, using crowns to restore the structure of a tooth and improve its appearance. They can also reshape your tooth’s enamel, known as teeth shaping.
Although many general dentists can perform cosmetic dentistry procedures, some specialists focus solely on this. These include a prosthodontist, who is skilled in creating and placing dental implants; an orthodontics specialist, who can treat misaligned teeth, crowded or missing teeth; and an oral maxillofacial surgeon, who can perform tooth extractions, jaw surgery, and replacements of missing teeth.
The growing popularity of cosmetic dentistry raises ethical concerns about whether this type of treatment is in the best interest of patients. Practitioners must consider their duty not to harm, as well as the principle of beneficence, and balance these against a patient’s right to autonomy. This tension may be addressed through continuing education in ethics and a focus on health promotion as the primary responsibility of the profession. However, further empirical research is needed to understand the scope of the problem and inform workforce training and governance implications.
Communicating clearly with your patients is essential to ensuring they have a positive experience and a successful aesthetic outcome. This involves a clear understanding of the patient’s needs and a shared vision of the treatment plan. In addition to verbal communication, facial expressions and body language can convey a message. Body language is particularly important in communicating with patients from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Cosmetic dentistry is a collection of procedures dedicated to improving your teeth’ appearance (and sometimes function). The techniques can help correct crooked or discolored teeth and make you look younger and healthier. If you have a crooked smile, it can affect your self-confidence and prevent you from communicating effectively. This is why finding a dentist who values open communication and can create a comfortable environment for you is important.
A cosmetic dentist is a trained medical professional who provides the skills and expertise necessary to perform dental surgery. Unlike general practitioners, cosmetic dentists specialize in treating the beauty and appearance of the mouth and jaw area. They may perform various surgical and restorative procedures, including the placement of crowns, bridges, and implants. They can also treat many other problems, such as temporomandibular disorder (TMD).
When selecting a cosmetic dentist, ask about their education and training. Many dentists have specialized degrees and extensive knowledge of dental anatomy and the oral health care system. They must also keep up with the latest developments in dental technology and advancements in their field.
Determining whether your cosmetic dentist can work within your budget is also important. If you feel uncomfortable discussing your financial limitations with the dentist, you may get a procedure that is not right for you. This can lead to disappointment, frustration, and unnecessary costs.
Aside from their technical skills, cosmetic dentists should understand interpersonal communication well. They need to be able to explain complex procedures in layperson’s terms and provide patients with appropriate options for their unique situation. They should also know how to manage an anxious patient and respond to any adverse events or anxieties that may arise during treatment.
You must visit an experienced cosmetic dentist if you want a beautiful smile. The best cosmetic dentists have years of training and extensive experience. They can also use the latest innovations in dental procedures to improve your smile. They are also members of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), demonstrating their commitment to ongoing education and development. Choosing an AACD Accredited Cosmetic Dentist is the best way to ensure you get the highest quality of care.
A cosmetic dentist is a highly-trained professional who can fix crooked, discolored, or broken teeth to create a bright, healthy smile. They can help patients feel confident and beautiful, which is important for personal and professional success. Cosmetic dentists attend seminars to stay updated on their field’s latest technologies and techniques. They can use this knowledge to provide the most appropriate treatments for their patients.
Unlike general dentists, who focus on ensuring your teeth are healthy and strong, cosmetic dentists perform a wide range of services to give you a more attractive smile. They are skilled in various procedures, including tooth-colored fillings, porcelain veneers, and teeth whitening. They can also replace missing teeth and repair chipped or broken ones. Depending on your needs, a cosmetic dentist can even remove scars and wrinkles from your face.
Choosing a qualified cosmetic dentist is important, as it will significantly affect your procedure’s short-term and long-term results. To make an informed decision, ask to see photos of previous work and patient testimonials. If you are still deciding, schedule a consultation with the cosmetic dentist to discuss your needs and goals.
Cosmetic dentistry is typically excluded from dental insurance coverage because it is considered elective. Still, there may be some reimbursement if the cosmetic treatment fulfills a functional need, such as replacing lost teeth. Some cosmetic dentists offer payment plans or dental credit cards to make their procedures more affordable.
In addition to a state dental license, a cosmetic dentist should have advanced training and a reputation for excellent patient care. They should also have a portfolio of before-and-after photos to demonstrate their expertise. Moreover, they should be able to explain the benefits and risks of each procedure in detail.
What Does a Personal Trainer Do?
Tenafly Personal Trainers work with clients to develop exercise and fitness programs that fit their needs. They conduct fitness assessments, design and deliver workouts, and educate clients on proper exercise techniques to avoid injuries.
They also motivate clients to stick with their workouts outside of training sessions. To do this, they must have excellent problem-solving skills to find solutions to client challenges.
Whether you are a beginner who wants to lose weight or a seasoned athlete looking to build muscle, having a personalized workout plan is the key to success. A personal trainer will design a program that is specifically tailored to your goals and needs. You will have an allotted time to train with your trainer, who will guide you through all of the moves and techniques needed for you to achieve your desired results safely and efficiently.
Depending on your fitness level, you may also be able to work with a trainer that specialises in certain areas such as sports performance, senior fitness or weight loss. This allows you to focus on specific areas that will help you achieve your goals and reach a whole new level of fitness that you never thought possible.
In addition to creating a unique and effective exercise plan, a qualified personal trainer will teach you proper form when performing exercises. This reduces your risk of injury and maximizes the effectiveness of your workout. Additionally, they can teach you about all of the important factors that affect your fitness including nutrition, diet and lifestyle habits.
For those with busy schedules, working with a trainer who can create and execute a workout plan that fits into your day-to-day life can be invaluable. A qualified trainer can help you get the most out of your workouts and help you develop healthy exercise habits that you will carry with you throughout your entire life. They will also provide accountability and motivation that can be hard to find on your own if you are exercising on your own. Often, people will skip workouts or snooze their alarm to get out of their exercise routine, this can cause them to plateau and not see the results they are hoping for.
In addition to providing education and motivation, personal trainers are tasked with holding their clients accountable for the goals they set. This accountability is not just a one-way street, however. The client must also hold themselves accountable to the workout and nutrition plans their trainers give them. By doing so, they are able to achieve the results they desire.
For many people, a personal trainer is the best way to get the accountability they need in order to make lifestyle changes. This is because a trainer has the experience and expertise to help people form new habits in an environment that is safe, supportive, and motivating. This type of accountability isn’t something that can be provided by an online forum or workout buddy.
A good personal trainer is also a great resource for helping their clients stay on track, even when life gets in the way of meeting their training and nutrition goals. They can do this by understanding what motivates each individual client, which may be done as part of a new-client questionnaire or organically during a session. Once a trainer understands what makes their clients tick, they can use this information to support them in staying on track.
Another way personal trainers keep their clients accountable is by using regular review sessions. During these sessions, a trainer will discuss the current status of a client’s fitness journey and assess any challenges that may be getting in the way of their success. They will offer advice, recommend any necessary changes, and provide encouragement to their clients to continue making progress towards their goals. This is an excellent opportunity for a personal trainer to build a strong relationship with their clients and keep them engaged in their work.
Personal trainers must understand the importance of motivating clients in order to keep them engaged and on track with their goals. They also must be able to assess what type of motivation each client has and what their strengths and weaknesses are. This can be done through a process called motivational interviewing (MI).
Using MI, the personal trainer should look at the client’s stage of change to determine what motivates them most. They should then strategically decide when to use extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. For example, extrinsic motivation may be needed to get a client started on their fitness journey and to maintain momentum when they are experiencing an obstacle such as a setback or injury. Intrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is what will keep a client going for the long haul as it arises from their enjoyment of exercise such as how their body feels after a hard workout or the pleasure of eating a healthy diet.
The trainer should then use a variety of strategies to enhance their client’s motivation, including establishing an effective communication style, providing encouragement and support, and creating challenges that push their clients to their limits. They should also encourage the client to celebrate their successes and remind them that, despite any obstacles that they might encounter, they can achieve their goals.
Offering rewards and discounts for clients is another great way to keep them motivated. This could be a free week of training or even merchandise with their name, contact details and social media accounts on it. Rewarding a loyal client base will also help to build a good rapport between the trainer and their clients, which is important for maintaining that level of motivation.
If you’re a personal trainer with your own clients, you can create unique workouts and fitness programs for them that are specific to their needs. This may include teaching new exercises, helping them improve form, or correcting incorrect postures. You can also help them with the fundamentals of cardio and strength training, advise them on gym safety, and encourage healthy nutrition habits.
A general personal trainer demonstrates exercise routines, helps clients exercise to prevent injuries, and provides motivational coaching, according to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). They also assess each client’s physical strengths and weaknesses and create customized fitness plans to help them reach their goals. These personal trainers may also lead both individual and group fitness classes and provide information about nutritional habits and weight loss strategies.
Physique trainers focus on strengthening their clients’ muscles and improving their physique. They often have experience with bodybuilding and other forms of competitive physique training. They have a strong understanding of how different muscles work together and how to maximize muscle growth, tone and endurance.
Motivational trainers focus on keeping their clients motivated to reach their fitness goals and push themselves in each session. They use positive reinforcement and other techniques to motivate their clients and keep them coming back for more.
When choosing a personal trainer, you should also look for the right fit based on your goals and budget. Whether you choose a specialized or general trainer, look for one who has certifications from an accredited organization and a valid CPR, AED and first-aid certificate as well as professional liability insurance. It’s also a good idea to ask a prospective personal trainer about their experience and training style before you sign up with them.
People hire personal trainers for a variety of reasons, including their desire to improve their fitness levels and to develop the confidence they need to start an exercise program. However, even those who have been exercising for some time can benefit from a fresh perspective from an expert. A trainer can review a client’s exercise technique and routine with an objective eye and offer suggestions on how to make it more effective, challenging or fun.
In addition to professional certifications, a personal trainer should have good customer service skills and the ability to motivate clients to keep up with their training schedule. This is particularly important since many personal trainers work independently and rely on their clients to refer friends and family members to them.
Having an excellent knowledge of anatomy and physiology is also very helpful. This is because it helps a trainer know which exercises are appropriate for a particular client and what types of movements might cause injuries. It’s also important for trainers to be able to communicate effectively so that they can explain how a specific movement is performed and what kind of result should be expected.
In addition to these technical skills, a personal trainer needs to be able to think outside of the box and come up with creative ways to help a client meet their goals. For example, a trainer might find an innovative way to encourage clients to get moving in the winter when it’s cold and dark outside. Or, a trainer might use a different type of exercise to challenge their clients during an off-day. For instance, instead of pushing them to complete a set number of reps of burpees, they might encourage them to do squat jumps or sit-ups.
What Are the Benefits of Cannabis?
Cannabis is a psychoactive drug that can cause anxiety, confusion and hallucinations. It may also make it harder to concentrate or remember things. In people with a predisposition for schizophrenia, cannabis use can trigger the first episode of this disabling mental illness.
Long-term cannabis use can affect brain development, especially in teenagers and children. This can lead to memory and concentration problems. Go to https://www.cannarefined.com/ for more information.
1. Pain Relief
Cannabis is used to treat many health conditions and symptoms, including pain, nausea, glaucoma, and seizures. The most common use in the United States is for pain relief.
Although research shows that medicinal cannabis can reduce chronic pain, the quality of the available evidence is low. A large study of medical cannabis and rheumatic pain found that cannabis reduced symptoms but did not stop or cure them.
The pain-relieving benefits of cannabis may be because it interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system, a network of receptors in the brain and nervous system that controls the sensitivity to certain stimuli. The main psychoactive component of cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. The cannabis plant also contains cannabidiol, or CBD, which is a non-psychoactive compound that doesn’t affect the user in the same way as THC and has been shown to have significant medical benefits.
Several studies report that cannabis can help with pain from multiple sources, such as inflammation, nerves, or muscles and bones. Cannabis can be more effective than some prescription drugs, such as opioids or benzodiazepines, which have severe side effects and can cause addiction.
Some studies report that cannabis relieves neuropathic pain, which is caused by damage to the spinal cord or nerves. Other studies show that cannabis can help relieve inflammatory pain, such as from arthritis.
Cannabis can be consumed in a variety of ways, including smoking (using a pipe, bong, or joint), eating edibles like cookies and candy, or vaping. Some forms are safer than others, and the risk of harm increases with increasing amounts and frequency of use.
People should discuss the risks and benefits of using cannabis with a health care provider. People who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not use cannabis, and anyone who has a history of mental illness should use cannabis only under a doctor’s supervision.
2. Sleep
Cannabis has been used as a natural sleep aid to treat a number of different sleeping disorders. Cannabis can help people fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and experience better overall sleep quality. Cannabis also helps relieve symptoms of several different sleep disorders, including restless leg syndrome (RLS), obstructive sleep apnea, and chronic pain.
In a retrospective chart review of patients seeking medicinal cannabis for insomnia, 71% reported an improved subjective sleep and 39% reduced or discontinued prescription therapy. A minority of participants experienced manageable dose-dependent adverse effects, including tachycardia and dizziness; these were usually mild to moderate and resolved upon reducing dosage.
There is no clear explanation for the positive effect of cannabis on sleep, although experts speculate that it may be due to its sedating and calming properties. It is also possible that it affects the way certain hormones, such as cortisol, are released in the body and their impact on a person’s mood. Alternatively, it may be that the active compounds in cannabis help people fall into a deep, calming sleep by increasing levels of the neurotransmitter 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC produces feelings of contentment and relaxation at lower doses, but increases anxiety and paranoia at higher dosages. Cannabis products may also contain a cannabinoid called cannabinol (CBN), which is converted from THC by heat or age and has calming and sleep-inducing properties.
In addition, some studies indicate that cannabis can change sleep architecture by decreasing REM sleep and increasing time in non-REM sleep, which is associated with better sleep quality. However, more research is needed to determine if cannabis actually improves sleep and which types of products are most effective. For example, it would be beneficial to compare inhaled and edible cannabis to see which is more effective for different patients.
3. Stress Relief
Stress and anxiety are a very common reason for people to seek cannabis use, and there is evidence it can help relieve these symptoms. These conditions can be debilitating, and while they are often treated with prescription medication, many people prefer a natural solution that does not have harmful side effects. Cannabis is a great option, and studies show that it can reduce levels of cortisol in the bloodstream. Cortisol is a hormone that increases glucose in the bloodstream and is a natural stress response. However, chronically high cortisol levels can lead to depression, anxiety and irritability. Cannabis can significantly lower these levels.
Although there is still much research to be done, one study by Washington State University looked at how different strains of cannabis impact users’ ability to deal with stressful situations. The participants rated their stress levels before using cannabis and then tracked their symptoms over the course of an hour. The results showed that those who used a product with higher levels of THC and CBD experienced more significant relief than those who consumed low-THC products.
Another clinical study that tracked PTSD patients found that those who reported using cannabis for stress relief had better outcomes than those who did not. The researchers looked at the data from an app called StrainprintTM, which allows medical marijuana users to record how they feel after consuming a particular strain. They found that those who used cannabis for PTSD saw an improvement in their symptom levels and were 2.57 times more likely to recover from their PTSD than those who did not use cannabis.
Those who use cannabis for stress and anxiety may benefit from experimenting with a variety of strains to find the one that works best for them. While the most common categories of strains tend to work for all of these conditions, some individuals have more physical stress-related symptoms and might prefer an indica strain that provides a more body-focused experience.
4. Anxiety Relief
Cannabis can reduce anxiety symptoms by altering the way your brain processes information, causing you to feel calmer and more relaxed. The effects can last from several minutes to several hours depending on how you consume it. You can inhale cannabis by smoking it, or ingest it by putting it into food or using a vape pen. It can also be applied topically to your skin or taken in capsule form.
People who use marijuana to ease anxiety often report fewer side effects than those who take antidepressants or other pharmaceuticals. One study found that cannabis users had lower levels of depression and anxiety than non-users after 12 and 18 months. This was especially true in those who used cannabis to treat chronic pain.
The endocannabinoid system is responsible for regulating homeostasis, and the endocannabinoid receptors in the brain can help reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. THC is thought to help reduce these effects by binding to those receptors. In addition, CBD can reduce anxiety by acting as a sedative, which can relax the body and mind.
A number of studies suggest that cannabis can help reduce anxiety symptoms in humans, although further research is needed. Epidemiological studies tend to support an anxiolytic effect of THC, CBD, and whole cannabis, but clinical trials have not found the same.
Many clients that I have worked with for anxiety and stress relief have reported that cannabis — specifically CBD — has helped them. If you are interested in trying cannabis to relieve anxiety, it’s best to start with a low dose and slowly work your way up. It’s also important to note that the use of THC can worsen anxiety symptoms in some people. This is why I recommend starting with products that contain only CBD or a higher ratio of CBD to THC.
5. Pain Relief for Children
Cannabis may relieve certain types of pain caused by nerve damage or inflammation. It can be taken as a pill, a liquid, an edible or smoked in a joint or pipe. Cannabis contains chemicals called cannabinoids that act on a part of the brain that controls pain and other feelings. Cannabis helps with some types of chronic pain, including pain from nerve damage and neuropathic pain (pain due to damaged or diseased nervous system). Cannabis can also be used to ease seizures in people with epilepsy.
There is a growing body of research showing that medical marijuana can relieve some types of pain. But not all the studies are the same. Some involve a placebo, which is an inactive treatment. The researchers did this to control for the possibility that expectations about cannabis’s effectiveness might influence results. Other studies use a variety of cannabis products, and some include children.
For example, one study found that a child with cerebral palsy who received marijuana with a high CBD-to-THC ratio reported reduced spasticity and improved quality of life. Another study of children with complex motor disorders showed improvement in spasticity and sleep difficulties after a year of using artisanal cannabis with either a 20:1 or 6:1 CBD to THC ratio.
If you think cannabis might help with your child’s symptoms, talk to your doctor. They can help you find the right product for your child. And be sure to use it responsibly in a safe, responsible environment. It’s best to start with a low dose and gradually increase your child’s use over several days or weeks. It’s also important to understand why your child uses cannabis. Many times, a harmful pattern of drug use is the result of life challenges—like lack of connection at school or at home—that can take time to resolve.