Diarrhea, is the condition of having at least three loose or liquid bowel movements each day. To some people, it is a simple sickness disorder that comes and goes even without treatment. Even though it looks, sounds and seems harmless, around 3.5 million people die from it every year.
Diarrhea lasting more than 2 days may be a sign of more serious problem. Chronic diarrhea that lasts at least 4 weeks may be a symptom of a chronic disease. Chronic diarrhea symptoms may be continual or they may come and go. Diarrhea rarely comes alone and is usually combined with cramps, abdominal pain, nausea, an urgent need to use the bathroom, or loss of bowel control and in more severe cases fever.
Diarrhea of any duration may cause dehydration, which means the body lacks enough fluid and electrolytes chemicals in salts, including sodium, potassium, and chloride-to function properly. It may be a result of an infection, heavy drinking or just bad food. People of all ages can get diarrhea. In the United States, adults average one bout of acute diarrhea each year and young children under five years have an average of two episodes of acute diarrhea each year.
Other causes of diarrhea
Acute diarrhea is usually caused by a bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection. Chronic diarrhea is usually related to a functional disorder such as irritable bowel syndrome or an intestinal disease such as Crohn’s disease. The most common causes of diarrhea include: Bacterial infections, viral infections, parasites, functional bowel disorders, intestinal diseases, food intolerances and sensitivities, and reaction to medicine like antibiotics, cancer drugs, and antacids containing magnesium can all cause diarrhea.
Some people develop diarrhea after stomach surgery, which may cause food to move through the digestive system more quickly.
Using cannabis to treat diarrhea
So cannabis for diarrhea, eh? In most cases of diarrhea, the only treatment necessary is replacing lost fluids and electrolytes to prevent dehydration and sometimes antibiotics in case diarrhea is caused by bacteria or parasites. Specifically, cannabis works as a motivator for the anodyne part of morphine, stimulates the central nervous system and serves as a wicked appetite booster. Morphine usually makes you lose appetite, but weed makes a phenomenal comeback and speeds up your digestive tract so you actually recover faster.
Cannabinoid receptor agonists delay gastric emptying in humans as well as in rodents, and they may also inhibit human gastric acid secretion. The major active constituent of the plant Cannabis sativa (marijuana), THC, and a variety of natural and synthetic cannabinoids have been shown to possess anti-flammatory activities. Cannabis helps combat cramping when cannabinoids relax contractions of the smooth muscle of the intestines.
Research shows that the body’s own cannabinoids, known as anandamides, affect neurological systems that control the gastrointestinal system. External and internal cannabinoids strongly control gastrointestinal motility and inflammation. They also have the ability to decrease gastrointestinal fluid secretion and inflammation.
Research by Dr. Anita Holdcroft of Hammersmith Hospital has reported the results of a placebo controlled trial of cannabis in a patient with severe chronic pain of gastrointestinal origin.
The patient’s demand for morphine was substantially lower during treatment with cannabis than during a period of placebo treatment. Studies indicate that cannabis in marijuana bind with cannabinoid receptors in the digestive tract, especially the small and large intestines, causing muscle relaxation, reduction of inflammation, analgesia, increased nerve-muscle coordination, anti-emesis, and relief if spasms such as those that cause diarrhea.
Conclusion
Cannabis is an adaptogenic immune system modulator that can increase or decrease immune systems function in ways that almost always contribute to healthier outcomes. The use of medical marijuana to treat digestive system problems is time-tested, and is usually a safer intervention than the use of pharmaceutical drugs or surgery.
It is also worth noting that there have been a number of anecdotal accounts of the past against dysentery and cholera. Therefore the legalization of cannabis in the United States will enable more research and help cure several digestive system problems diarrhea inclusive.
Source: Medical Marijuana Blog
View Original Post
