Do You Have Leaky Bowels Or Agida Heartburn?

Is Cannabis Effective for Crohn’s Disease and Other Disorders of the Gut?

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Now Being Treated With Medical Cannabis from CannabisNet on Vimeo.

Marijuana has all the healing properties needed to effectively combat the nausea, vomiting, and pain associated with problems relating to the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

The active ingredients in cannabis have been proven to effectively treat the symptoms common to GI problems, such as Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and ulcerative colitis. The cannabinoids in marijuana bind to receptors in the gastrointestinal tract improving mobility, calming spasms, and mollifying pain. The anti-inflammatory properties of the drug modify the immune response, adding additional relief and suppressing gastrointestinal discomfort.

Ancient healers commonly used cannabis to cure disturbances and inflammation of the bowel. This successful application of this medicinal plant continues in modern medicine. According to results reported by the medical and scientific publishers, Karger (Karger.com), “A recent clinical study now shows that the medicinal plant Cannabis sativa has lived up to expectations and proved to be highly efficient in cases of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). In a prospective placebo-controlled study, Naftali et al. have shown what has been largely anticipated from anecdotal reports, i.e. that cannabis produces significant clinical benefits in patients with Crohn's disease. “

This is just one of many such studies showing the efficacy of marijuana in the treatment of gastrointestinal-related diseases and disturbances.

In another trial testing the effects of marijuana on inflammatory bowel diseases, nearly half the subjects achieved “complete remission’ of Crohn’s disease after smoking medical marijuana on a regular basis.

This study was published in 2013 in the journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. Researchers involved in the study examined the effects of consistent marijuana use on Crohn's patients who suffered from severe cases of the disease. Of the 21 subjects involved, many achieved a calming of the symptoms while others reached complete remission. The same subjects reported greater appetites and improved sleep patterns.

Scientists involved in the study pointed toward the drug's anti-inflammatory properties as being responsible for the impressive results.

As with many other diseases, problems related to the intestinal tract can be debilitating to the sufferer and the medications frequently used in their treatment can have serious side effects.

One such drug is the steroid Prednisone. This drug has a range of nasty effects including weight gain, difficulty sleeping, mood swings, and other harmful imbalances, and it can cause serious side effects if used in the long term.

Another type of drug used in the treatment of Crohn’s disease and other gastrointestinal disorders are antibiotics. Antibiotics can reduce the bacterial contribution to the inflammation of Crohn's disease. A problem with some antibiotics, however, is that they can cause an unpleasant metallic taste, which goes away once the drug is discontinued. However, more than that, they can cause peripheral neuropathy (damage to the nerves responsible for sensation in the hands and feet) with long-term use. Peripheral neuropathy can be permanent.

There are other additional drugs frequently prescribed to treat intestinal disorders and all have side effects. With cannabis, patients have been able to give up their painkillers, antibiotics and steroids.

One patient who was on prednisone, painkillers and other medications to control their Crohn’s Disease symptoms, found herself suffering from weight gain, violent mood swings, and acne. She had so much water weight in her ankles that she could not even walk to her college classes. Once she started taking medical marijuana she no longer needed the prednisone, her skin cleared up, her weight stabilized, and she has not had a serious flare-up in years and has not needed another painkiller or steroid.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Pain Reduced By Medical Marijuana