More patients are using medical marijuana for inflammatory diseases like ulcerative colitis every day. Since many folks who use medicinal cannabis have little to no experience with marijuana, they can feel overwhelmed by all the choices to make. One such decision, strain selection, can determine how well your marijuana medicine will target certain symptoms.
Strains come in three types: sativa, indica and hybrid. Use sativa for a cerebral high and energizing effect, and choose an indica strain if you need to relax. Hybrid strains can be a crossbreed of any two or more other strains. The concentration of the marijuana components tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) also impact a strain’s effects.
Here are a few strains you can try to treat four common side effects colitis patients deal with.
Every kind of marijuana strain offers pain relief, but some work better than others for folks dealing with pain from colitis. Plus, you may have other symptoms to treat that you want to address at the same time. Strains suitable for colitis-related pain include:
Medical cannabis also works well for soothing inflammation. Since it works with your immune system to suppress inflammation signals, many kinds of marijuana strains are effective. But, high-CBD strains seem to have the most benefits.
Some of the best strains that target inflammation include:
While the stereotype of marijuana users involves sleepiness and relaxation, sativa strains are known for energizing the person using them. If you often experience fatigue due to your colitis symptoms, you can benefit from this type of strain. Hybrid strains can also work well, depending on their content. Energizing examples include:
If you have severe, long-lasting episodes of ulcerative colitis, you might lose a lot of weight during flare-ups. The association between food and colitis symptoms can put a damper on your appetite. Or, maybe you don’t have much of an appetite in general, and you need to eat more to regain weight. Regardless of your reasoning, here are some strains that stimulate hunger:
If you haven’t applied for your state’s medical marijuana program, visit a cannabis-friendly doctor. They will write you a recommendation and help you get approved for a medicinal cannabis ID. Once you have your “green card,” you can go to a dispensary in your area to buy medicine. Search our database to find professionals near you right away.