Medical cannabis therapy
Due to the legal regulations that have been in force in Germany since March 2017, you as a patient are entitled to treatment with medical cannabis. The prerequisite is a serious illness in which standard medical therapies do not produce satisfactory results. It must also be ensured that cannabis therapy has a positive effect on the course of the disease or significantly alleviates symptoms.
Research has shown that THC/CBD relieves chronic pain. Another advantage is that medical cannabis often has only minor interactions with other medications. This applies in particular to the treatment of migraines, sleep disorders, depression, Crohn's disease and rheumatic diseases.
Cannabis strains can be divided into 3 different groups: sativa, indica and hybrid. Cannabis contains cannabinoids and terpenes. The chemical composition of these components is crucial for the effect.
The cannabinoids tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are responsible for the therapeutic effects of cannabis. Strains with a higher THC content have analgesic, sedative and spasmolytic effects and are therefore ideal for the treatment of pain, sleep disorders and loss of appetite.
THC has a psychoactive effect, which is why it should be avoided if you suffer from paranoia, dizziness and anxiety.
CBD, on the other hand, has no psychoactive effect and can be used for chronic inflammation, anxiety and seizure disorders.
Hybrid strains contain similar amounts of THC and CBD and can be used for pain relief with a mildly euphoric effect.
It should be noted that taking cannabis can cause psychological side effects. These include, for example: E.g. euphoria, anxiety, altered sensory perceptions and memory disorders. Acute physical side effects include dry mouth, reduced psychomotor performance, muscle weakness, slurred speech, increase in heart rate, drop in blood pressure and dizziness. These effects are dose-dependent and generally disappear within hours to 3 days after cannabis use is stopped.
In my practice in Cologne, as a resident specialist in anesthesia and intensive care medicine, I offer a special private consultation to assess the potential effect of cannabis in the above-mentioned indications.