In a world in which we are increasingly connected with each other through our smartphones, it makes sense that more patients are seeking specialized care through telemedicine. We no longer have to settle for whatever kind of care and treatment we can get with local medical providers. Telemedicine is opening the world up to all kinds of patients, but is proving especially helpful for patients with serious and chronic conditions such as HIV/AIDS, who are having trouble gaining access to knowledge on medical marijuana.
Telemedicine is the combination of medical or diagnostic advice with telecommunications technology. It has been used in many situations, usually emergencies or conflict zones, since telecommunications has been in widespread use, but it is experiencing a massive boom in popularity since the proliferation of smartphones. As almost everyone in the developing world now has a smartphone, access to telemedicine is easier than ever.
So what does this mean for patients with HIV/AIDS? Simply put, they can speak to medical experts in the area of medical marijuana to get advice on the best way to treat their condition with this alternative therapy. HIV, which stands for the human immunodeficiency virus, was discovered in the eighties and was the cause of a worldwide pandemic of infection and progression to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), which has led to the deaths of millions of people worldwide.
Telemedicine has the potential to change the lives of HIV/AIDS patients for the better.
While HIV/AIDS continues to ravage the developing world, progressions in medical science mean that it is now seen as a chronic condition in areas where patients can access the correct retroviral medication. However, people living with HIV are still liable to suffer a variety of symptoms and side effects, both from their condition and from the associated medical treatment. It has been shown that medical marijuana can be helpful in treating some of these conditions.
Telemedicine can help patients who are HIV-positive to access medical professionals who specialize in medical marijuana treatment. As medical marijuana is still seen as a slightly alternative and controversial therapy, despite evidence that it is very helpful in a variety of conditions, it can be difficult for patients to find a doctor who will treat them in person with medical marijuana. Through telemedicine, patients with HIV/AIDS can easily access experts in this field and have open and frank medical discussions, all from the comfort of their own home.
Many HIV/AIDS patients will be shocked to learn how easy it is to speak to a medical marijuana expert via their phone. Simply find a specialist online, ensuring that they are correctly qualified, and then register with their website. Depending on the type of provider they are, you will either have to make an appointment or you will be able to ‘walk in’. In either instance, you may have to wait in a virtual waiting room for a time until the medical professional is ready to see you. Once they begin the consultation, it will continue as any other medical appointment. They will ask about your experience of HIV/AIDS and may need to see your medical records. Depending on your personal circumstances, they will then be able to advise you on the best treatment path for you on the route of medical marijuana.
Medical marijuana has many benefits for HIV/AIDS patients.
There are many ways in which medical marijuana can help alleviate the symptoms of HIV/AIDS. As most patients will know, nausea is a common side effect of both HIV/AIDS and its associated medication treatment program. There are many strains of medical marijuana that can help ease nausea and encourage appetite. This is important as many people who are HIV-positive can find it difficult to keep their weight up, so being plagued by nausea and loss of appetite can be a massively debilitating side effect. Medical marijuana can also help to ease chronic pain, which many people suffering from HIV/AIDS experience. Your telemedical doctor will be able to advise on the best types of medical marijuana that can ease the specific pain you are experiencing. As well as all these treatment options, medical marijuana also eases the anxiety and depression that many HIV-positive people experience from being diagnosed as a result of widespread societal ignorance and stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS.
If you are someone who is HIV-positive, you will be more than familiar with the doctor’s office, but telemedicine gives you the opportunity to try something totally new and to explore treatment plans that may offer you relief from symptoms you are simply just trying to live with currently. Telemedicine puts the power back into the hands of patients, so if you’re sick of exploring traditional treatment paths and not being listened to, telemedicine will offer you an avenue that empowers you, without abandoning the traditional medication that treats your condition.