Can meditation heal physical diseases?

I recently read the Discourse to Girimananda Thera . In it, the Venerable Girimananda was "**afflicted with a disease, was suffering there from, and was gravely ill**". The Blessed One was petitioned by another monk who stated: "It were well, bhante, if the Blessed One would visit the Venerable Girimananda out of compassion for him". To this the Blessed one replied: "Should you, Ánanda, visit the monk Girimananda and recite to him the ten contemplations, then that monk Girimananda having heard them, **will be immediately cured of his disease**". **Is this possible**? Has anyone experienced **immediate healing** of some disease first hand? If the answer is yes, then I would be curious to know what the limitations (if any) there are for physical healing and if the effects were permanent. Disclaimer: I am completely new to Buddhism (less than 6 months of practice).