Medical marijuana and cerebral palsy

Medical Marijuana and Cerebral Palsy What is Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a brain development disorder that is apparent by around 3 years of age, and has no cure. This disorder results in individuals having trouble controlling movement, speech and hearing impairments, incontinence, sleep disturbance and/or pain. In addition, 3550% of children that suffer from Cerebral Palsy also develop seizures. Unfortunately, this is the most common childhood motor disability and affects approximately 3.4 per 1,000 children in the USA.1 There are five main types of Cerebral Palsy disorder2: â—? Spastic - Tense and contracted muscles, which is the most common type of this disorder. â—? Athetoid - This is the constant and uncontrolled motion of eyes, head and/or limbs.

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https://www.marijuanadoctors.com/content/ailments/view/100/cerebral-palsy https://www.medicaljane.com/2014/07/07/cannabis-classroom-cerebral-palsy-and-medical-marijuana/

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Rigidity - Super tight muscles that resist movement.

Ataxic - Defined by poor sense of balance, leading to falls.

Tremor - Uncontrollable shaking, which interrupts coordination.

The exact cause of this disorder is unknown, though it is believed to be related to lack of oxygen, bleeding in the brain or possible brain trauma. That being said, it is not a degenerative disorder - while it results in severe development issues, the disorder does not worsen over time.

Current Treatments for Cerebral Palsy

There are a few prescription treatments for Cerebral Palsy, however, they come with severe side effects. For example, Carbidopa-Levodopa which is one of the most common treatments for uncontrolled body movements, results in dyskinesias in one in four patients and dystonias in one in five patients.

Fortunately, cannabis legalization is on the rise and is more accessible to medical users either through local dispensaries or an online mail-order marijuana service, such as Fair Canna Care.

With this growing legalization effort, more studies are being conducted (or brought to light) regarding the effects of cannabis on Cerebral Palsy symptoms.

How Cannabis Can Help

There is still a lack of data on cannabis and Cerebral Palsy, but the available studies show a positive correlation between cannabis consumption and CP symptoms.

Cannabis is a Great Pain Management Tool It is well known that cannabis is a successful method of chronic pain management thanks to the anti-inflammatory properties. Pain, unfortunately, is a common symptom suffered by Cerebral Palsy patients. In a 2012 study, 63% of participants noted that they experienced chronic pain.

Of these participants, 5% opted to try marijuana and, those individuals, rated the plant as the most effective pain management tool3.

Cannabis Can Improve Muscle Spasticity Tense and contracted muscles, also known as muscle spasm or spasticity, is a particularly common side-effect of Cerebral Palsy. These spasms are also common in Multiple Sclerosis patients. This symptom is defined as a sharp and temporary pain that can result from the muscles contracting, leading to stiffness. The results of a 2005 study regarding cannabis and muscle spasms found that 75% of patients saw an improvement when started on cannabis4. In addition, a 2012 study found that cannabis was more successful in managing these spasms than a placebo5.

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3036542/ http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1191/1352458504ms1048oa

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https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anita_Slade/publication/229082908_MUltiple_Sclerosis_and_Extract _of_Cannabis_results_of_the_MUSEC_trial/links/54e759610cf2b199060bc9ec.pdf

Cannabis Can Help Manage Seizures An initial 2007 study published by the New York University School of Medicine found that “marijuana use may be a beneficial adjunctive treatment in some patients with epilepsy" 6. There are multiple other studies exploring the use of cannabis, particularly the CBD compound, on children with seizures. These studies resulted in findings of 50% less seizures a month with CBD7 and a 23% decrease in seizures with cannabis versus the placebo8.

Cannabis Can Improve Motor Skills In a more recent study from 2017, cannabis is found to significantly improve the motor skills of children with Cerebral Palsy9. These children were given cannabis oil, which was found to improve pain, sleep quality, bowel movements and stabilized their mood as well.

Cannabis Contributes to Quality of Life Given the range of symptoms that are felt by Cerebral Palsy patients, it is no surprise that individuals who find relief with cannabis also experience an improvement in their quality of life.

To have additional control over their motor skills, or be able to manage their incontinence and pain, is an incredible improvement to daily life. Even though this disorder cannot be cured, that does not mean that the patients who suffer from it do not deserve to life a comfortable life.

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17609644 https://www.theverge.com/2017/5/24/15684556/cannabis-marijuana-cannabidiol-health-epilepsy-dravetseizure-epidiolex-drugs 8 http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/24/health/cannabidiol-epilepsy-study/index.html 9 https://hightimes.com/health/science/study-finds-medical-marijuana-is-helping-kids-with-cerebral-palsy/ 7

Best Strains To Manage Cerebral Palsy

There are several strains that can prove effective for managing Cerebral Palsy. For individuals who suffer from this disorder, high CBD and lower THC strains prove to be the best medications. Studies have shown that higher CBD content provides better pain relief and, additionally, helps to manage seizures.

As individuals who have Cerebral Palsy, suffer loss of motor control and other brain-related issues, it is best to avoid high THC strains due to their psychoactive component. CBD oils are the most beneficial to avoid any paranoia or worsening of seizure symptoms.

Some of the more popular high CBD / low THC strains suitable for this disorder include: ● ACDC - This is a great strain containing both THC and CBD making it a highly effective painkiller, as well as an effective seizure management tool. Additionally, the THC:CBD ratio of 1:20 means it has no psychoactive effects. ● Charlotte’s Web - This strain was originally developed for a young epileptic patient named "Charlotte". Charlotte's Web contains less than 0.03% THC making it ideal for relief of symptoms (including seizures) without the psychoactive component. ● Rockstar - This strain does have THC content of 14-19%, so it is not suitable for seizure sufferers but it is a great strain to manage muscle spasms and tremors. Accompanied by 2% CBD, it is a powerful pain reliever. ● Blackwater - This is a strain that is best suited for evening use thanks to its heavy onset relaxation. Ideal for muscle spasms and speech issues, this strain is a powerful relief aid.

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Blue Dream is a popular Sativa-dominant strain, which is a great daytime option. This strain is fast-acting and ideal for individuals looking for relief from muscle and body pain associated with Cerebral Palsy.

Buy Medical Marijuana Online If you have a child who suffers from Cerebral Palsy, it might be time to consider cannabis as a treatment option. It is a universal and natural compound, which can manage a variety of symptoms and will work to improve your child's quality of life. Many parents who have children struggling with epilepsy and similar disorders, have found an abundance of relief for their child (and piece of mind for themselves) by adding or switching to a CBD-potent form of cannabis.

This compound does not have any psychoactive properties or side-effects, which prescription medications usually come with.

Fair Canna Care is continuing to grow our online cannabis dispensary by adding new strains regularly. In addition, we stock multiple strains for muscle spasms and chronic pain relief. Check out the FAQ page for more information on our mail-order marijuana service and learn how easy it is to buy medical marijuana online!