By kabapon105 November 29, 2023 - 2:15pm

Cannabis has been used medicinally for millennia. Many publications have been written in recent years regarding its medical uses, with Scientific Departments from the Brazilian Academy of Neurology providing evidence in support of such medical use in various regions.

Participants with MS who had ever consumed cannabis completed a survey regarding information sources for product purchases and assumed content of the cannabis they consumed.

Chronic Pain
Many individuals living with chronic pain rely on cannabis to reduce the number of medications with harmful side effects they need to take.1

Numerous scientific studies, including randomized controlled trials (the gold standard in medical research), have confirmed cannabis' efficacy as an analgesic treatment option for adults living with chronic pain conditions.1

Spasticity due to Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis and spinal cord injuries can be treated successfully with cannabis. While oral antispasmodic medications have limited success, inhaled cannabis provides superior pharmacokinetic profiles.

Long-term cannabis use may result in adverse events (AEs). Combining cannabis and opioids together may increase drug misuse problems and worsen health outcomes than either substance taken alone; hence it should be avoided if possible.

Anxiety
Cannabis westcoastbud.io , in particular CBD with low THC concentrations, shows promise in alleviating anxiety symptoms; however, more research must be completed and it's essential that cannabis users seek advice from both medical providers and mental health experts before using cannabis to manage anxiety symptoms.

Recent studies demonstrate how CBD oil helps alleviate social anxiety disorder patients' stress. Brain scans showed how CBD lowered signaling between amygdala and frontal cortex that causes stress.

Surveys conducted among cannabis users also demonstrate its beneficial properties for relieving stress and anxiety, though their limitations include small sample sizes and internet user bias. It should be noted, however, that prescription medication are often the better solution as they have proven more safe while being more cost effective in terms of both safety and cost effectiveness.

Epilepsy
Neurologists specialize in treating epilepsy by identifying its root cause and managing conditions that exacerbate it, like clusters of nerve cells called neurons in the brain that emit abnormal electrical and chemical signals resulting in involuntary movements, sensations, feelings or behaviors known as seizures. Epilepsy treatment requires treating health conditions that worsen its severity or trigger episodes like epilepsy - neurologists treat such conditions by managing risk factors to help ensure its efficacy as medicine for managing epilepsy symptoms effectively.

Charlotte Figi made headlines in 2013 after receiving medical marijuana to reduce the severity of her Dravet syndrome - an irreducibly treatable form of epilepsy - and stop having seizures altogether. Since then, research into marijuana as an epilepsy treatment has seen dramatic gains.

CBD, a nonpsychoactive cannabis compound, may reduce seizures without the psychoactive effects of THC. Researchers are testing CBD-enriched products on children with refractory epilepsy; early results have demonstrated promise for seizure reduction; however, further clinical testing needs to be completed before making definitive claims about seizure prevention.

Movement Disorders
Cannabis (smoked form of marijuana) and its constituent compounds have been proven to benefit movement disorders. Cannabinoids bind with cannabinoid receptors located within the basal ganglia and other parts of the brain associated with movement control to provide therapeutic benefits.

Spasticity is a common condition among those with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), spinal cord injury (SCI), cerebral palsy and others. Cannabis may help ease involuntary muscle spasticity that is characteristic of these conditions; additionally, it has been shown to reduce levodopa-induced dyskinesia and tremor in Parkinson's disease patients. Current medications for antispasticity - diazepam and cyclobenzaprine respectively (Flexeril) have side effects; research underway on finding more effective skeletal muscle relaxants as alternatives; other studies indicate cannabis may protect against neurodegeneration that leads to these conditions.

Functional Neurological Disorder
Functional neurological disorder, previously referred to as conversion disorder, refers to symptoms not caused by any specific disease and cannot be explained by structural damage to the brain. It covers an array of symptoms such as limb weakness, seizures, walking difficulties, spasms and sensory disturbances.

The endocannabinoid system may play a part in these disorders, and cannabis can provide some relief for their symptoms. Stress and anxiety can exacerbate movement disorders further; marijuana's soothing qualities may help lessen those feelings.

Studies show that certain sativa cannabis strains can enhance cognitive function, making them useful tools for Alzheimer's patients looking to strengthen memory and focus. Unfortunately, teenagers who regularly use marijuana perform poorly on cognitive tests compared to nonusing teens (Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Vol 16 2015). Long-term use also causes physical changes to brain structure.