With Parkinson’s disease approved as one of the qualifying conditions for Florida medical marijuana, many patients with this condition are looking at cannabis as a supplemental treatment. There is an abundance of Parkinson’s patients throughout the world benefiting from marijuana treatments. In today’s blog post we will explore what Parkinson’s disease is, its symptoms, and the ways that medical cannabis can help patients with this ailment.
What Is Parkinson’s Disease, and What Are Some Common Symptoms?
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that predominantly affects the dopamine-producing (“dopaminergic”) neurons in a specific area of the brain called substantia nigra. This results in a number of symptoms that can develop very slowly over several years. Another thing to note is that the progression of these symptoms ranges quite a bit by individuals because of the diverse effects of this disease. Symptoms can include but are not limited to the following:
- Stiffness of the limbs (rigidity)
- Tremor, mainly at rest and described as pill rolling tremor in hands (several other tremor forms are possible)
- Slowness and paucity of movement (called bradykinesia and hypokinesia)
In addition to the above mentioned movement-related symptoms, Parkinson’s disease patients may also experience systems unrelated to movement as well. Those symptoms may have more of an impact on the individual, and can include depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, hallucinations, and also a variety of other cognitive impairments as well. This condition can truly be devastating and life-altering. However, medical cannabis can help with several symptoms. Let’s jump into how marijuana can help folks impacted by Parkinson’s disease.
How Can Medical Marijuana Help Patients With Parkinson’s?
Medical marijuana can dramatically help with several Parkinson’s symptoms, however most of them are the non-motor types. Research has shown that medical cannabis can help Parkinson’s patients with their nausea and weight loss issues associated with the condition. Also some patients have seen improvement with their sleeplessness, pain, and anxiety. Medical marijuana has helped many Parkinson’s patients overcome these symptoms.
While medical marijuana can have several benefits for Parkinson’s disease patients, there are also risks. Because of this we recommend you consult with your primary care physician before treating with marijuana to confirm it will truly help your unique Parkinson’s symptoms. Canna Doctors of America does acknowledge that medical cannabis can actually have adverse effects for this disease.
As medical professionals we encourage Parkinson’s patients to research and explore multiple treatment options to find what works best for their signature condition. If your doctor does recommend supplementing your Parkinson’s treatments with marijuana, book an appointment at one of our 3 convenient locations. We are here to help Parkinson’s patients with compassionate care.