Parkinson’s disease is an incredibly frightening condition for the family and loved ones of the sufferer. This condition makes people wonder whether there exist alternative treatment options other than conventional pills. Does marijuana help Parkinson’s?
In this article, we will provide an overview of Parkinson’s disease and its potential relationship with marijuana.
What Is Parkinson’s Disease?
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder of the nervous system, which eventually affects movement, speech, and other motor functions. The symptoms usually begin slowly and may include minor hand tremors, or stiffness. A common symptom of Parkinson’s is bradykinesia, which refers to muscle stiffness that leads to difficulties in movements. The symptoms of Parkinson’s include movement disorders and these symptoms are rooted in neurology.
Parkinson’s disease can cause low dopamine levels in a certain brain sector. This condition can cause dopamine cells to die, and when this occurs, it becomes difficult to control body movements and other motor activities. As the disease remains in your system, your dopamine levels decrease, and symptoms become more intense.
Since Parkinson’s has no cure, many people are looking for ways to treat some of the symptoms of the disease. This has made marijuana and Parkinson’s to become a hot topic of discussion and research.
Does Marijuana Help Parkinson’s?
Parkinson’s is the second most prevalent neurological disorder in the US. This has led to a lot of research on how to reduce the condition. Some research looks at how marijuana can relieve Parkinson’s.
There are several ways marijuana and Parkinson’s may benefit from each other. Marijuana is both anti-inflammatory and antioxidative, and researchers believe this may help prevent neuron damage. This is essential with Parkinson’s because inflammation may cause damage to brain neurons that generate dopamine, and that’s one of the causes of Parkinson’s. Marijuana may reduce some of the neuron damage in the brain, which makes it useful in stopping the progression of Parkinson’s.
Marijuana may also benefit Parkinson’s patients with pain. It can also help with symptoms like sleep problems and nausea. Marijuana may help people with movement difficulties that come with Parkinson’s. It can also help relax muscles.
There are several ways Parkinson’s sufferers can benefit from marijuana, without having them smoke it or become high. One great way is by using CBD, the non-psychoactive component of marijuana. CBD has many therapeutic benefits and lacks the psychoactive properties that make users high. CBD is available in many different forms including in oils, tinctures, teas, and extracts making it easy to consume.
Bottom line —Marijuana and Parkinson’s
Many people ask if marijuana can help with Parkinson’s disease. There’s a high amount of research that shows how marijuana can benefit the different symptoms of Parkinson’s.
There are many ways in which marijuana and Parkinson’s could go well together. Marijuana can provide pain relief, anti-inflammatory effects, and act as a neuroprotectant. Currently, researchers are still determining the exact benefits that cannabis has to offer.
If you want to use marijuana for Parkinson’s, it is recommended you consult a healthcare provider to receive guides on how to dose cannabis.