ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig’s and is a rare but severe illness that affects the whole nervous system and other parts of the body. ALS does not have a known cure, and those who have it tend to be helpless when it comes to discomforts. Some treatment options tend to be unnatural, expensive, and hard to find. However, ALS medical marijuana in Ohio can help you with this condition because the two of them have some connections.
The study is still new regarding ALS medical marijuana in Ohio, but this condition and marijuana have a good relationship. This is because medical marijuana provides relief and relaxation to those patients. In this article, we will focus on ALS and marijuana and whether or not it is an effective solution.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Its Causes
ALS is a neurodegenerative condition that mainly affects your brain and spinal cord. This condition makes the motor neurons in your body deteriorate. These neurons are the ones that control your body movements. As this disease continues, more neurons will develop, and you will see apparent atrophy in the muscles. As time goes on, the patient might lose the ability to speak, walk and breathe.
ALS comes in two primary types. The most common type is sporadic ALS and is the one that happens without a real known cause. A majority of patients in the US have this type of ALS. This means that no one knows its reason, but they have to treat it.
The second type of ALS is called Familial (FALS), which is caused by genes. This means that patients tend to inherit it. This type will be considered familial if two or more family members have it. This condition is less common than sporadic ALS because it affects only 5 to 20 percent of cases. If you are more anxious regarding this type, you can look at your family history to see if there is a possibility in the future.
No one knows what exactly causes ALS, but some experts believe some environmental factors might trigger its symptoms. Some things like being exposed to certain toxins, smoking, or serving in the military might cause sporadic ALS.
How Medical Marijuana Help Patients with ALS
There have been more studies regarding ALS and marijuana. However, we need to emphasize that marijuana cannot cure ALS. But it can help to reduce the severe symptoms that the condition causes.
Marijuana and ALS work together pretty well because this plant provides relief to those patients. We will discuss the main symptoms of ALS. However, it is critical to know how effective and widespread the symptoms can become. Marijuana works in your body together with your endocannabinoid system, and this will help control these symptoms and reduce some discomforts. The pain might not disappear completely, but you can manage it with medical marijuana.
The Symptoms of ALS That Marijuana Treats
ALS comes with severe symptoms that are difficult to manage. These symptoms include muscle spasms, weight loss, muscle weakness, and pain that does not go away. This nervous system condition attacks everything. Medical cannabis cannot treat all these symptoms, but it helps tremors, pain, and weight loss.
Medical Marijuana and Muscle Spasms
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients commonly experience muscle spasms that you cannot control in your body. These symptoms make you feel uncomfortable and inconvenient, and you will find it hard to do your daily tasks. The best report is that medical marijuana works with ALS when treating muscle spasms and has proven effective.
Muscle spasms in ALS are due to inflammation. Medical marijuana products contain cannabinoids that help to fight inflammation and generate relief in more than one way. This product reduces pain and the strength of muscle spasms. Marijuana can as well influence the parts of your brain that control your movements.
Medical Marijuana and Stiffness
If you have ALS, you are most likely to feel severe muscle stiffness. This results from muscle degeneration because they lose strength, and you lose the ability to control yourself. This symptom is difficult to deal with because it hinders your movement significantly. Medical marijuana products like topicals help with muscle stiffness.
You will apply these topicals to the affected areas, and you will relieve pain. After using this product, the cannabinoids will get into your pores and target the muscles and the skin cells. But these cannabinoids will not go further than that. Rather than going through your bloodstreams, medical cannabis will only focus on the areas you have applied it to and will help you regain some movement.
Medical Marijuana Weight
Patients who are suffering from ALS usually struggle with maintaining their weight. This condition exhausts your muscles making you lose weight, and you will become weaker than you used to. You will not have the same strength you had before ALS, and therefore, it is critical to maintain your bone density, which is where marijuana helps.
Most patients opt for medical marijuana to help stimulate appetite, and you can gain weight—the cannabinoids in marijuana help activate CB receptors in your brain to activate hunger. CBD products like THC help to enhance stimuli, and this makes food taste better than before. They make you enjoy food without worrying about nausea and an upset stomach.
Best Strains for ALS Treatment
When looking for strains of ALS treatment, find the ones that can treat the following symptoms;
· Relieving pain
· Stimulating appetite
· Reducing anxiety
· Boosting appetite
Some cannabis strains can make you dizzy throughout the day. These sound relaxing but are not the best option for ALS. Make sure to look for something that is more stimulating so that you can get up and move. Here are some of the best marijuana strains for ALS.
Stephen Hawkins Kush
This strain is named after the famous scientist Dr. Stephen Hawkins, who had ALS. This strain helps you relax without making you stick in bed, and it helps to relieve pain, eliminate nausea and stimulate appetite.
Greek Crack
Do not allow the name of this strain to fool you, and it is just among the best strains of medical cannabis. It has high properties that are associated with cannabis. Greek crack helps in boosting your mood. If you find it hard to focus due to ALS symptoms, a puff of cannabis will keep you busy.
Side Effects of Medical Marijuana
Everyone reacts to medical marijuana differently. But there are common symptoms that come with this treatment, and these include:
· High or low pressure
· Dry mouth
· Anxiety and panic
· Increased appetite
· Diarrhea
· Cough
· Sore throat
· Dry eyes
If you see any of the above complications or uncomfortable effects, make sure you stop using the drug immediately and speak to your doctor. The best way to avoid the above difficulties is to take them slowly in small doses. Always ensure that you are not consuming more than your body can.
Final Thought
ALS medical marijuana in Ohio is an effective treatment. Generally, medical marijuana and ALS have a positive relationship that we are now getting to know. Medical marijuana gives life-changing results for patients with ALS.
