When looking at the literature, there’s a big back-and-forth when it comes to the medical benefits (and detractions) of cannabis. Sometimes this is a result of a general learning curve, and the differences – and issues – with study methodology. And sometimes this is because there are different forces at work with their own agendas. Two articles have recently been brought up about MS patients who use cannabis as treatment for their symptoms. And while the author might paint cannabis in a strange light, the actual studies point toward cannabis as a major benefit for MS patients.
There’s a reason MS, cancer, AIDS, and epileptic patients continually choose cannabis as a treatment option. Whether you’re a medical patient, or recreational user, cannabis has tons of benefits, plus, these days, you’ve got major options. Like delta-8 THC, an alternate form of cannabis, which doesn’t cause as strong a psychoactive effect, and which leaves users more clear-headed and less couch locked. We’ve got great deals for THCV, THC-O, delta 10, delta-8 THC & even HHC as well as many other compounds. Check ’em out, whether you’re an MS patient looking for a treatment, or just want to kick back and relax.
What is MS?
Multiple Sclerosis (MS), also referred to as encephalomyelitis disseminata, is what is considered a demyelinating disease. It’s defined by the insulating covers of nerve cells being damaged in the brain and spinal cord. This damage inhibits the transmission of signals in the nervous system, and leads to many different kinds of symptoms as a result. Some of the more common symptoms associated with the disease have to do with vision, manifesting as double vision, or loss of vision in one eye, problems with coordination, issues with sensation, and muscle weakness.
Symptoms can be consistent with MS, but they can also come in phases, and then disappear for the most part, though as the disease progresses, patients will often experience residual neurological symptoms, even during these ‘off’ periods. There is no known cure for MS, and most treatments are a means of controlling symptoms, and helping patients be more comfortable. There are no great pharmaceutical answers, and those that have been known to help with symptoms, are generally associated with negative side effects, or simply not being tolerated well by the body. Many MS patients use cannabis – whether prescribed or not – to deal with their symptoms.
Neither the cause, nor the underlying mechanisms of the disease, are actually known. The expected underlying mechanism is thought to be related to MS either an autoimmune disorder – a disorder where the immune system attacks the body, or a failure of myelin-producing cells. In terms of what causes it, many in the medical community believe it has to do with genetics, or environmental factors, possibly in conjunction with a virus. In this way, MS is diagnosed only by symptoms.