Parkinson's Disease and Cannabis

 

Parkinson's disease is a disorder of the central nervous system disorder that affects movement. Symptoms begin usually involving tremors in one hand. The disease also leads to stiffness or slow movement.

During the preliminary stages of Parkinson's disease, the face may show no expression. The arms may stop swinging during movement. Your voice may lose its power. Parkinson's disease symptoms gradually become worse as time passes.

While Parkinson's disease has no cure, several medications may relieve its side effects. But expect your doctor to recommend surgery as a way to regulate certain brain sectors and improve your symptoms.

Symptoms
Parkinson's shows different signs and symptoms depending on the individual. Early signs are usually unnoticeable due to their mild nature. Symptoms usually affect one side of the body and worsen over time before beginning to affect both sides.

Some signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s may include:
Tremor: A tremor, or trembling, starts from the limb and mostly affects your hand or fingers. It prompts you to continuously rub your thumb and forefinger in a process known as a pill-rolling tremor. The hands also shake when you are at sleep.

Slowed movement (bradykinesia): Parkinson's disease leads to slow body movement, making it difficult to perform even the most difficult tasks. You begin taking shorter steps during walks and sometimes find difficulties getting out of a chair. Your feet may also remain fixed on the ground during movement.

Stiff muscles: The body may experience sudden muscle stiffness at different angles. The muscle stiffness is very painful and brings difficulties in movement.

Inability to gain balance: You may lose your posture and find difficulties gaining balance due to Parkinson's disease.

Loss of unconscious movements: You may also experience a low ability to perform automatic movements such as blinking, smiling, or arm movements during walks.

Changes in speech: Your tone may become soft, quick, and slur. You may even begin to hesitate before talking. Your speech may also become more one-sided and lack the power.

Writing difficulties: You start facing difficulties holding a pen and your writing becomes bad and unreadable.

Can Cannabis Help Parkinson’s?
Since Parkinson’s is the second-largest neurological disorder suffered by people in the US, there is more reason to conduct more research to help patients. There has been a lot of research linking marijuana as an alternative treatment to Parkinson’s.

There are several important ways in which marijuana can result in beneficial effects in Parkinson’s patients.

Marijuana is anti-inflammatory and antioxidative, and according to researchers, this may be essential in preventing neuron damage. This is essential for Parkinson’s patients since inflammation causes major damage to brain neurons that generate dopamine, and that’s a major contributor to Parkinson’s symptoms. Researchers believe that cannabis could reduce neuron damage in the brain as well as slow the progression of Parkinson’s.

Other benefits that cannabis could offer Parkinson’s patients include pain relief, increase sleep and reduce nausea. Marijuana may ease the movement disorder suffered by people with Parkinson’s due to its muscle relaxing properties.