Cannabis for Epilepsy and Preventing Seizures
Since the emerging medicinal benefits of cannabis have made it a go-to alternative for many regular medicines, most patients in today’s world tend to want to try the cannabis plant for treating some of their ailments. Epilepsy is one of those disorders. It cannot be treated with readily available cannabis products, but a critical combination of cannabinoids could be helpful.
The specific chemical constituent of cannabis, CBD (cannabinoid), possesses great significance in the treatment of epilepsy, for it has showcased a crucially positive role in helping epileptic patients with their symptoms in recent years.
Though the science behind how it helps hasn’t been discovered yet, cannabis for epilepsy has shown great recovery and benefits. To discover how the CBD in the cannabis plant helps in treating epilepsy and preventing seizures, a lot of trials approved by the FDA are being conducted by researchers.
What Is Epilepsy & How Is It Caused?
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that causes abnormal brain activity, an unusual display of behavior, loss of awareness, and sensations among affected human beings. It could be characterized by the occurrence of repetitive seizures with variable effects and intensities and are often caused due to a disturbance in the specified regions of a human brain’s circulatory system – creating some additional electrical activity. As per an estimate, around 1 in every 26 Americans tends to develop epilepsy in their lifetime. However, 2/3rd of those diagnosed with epilepsy seem not to have any background or origin for the disease. The most intimidating of all the facts is that 34% of the reported deaths among children are caused either due to epilepsy itself or because of the accidents which occur during the state of seizures. The seriousness of the disorder is quite critical. The non-availability of adequate drugs seems to be a major reason why so many epileptic patients lose their lives.
Seizure disorders usually vary from being massive disruptors posing deadly impacts on an individual’s life to a mild disorder, which may be easily treated with medicines. They are different for each human being and can result in an entirely new set of effects – making the treatment of these disorders much more difficult.
Where Does Cannabis Research for Epilepsy Stand at The Moment?
Cannabis for epilepsy has come into the limelight in recent times, becoming known for treating the varied types of seizures with great efficiency. Many success stories are being shared featuring CBD (cannabinoids) in the cannabis plant as the quick and effective treatment of epilepsy among children and adults. Charlotte Figi, who has recovered from Dravet syndrome – a unique form of epilepsy, is a popular supporter of CBD among patients with the disorder who have used cannabis under the supervision of medical marijuana doctors to treat her symptoms and seen it work.
These discoveries of cannabis working to prevent seizures and treat epilepsy have defined the medicinal benefits of the plant – making it an effective treatment for the young, as well as adults. Though the benefits of medical marijuana have been long spoken of, these recent stories have played an integral role in pushing the authorities towards more studies and legalization. Academic institutions have been provided with permission to finally begin exploring the medicinal uses of cannabis, as well as determining the effects and side effects.
Following the updated regulations and permission for academic research, many experiments and clinical trials are in progress, aiming to find out as much as possible about the medicinal benefits of the cannabis plant and define how it helps prevent seizures and treat epilepsy among young children and adults.
Based on conducted preclinical studies, “the world should be proactively excited about the therapeutic capabilities of cannabinoids found inside cannabis”, suggests Dr. Francis M. Filloux. However, the former inadequate restrictions over the cannabis plant’s research have stopped it from being fully utilized.
The initial research and wide patient experience of using medical marijuana for treating their chronic diseases are enough to prove the great medicinal benefits of this plant. There is no exaggeration in calling out cannabis as the only plant in history that has been widely used across the globe for medicinal purposes, despite being on the list of schedule-1 drugs with heavy duties and regulations imposed on it. However, patients could only access the simplistic and generic versions of cannabis products under the FDA’s regulations in previous years. Conducting extended research and clinical trials so as to prove the medicinal benefits of cannabis in treating epilepsy and preventing seizures is a necessity and could help lay the foundation of a smooth transition to treatment for cannabis users across the globe.
Why & How Does Cannabis Help with ‘Seizures’ Prevention & Epilepsy Treatment?
The cannabis plant is composed of the same cannabinoids that are found inside the human endocannabinoid system. Thus, they have great biological potential and the capability to balance the shortage or loss of cannabinoids inside the human body – stabilizing most of their neural functions.
Considering seizures and epilepsy as a neurological disorder, cannabinoids from the cannabis plant could help stabilize electrical activity and prevent large seizures.
Find Medical Marijuana Card in Florida
If you are suffering from a form of epilepsy or someone around you shows the symptoms, you can easily get in touch with a medical marijuana doctor. All you need to do is fill out our patient qualification test, and you’ll be matched with one of our professional doctors based on your symptoms and the treatment required. Our MMJ Health doctors will also issue you a Florida medical marijuana card that enables you to use prescribed cannabis products from Florida’s local dispensaries. The patient qualification survey is simple and will take less than 5 minutes! Just answer basic questions about your medical history so that the assigned doctor can be aware of your condition and help provide you with professional expertise and recommendations to help treat your symptoms.